What We Like
Handsome car
Hilariously entertaining V6 engine
Surprisingly refined when driven sensibly
It's a soft-top AMG, man!
What We Dislike
Limited boot space, especially with the top down
All the noise and fun will require regular petrol station visits
I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't quite sure what to make of this car when I first picked up the keys. You see, on one hand, Mercedes's AMG line of cars are suppose to be about performance and aplomb. On the other hand, this is a cabriolet - if it's the distinct sport experience you want, you'd probably have the saloon or coupe version.
Having driven the Mercedes-Benz C300 Cabriolet about a month ago, there wasn't a time during that drive where I wished the car ran a 3.0-litre V6 engine instead, which makes it almost unnecessary for a car like the C43 Cabriolet that you see here to exist.
No sun no fun
Getting into the car, it's straight-up Mercedes quality all around. The cabin is comfortable and spacious, and you get a healthy dose of luxurious bits like leather-swathed benches and high-quality materials that remind you it's a Merc you're driving.
Hit the start button and the car comes to life with surprisingly little occasion. After a brief gurgle from the V6 sitting up ahead, the engine settles into a gentlemanly note.
Call it bad luck, or call it fate, but the weather gods clearly didn't want me to be in a convertible that particular day. As I pulled out of the carpark, the intense rain immediately washed any notion of fun out of my head.
This forced me to drive in a sensible manner, and to my surprise, the C43 performed remarkably well in this aspect. Leave the car to its own devices and practise some right foot discipline and the C43 is simply a damn good cruiser. The engine is unintrusive, the cabin reasonably quiet even with rain smacking onto the soft top, and the car is just easy to drive.
With nine gears in total, you're always cruising along in a refined manner. Driven sensibly, the car is fast without being intimidating, and overtaking manoeuvres are performed with ease.
Point and shoot
After some time, the skies cleared, only to be replaced with blistering heat. Well, at least I can put the top down and unleash the engine (and my inner hooligan).
The 3.0-litre V6 Biturbo engine, producing 362bhp and 520Nm of torque, is gloriously rampant. Like a laser blaster, you can just point and shoot, and the car rockets forward. This is accompanied by a guttural noise that sounds best between 4,000rpm to 6,000rpm.
Having driven the Mercedes-Benz C300 Cabriolet about a month ago, there wasn't a time during that drive where I wished the car ran a 3.0-litre V6 engine instead, which makes it almost unnecessary for a car like the C43 Cabriolet that you see here to exist.
No sun no fun
Getting into the car, it's straight-up Mercedes quality all around. The cabin is comfortable and spacious, and you get a healthy dose of luxurious bits like leather-swathed benches and high-quality materials that remind you it's a Merc you're driving.
Hit the start button and the car comes to life with surprisingly little occasion. After a brief gurgle from the V6 sitting up ahead, the engine settles into a gentlemanly note.
Call it bad luck, or call it fate, but the weather gods clearly didn't want me to be in a convertible that particular day. As I pulled out of the carpark, the intense rain immediately washed any notion of fun out of my head.
This forced me to drive in a sensible manner, and to my surprise, the C43 performed remarkably well in this aspect. Leave the car to its own devices and practise some right foot discipline and the C43 is simply a damn good cruiser. The engine is unintrusive, the cabin reasonably quiet even with rain smacking onto the soft top, and the car is just easy to drive.
With nine gears in total, you're always cruising along in a refined manner. Driven sensibly, the car is fast without being intimidating, and overtaking manoeuvres are performed with ease.
Point and shoot
After some time, the skies cleared, only to be replaced with blistering heat. Well, at least I can put the top down and unleash the engine (and my inner hooligan).
The 3.0-litre V6 Biturbo engine, producing 362bhp and 520Nm of torque, is gloriously rampant. Like a laser blaster, you can just point and shoot, and the car rockets forward. This is accompanied by a guttural noise that sounds best between 4,000rpm to 6,000rpm.
I ventured so far as to drive with the top down for about 30 minutes, but by that time I gained many stares and a tan line, so back up the roof went.
This made me wonder, does this Cabriolet really make sense? I was certainly hesitant. Driving with the roof up makes no sense (why buy a convertible if you are just going to do that?), but driving with the roof down has its own challenges - the weather, certainly, but also the knowledge that people are going to be staring at you and think, "What a wanker."
Chuckle and laughs
I headed out again in the evening to meet a couple of friends for dinner, and it was at this point that it all finally clicked - what the Cabrio offers that the Saloon cannot is a sense of social joy.
Put the roof down, chuck three of your friends into the car, head onto the roads and the Cabriolet suddenly just makes perfect sense. It's a fun car, not just for you, but for all the passengers too. It's a car capable of great occasion without your passengers afraid of soiling their pants. It's a car that makes everyone laugh - at its speed, its noise, and its slightly over-the-top nature.
You see, on its own, the C43 Cabriolet can be fun, but you have to drive the car like you stole it. Find a tunnel (CTE tunnels are ideal), drop a couple of gears and just let it rip. But, I'm not sure you want to be visiting the petrol station every other day, and put your license at perpetual risk of being revoked.
However, the beauty of the car is that you don't have to do just that. You can use it as a perfectly normal cruiser, heading to work or going to do your groceries. It's a remarkably sensible and excellent everyday car.
But when you do want to take the top off and enjoy the delightful engine, you can (and should) make it a social event. Hitch a couple of pals along, put on some Stevie Wonder, and just have an absolute blast, jammin' until the break of dawn.
This made me wonder, does this Cabriolet really make sense? I was certainly hesitant. Driving with the roof up makes no sense (why buy a convertible if you are just going to do that?), but driving with the roof down has its own challenges - the weather, certainly, but also the knowledge that people are going to be staring at you and think, "What a wanker."
Chuckle and laughs
I headed out again in the evening to meet a couple of friends for dinner, and it was at this point that it all finally clicked - what the Cabrio offers that the Saloon cannot is a sense of social joy.
Put the roof down, chuck three of your friends into the car, head onto the roads and the Cabriolet suddenly just makes perfect sense. It's a fun car, not just for you, but for all the passengers too. It's a car capable of great occasion without your passengers afraid of soiling their pants. It's a car that makes everyone laugh - at its speed, its noise, and its slightly over-the-top nature.
You see, on its own, the C43 Cabriolet can be fun, but you have to drive the car like you stole it. Find a tunnel (CTE tunnels are ideal), drop a couple of gears and just let it rip. But, I'm not sure you want to be visiting the petrol station every other day, and put your license at perpetual risk of being revoked.
However, the beauty of the car is that you don't have to do just that. You can use it as a perfectly normal cruiser, heading to work or going to do your groceries. It's a remarkably sensible and excellent everyday car.
But when you do want to take the top off and enjoy the delightful engine, you can (and should) make it a social event. Hitch a couple of pals along, put on some Stevie Wonder, and just have an absolute blast, jammin' until the break of dawn.
