It is a beautiful day for a test drive! We have had an influx of Mercedes-AMG vehicles with the new 43 designation and I needed to get a few miles under my belt so I can adequately explain the feel. Also, did I mention how nice it is outside? One of my colleagues joined me in a GLE63 AMG for comparison.

The 63 is a familiar engine to AMG enthusiast and carries the “One Man, One Engine” tradition. The 43 is something else. It started life as the V6 bi-turbo from models like the E400 or 2016 C450. Then the vehicle was given to AMG to be enhanced. Suspension, Transmission, body work, and exhaust were all modified and the final result is an AMG vehicle with most of the feel and growl…without all of the price!

I drove the Mercedes-AMG SLC43 around Duluth on both city streets and the highway. In town, the SLC remains the best go-kart! I felt like I should be wearing a helmet! It is much faster than I need it to be, accelerating from a stop with giggle inducing speed. It feels powerful but light and very nimble. The brakes are equally impressive. I was able to shake the GLE63 as we went through some tight turns (but it did come roaring back on the straights). The handling on an SLC is as fun as it ever was in the SLK55 but it feels a little smoother and much cushier.

Accelerating onto the highway was a joy! It is fast, of course, but it is also stable and predictable. You can tell that it was built for the autobahn! The steering is speed sensitive so you don’t get any twitchiness at high speeds. You could easily cruise a couple of hundred miles at highway speed without any fear of the bigger vehicles.

I think the SLC43 AMG is exactly what we need it to be! Come test drive yourself!

There are more 43 video reviews on my YouTube channel if you would like to see it in action!