The Mercedes-AMG E43 Estate Is A 400bhp Modern-Day Sleeper
Modern super saloons and estates are so festooned in lumps, bulges, vents and wings that many claim the concept of a sleeper car is dead. However, I’m not so sure, and one of the cars that makes me think otherwise is the new Mercedes-AMG E43 estate.
On the outside, there’s not a whole lot to tell it apart from the boggo E-Class estate - a car also revealed this week - and yet it’s packing the same 395bhp, 383lb ft 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 as the equally subtle E43 saloon. 0-62mph takes just 4.7 seconds, while the top speed is the usual 155mph electronically limited deal.
So, it doesn’t look particularly fast, yet will match the supercharged, full fat E55 AMG from a couple generations ago to 62mph. What was that about sleepers being dead?
Power is sent to all four wheels by a nine-speed automatic gearbox, and if the saloon version is anything to go by, the estate will have a 31:69 torque split favouring the rear wheels. The E43 also gets beefier AMG suspension.
If you want more power and a couple of extra cylinders a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 E63 will follow eventually, with an expected power output in excess of 600bhp. But if it’s the E43 you’re after, it goes on sale with the rest of the E-class estate range this October.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
No, this is a sleeper.
I don’t mean to be picky but, not much of a sleeper with 400bhp and all that weight in today’s terms.
Still though 4.7 to 60 is very quick
It is amazing that the E43 is doing 0-60 faster than the W211 E63 (2 generations back) mainly down to the crazy torque of modern turbo engines, weight reductions and of course quick changing gearboxes
Too many e’s in this world: e43, e55, e63, e36, e46, e39, e30, e12, e21, e1, e10, e28, e20, etc
Sleeper? Here you have a sleeper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymi0xkErqWI ;)
why 31:69 torque split, whats wrong with 30:70?
If it’s got an AMG badge on the back, it’s not a sleeper.
Sleepers are what tuners make. 1,000BHP Ford Escorts, etc
Sleeper cars aren’t dead… you just don’t notice them XD
the real sleeper is the s212 E500 merc. You can get the elegance version of it (wich is not available for the AMG models). I guess 400 hp is the most you can get in the grandpa-wagon.
9 speeds? that’s too many. if you’re worried about fuel economy, you shouldn’t be buying a near-as-makes-no-difference 400HP car. go get a prius