Mercedes-AMG C 43 4MATIC: Formula 1 technology for a single engine

Mercedes-AMG recently unveiled the new C 43 4MATIC, packed with novelties and technology. And it is precisely Formula 1 technology that the star brand is proud of for the most sporting version of its saloon, which has left behind the previous six-cylinder engine in favour of a 2-litre 4-cylinder capable of delivering even higher performance.

This is the engine internally known as M139, which in this latest evolution, now with an electric turbo, debuted in the new Mercedes-AMG SL 43, where it produces 380 CV. For the C-Class, the 4-cylinder delivers a power output of 300 kW (408 CV) at 6,750 rpm, and a maximum torque of 500 Nm at 5,000 rpm. Let us recall that this four-cylinder, in the Mercedes A 45 S, boasts being the most powerful in its class in the world, exceeding 420 CV, although still without an electric turbo, as this engine uses a Twin-Scroll twin-entry turbocharger.

Mild hybridisation and electric turbocharger

Mercedes announces that thanks to the mild hybrid system, which allows the C 43 to display the ECO environmental label of the DGT, the four-cylinder engine can have an additional output of around 10 kW (almost 14 CV) momentarily. However, it does not clarify whether this power is added to what the engine is capable of producing; it would be logical for these additional horses to be available during low-load or part-load phases.

In any case, one of the distinctive features of this engine is its turbocharger with electric drive, which operates on the basis of the 48-volt hybrid system. This system allows a higher torque to be reached at a lower engine speed, by eliminating the response lag known as turbo-lag, and allowing a constant boost pressure, without depending solely on the exhaust gas flow, and even when the driver lifts off the accelerator or has to brake.

To achieve this, a small electric motor integrated into the turbocharger shaft, which is barely 4 centimetres in diameter, is responsible for driving the turbine before there is a sufficient exhaust gas flow for the turbo to work in the conventional manner. The electric turbo is capable of spinning at speeds of up to 175,000 rpm, guaranteeing a high airflow.

Other notable technologies incorporated in this engine are the NANOSLIDE coating to reduce friction between the pistons and the cylinders, also used in the Formula 1 engines of Mercedes-AMG. It also features independent cooling for the cylinder head and block and two-stage petrol injection.

Mercedes-AMG C 43 4MATIC image gallery