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2017 Mercedes-AMG E43: First Impressions

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2017 Mercedes-AMG E43 | Cars.com photo by Angela Conners

CARS.COM — The new Mercedes-AMG E43 is one sinister-looking sport sedan, and that’s surprising because the redesigned E-Class is one of the more understated luxury sedans in a segment increasingly defined by bold designs like Lexus’ spindle grille.

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2017 Mercedes-AMG E43 | Cars.com photo by Angela Conners

The show car’s black paint, relative lack of chrome and alloy wheels with black-painted pockets do the job nicely, giving the E43 a serious bearing that speaks to the 396-horsepower V-6 under its hood.

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2017 Mercedes-AMG E43 | Cars.com photo by Angela Conners

Inside, there are lightly bolstered front bucket seats that aren’t too confining and have comfortable cushioning. There’s also a sport steering wheel with a flat bottom section. As for the backseat, you sit low, and the feeling is magnified by the sedan’s high beltline.

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2017 Mercedes-AMG E43 | Cars.com photo by Angela Conners

AMG variants are spreading across the Mercedes range, and there’s likely more to come for the E-Class as Mercedes calls the AMG E43 the “first high-performance variant.” The previous E-Class was available in E63 AMG form, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the new E-Class is too at some point.

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Senior Road Test Editor

I oversee Cars.com’s testing-related Editorial content, from our expert car reviews and videos to our multivehicle comparison tests. I’ve been covering the auto industry for more than 20 years, with a focus on helping shoppers find the right car for them. I’m a member of the Midwest Automotive Media Association, and I’m also a juror for the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards. My daily driver is a Honda Odyssey minivan; my very occasional driver is a Ford Focus that’s prepped for cheap endurance racing.

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