Naturally, the second appearance of the A35 in particular suggests a hold up with pricing approvals from the government, as we’ve seen previously. As it turns out, both these cars have yet to receive the necessary approvals for sale in the country, according to Mercedes-Benz Malaysia president and CEO Amanda Zhang.
“We have many approval steps,” she said during a press conference at the event. “We’re actually running through that process, and of course, there are certain scheme changes also on the government side for good intentions, to incentivise the newest technologies. So we just have to go step-by-step and make sure we get all the approvals in place.
As for the C43, that car is powered by an M139l engine from the A45 and C63, producing 408 PS and 500 Nm of torque and paired with the same 14 PS BSG. Both cars can get from zero to 100 km/h in well under five seconds – 4.7 seconds for the A35, 4.6 seconds for the C43 – thanks to the included 4Matic all-wheel-drive system.
“I don’t know how my team manage with the C43…as a local production. It’s the very first time outside of Germany, so we’ve very much looking forward to it.”GALLERY: W177 Mercedes-Benz A35 4Matic Sedan in MalaysiaAfter trying to pursue a career in product design, Jonathan Lee decided to make the sideways jump into the world of car journalism instead. He therefore appreciates the aesthetic appeal of a car, but for him, the driving experience is still second to none.