The launch of the facelifted X167 Mercedes-Benz GLS, Mercedes-Maybach GLS600 and Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance and GT63S E Performance also included a preview of the facelifted Mercedes-AMG A35 Sedan and C43. The former had already made an appearance last June, while the latter made its local debut; both are CKD locally assembled in Pekan, Pahang.

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 (MBM) 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.”

Zhang said that production has already started and the cars will go on sale as soon as the approvals have been received, so customers won’t have to wait too long once the green light is given.

It sounds like the “scheme changes” mentioned refer to new hybrid incentives, given that both these cars come with 48-volt mild hybrid powertrains. In the case of the A35, its existing 306 PS/400 Nm M260 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine has been outfitted with a belt-driven starter generator (BSG) that provides an additional 14 PS of accelerative boost.

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.

The C43 is noteworthy in that it’s the first AMG model outside of Germany to be locally assembled with a hand-assembled engine, under Affalterbach’s “one man, one engine” approach. This is something Zhang is particularly proud of.

“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: W206 Mercedes-Benz C43 4Matic in Malaysia

GALLERY: W177 Mercedes-Benz A35 4Matic Sedan in Malaysia

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