Mercedes-AMG E43 vs Peugeot 208

What's the difference?

When is an AMG not really an AMG, but still a fitting homage to the models that built the brand?

The new E 43 is the eighth '43 after the SLC 43, GLC 43, GLC 43 Coupe and four C 43s, all of which arrived last year, and plugs a mighty gap between the mainstream E-Class line-up and the upcoming full-house E 63 S, while forming an almost exact philosophical fit with the E 36 and E 55 that helped put AMG on the map in the 90s.

How? Unlike the angry dinosaur V8 growl, supercar-like performance and generally hardcore demeanour we love about the current top-level models, the E 43 is more of a rapid grand tourer than a four-door supercar. Which is kind of what the AMGs of old were, before they sprouted exhausts from both sides and became more menacing than Mercedes.

Explore the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class range

Mercedes-Benz E-Class E200 and E220d 2016 review

Mercedes-AMG E63 S 2017 review | first drive

Mercedes-Benz E400 2017 review | road test

Mercedes-Benz E350d 2016 review | snapshot

Mercedes-Benz E300 2017 review | road test

Mercedes-Benz E220d 2016 review | snapshot

Mercedes-Benz E200 2016 review | snapshot

The E 43 still boasts a muscular 295kW/520Nm from its twin-turbo V6 and all-wheel drive, but cloaks it all in an air-suspended package that's barely distinguishable from the AMG styling pack available from the base E 200 up.

It's priced $20,000 higher than the E 400 but still around $90,000 less than the E 63 S that arrives in June, and does nothing to dissuade the notion that Mercedes makes a car for almost everyone. And we're glad they do, particularly when the latest addition boasts a 4.6s 0-100km/h claim that would trump most mid-engined supercars of the 90s.

It also promises to be a star-badged alternative to the new BMW 540i, Audi S6 and even the Lexus GS F.

In a world of cheap, popular and well-specified Japanese and Korean small hatchbacks, it’s easy to forget the humble French cars that once helped define the segment.

They’re still around, though. You’ve probably seen a few Renault Clios, you might not have seen the tragically underrated new Citroen C3, and there’s at least a chance you’ve seen one of these – the Peugeot 208.

This iteration of the 208 has been around in one form or another since 2012 and is due to be replaced by a second-generation model in the near future.

So, should you consider the aging 208 in a busy market segment? I spent a week behind the wheel of the second-from-the-top GT-Line to find out.