Car Enthusiast - click here to access the home page


 



AMG turns a corner. Image by Mercedes-Benz.

AMG turns a corner
AMG's cars have always been loony-fast, but with the C 63 AMG has added some real ability in the twisties.

   



<< earlier review     later review >>

Reviews homepage -> Mercedes-Benz reviews

| First Drive | Frankfurt, Germany | Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG |

In the current state of environmental silliness a C-Class with 451bhp might seem preposterous, but despite all the doomsayers predictions of climate change we're all for V8 super saloons here. Mercedes seems perfectly content to let its AMG division loose with the entry-level saloon, the company even stating that in producing its flagship sports saloon it learns lessons to make its lesser models more efficient. Frankly, Mercedes can dress it up however it likes, as the C 63's speedometer needle is registering 260km/h (161mph) and I aint complaining. My thoughts are more focussed on whether the VW Passat on the horizon is going to dawdle into my lane rather than whether I'll be in flip-flops or wellies next summer.

That 161mph is about 6mph more than the limiter should really allow. Yet, if I had a performance pack equipped car the C 63's electronic restrictor would be even more relaxed and allow an even more pleasing 172mph. Without it? Nobody at Mercedes is officially saying, but Wolf Zimmermann, AMG's Managing Director, Development and Production, shrugs his shoulders and suggests a figure of at least 200mph. Given the impunity with which it reaches its electronic limiter on the autobahn there is absolutely no reason to doubt that.

Giving the C-Class its high speed ability is AMG's 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine developing a more than adequate 451bhp. That is plenty to see off the C 63's obvious BMW M3 and Audi RS4 rivals. Those 6.2-litres (AMG confusingly insisting on calling it a 6.3-litre for historical reasons) are able to produce more, the same engine featuring in a number of AMG models with outputs ranging up to 518bhp. It's highly probable then that some owners will have their C 63s fettled to pump out more ponies, while the capacity to do so also leaves AMG the option to produce one of its hardcore Black Series models.

Not that in standard guise C 63 feels like it needs a makeover. The enormous muscle from the 6.2-litre V8 allows it to reach 62mph in 4.5 seconds and strain at that electronic limiter only moments after. The C 63 is fiercely quick and its supercar-rivalling acceleration is hugely entertaining, but it is the ease with which it achieves its warp speed that is so impressive. That's largely down to its automatic transmission. The tweaked AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic is super smooth and fast whether it's being asked to deal with all the 6.2-litre's power or just a portion of it.

For the greatest enjoyment it's best to shift manually by flicking the (too small) paddles on the steering wheel. Redline the engine in manual mode and instead of automatically shifting up the instrument display flashes red and suggests another gear. But downshifts are where the fun is really at, the computers blipping the throttle for the full heal-and-toe sound. In truth I'd rather the chance to do exactly that, but AMG doesn't do manuals, just very good, if one-ratio-too-many-to-be-sensible automatics.

Too many ratios because the C 63's mighty powerplant has such torque that if it were a proper manual I'd be skipping cogs. Torque rich it may be, the impressive 442lb.ft peak torque at 5,000rpm paling against the fact that 368lb.ft is available all the way from 2,000rpm to 6,250rpm. Even so it rarely feels like a hooligan in the way of AMGs of old. The rear wheels need provoking to relinquish their grip; this is only possible by killing the ESP and being brutal. Doing so will only leave clouds of smoke and get you the wrong sort of attention.

Not that the C 63 needs any help in being noticed. A quick glance is enough to understand this is no ordinary four-door saloon. The DTM car rivalling bumper design with larger vents feeds cooling air to seven radiators, the 18-inch wheels (19s available optionally of course) with enormous 360 x 26mm front and 330 x 26mm rear brake discs nestling behind them make clear the C 63's intent. Around the back are four huge tailpipes, their visual impact completely eclipsed by the glorious V8 muscle car soundtrack emanating from them. Deeply impressive as the C 63's timbre is it is the more subtle details that really impress.

Look at the front wings and aside from the 6.3 badging there is a flare to the wheelarches. Within them is a completely revised front axle and wider tracks - 35mm at the front and 12mm at the rear. AMG has also moved the entire front axle assembly forward and added a completely new three-link suspension for greater agility. The changes increase the stiffness by 100%, allowing the revised steering system to offer improved precision.

There's real feel at the steering wheel, the C 63 turning in with the sort of precision and crispness that used to be the preserve of AMG's rivals at BMW's M division. Indeed, the C 63 is really spoiling for a fight with its BMW and Audi rivals. Sure, it wins the on-paper competition with its big number output and little number sprinting ability, but all too often AMGs have failed to live up to their promise on real roads. But push the C 63 down a challenging piece of tarmac and it impresses and rewards, this being one AMG that's got talent beyond the autobahn.

Three-stage ESP gives confidence in the wet, the rear kept in check by the electronics. Switch it off and you can have the rear swinging around as much or little as you want, the C 63 remarkably benign when testing its limits. Stopping power is awesome too, and can be made more so with optional carbon ceramic stoppers if the Nurburgring happens to be on your commute. The ride is on the hard side, more so on the optional 19-inch alloys, but it is not so bad to have a chiropractor on speed-dial.

Whether it's better than the BMW M3 or Audi RS4 is largely a moot point, as customers tend to pin their colours to one brand. They're all slightly different too, the M3 more likely to appeal to track-day fans, the Audi to those wanting their big-power output with all-weather friendliness and the AMG for power and noise junkies. The C 63 certainly delivers for its traditional audience, but it also offers agility and poise to match its outstanding pace.

Kyle Fortune - 9 Oct 2007



  www.mercedes-benz.co.uk    - Mercedes-Benz road tests
- Mercedes-Benz news
- C 63 AMG images

2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG specifications: (saloon)
Price: £51,425 (Performance Pack is an additional £3,210).
0-62mph: 4.5 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
Combined economy: 21.1mpg
Kerb weight: 1730kg

2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Syd Wall.2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Syd Wall.2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Syd Wall.2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Syd Wall.2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Syd Wall.

2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Syd Wall.2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Syd Wall.2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Syd Wall.2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Syd Wall.2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Syd Wall.



2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Mercedes-Benz.
 

2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Mercedes-Benz.
 

2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Mercedes-Benz.
 

2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Mercedes-Benz.
 

2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Mercedes-Benz.
 

2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Mercedes-Benz.
 

2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Mercedes-Benz.
 

2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG. Image by Mercedes-Benz.
 






 

Internal links:   | Home | Privacy | Contact us | Archives | Old motor show reports | Follow Car Enthusiast on Twitter | Copyright 1999-2024 ©