In 2007, Mercedes took a huge swing for the BMW M3 with the C63 AMG. It was a 450hp muscle car from Germany that packed a large 6.2 liter V8, branded as 6.3 for historical and marketing reasons, that could literally cause an earthquake. It was the ultimate performance car to have back then, but how about now? Should you consider one? Let’s find out.
picture via: wikipedia.com
It’s a Very Fun Car
The C63 is a very fun car to drive. It’s powered by the M156 unit, a 6.2 liter naturally aspirated V8 that produces as standard as 451hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. However, there are many different model variations that produce more power. The most powerful W204 C63 model ever offered by Mercedes is the DR520 which was specifically made for the UK market. That car has 518hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. The C63 would hit 60 in around 4.1 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.
Worldwide, the two most powerful models are the Black Series and 507 Edition models, which both have over 500hp and over 450 lb-ft of torque. Mercedes built 800 Black Series models, which were 150 more than the originally planned 650 Mercedes were going to build. A Black Series or 507 models are the two most expensive models available to buy.
The C63 is a German muscle car. It’s a proper brute and it sounds fantastic. However, unlike an American muscle car, the C63 can handle very well. It’s the first-ever AMG car designed from the ground up so unlike its predecessors, it’s a lot more agile and responsive to drive. However, the C63 still falls short on the track compared to an M3, which in an episode of Top Gear beat the C63 by 4 seconds on the Ascari circuit in Spain.
The C63 also features a full ESP defeat mode which will only interfere with heavy braking. With this off, the C63 becomes a wild animal and it will absolutely shred its tires to pieces. Traction is an issue on these cars even with all the driving aids on, and this is due to just how much power and torque are being sent to the rear wheels. No wonder this car goes through so many tires.
The gearbox in the original car is a 7-speed automatic, unlike the dual-clutch/manual used in the M3 of the time or the manual used in the RS4 Audi of the time. It’s a pretty solid gearbox and it needs to be to handle all that torque and power. It has four shift modes including comfort, sport, sport +, and manual mode in which you can change gears via the shift paddles. Mercedes are very well known for fitting their performance cars with normal automatic gearboxes rather than fancy dual-clutch systems or manuals used in other cars. This is due to the amount of torque their engines make, it’s just too much for these sorts of gearboxes.
The facelift was fitted with an AMG 7-speed Speedshift MCT transmission system. It’s very similar to the 7G-Tronic system used in the pre-facelift car, except the torque converter has been replaced by a compact wet startup clutch that launches the car. The gearbox also supports computer-controlled double clutching. The gear changes are far faster than before with Mercedes boasting 100-millisecond gear shifts in Manual or Sports+ mode.
Very Good Build Quality
The C63 is built very well. Outside, there are no pannel-gaps. Everything fits flush and everything feels very high quality. The paint is very tough and rust isn’t an issue on these cars, unlike elder Mercedes vehicles. The engine is also very well-built and many are still going strong even after 100,000 miles on the clock.
Inside, things get even better. The interior feels so solid and well-built as if nothing in there is going to break. The C63 models get bucket seats which are very comfortable and really support you and hold you tight in the bends. The leather feels very premium but at the same time rugged. It’s very hard to rip the leather in a C63, though creases in elder higher-mileage cars can be common.
The original models had a pop-out display which was quite cool, but in the facelift model this was replaced by a fixed unit that could access the internet whilst the car was stationary. The technology still feels somewhat modern today and it is very easy to use.
The switchgear for the multi-media system included a rotary dial in the center console similar to the iDrive dial used in BMWs. Furthermore, there are a lot of buttons inside which make everything so much easier to use. The pre-facelift C63 had round buttons whilst the facelift had rectangular ones. The style of the buttons are inspired by a mobile telephone, of the time.
The C63 is available in three body styles. Estate, coupe, and sedan. The coupe model came out in 2011, and it includes a slightly different interior with different seats. The C63 coupe is a better-looking car than the sedan or estate, but it isn’t as practical at all since it is a coupe.
To Conclude
The C63 is a proper muscle car from Germany. It’s a thrill to drive and build quality is at its very best. Maintenance-wise, the C63 can be costly (especially on petrol) but overall it isn’t too bad since compared to other performance cars the C63 is quite simple. There are no fancy gearboxes you have to mess around with and servicing bills are reasonably priced.
It does lose traction quite easily, so you do have to be somewhat of an experienced driver to handle this thing. The throttle can be very sensitive and due to the amount of torque, the car can experience frequent wheelspin if the conditions are wet. You can’t drive this car like a sports car, because it isn’t. The C63 doesn’t tackle corners at any speed, and if you’re not careful you can easily lose control.