Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Review
Mercedes-Benz puts the M3 and RS4 on High Alert.
By Dan Trent - Teamspeed Contributing Editor

What is it?
AMG going after the M3’s scalp
Why should I care?
Quite possibly the last outing for AMG’s magnificent 6.2 V8
How fast and how much?
6,208cc V8, 457ps (451bhp)/487ps (480bhp) @6,800rpm, 0-62mph 4.4sec/4.3sec, vmax 155mph (limited)
MSRP to be confirmed

A straight fight between AMG and BMW M … how we’ve dreamt of such a thing. But these two obvious rivals have always given each other space, following their own parallel paths and never really straying into each other’s territory.

So much for the past. The new twin-turbo M5 will be getting a tap on its shoulder from a toned up E63 AMG boasting a new V8 – also twin-turbo – and power and performance stats that read like looking in the mirror. And the M3, always the definitive M car, now has company in the shape of this all-new C63 AMG Coupe.

The C’s arrival is explained by the lack of an E63 coupe. A two-door E would have been too pricey and the market too mature with rivals like the Jaguar XKR and new BMW 6 Series. Better to go for M’s jugular with a hopped up version of the new C coupe to tempt a wider pool of buyers for whom the existing sedan was too ordinary.

Key selling points include AMG’s monster 6.2-litre V8 and the neat Speedshift MCT transmission. This is a good thing, the previous autobox being the C63’s only real dynamic weak link. The MCT set-up, seen in many other AMGs, uses the same seven-speed gearbox but connects it to the engine via an automated wet clutch offering a useful halfway house between traditional Mercedes smoothness and dual-clutch punchiness.

It’s an awesome partner to the 6.2 V8 too, this fabulous engine likely to be the last of its kind in the emissions-inspired move toward forced induction. How good is it? Good enough that Porsche GT cars boss Andreas Preuninger admitted to us it’s up there with the flat sixes his own GT3 911s as among his favorite roadcar motors. Praise indeed.

OK, it’s not quite as racy as the M3’s high-revving V8. But it absolutely monsters the BMW on torque and, for a big lump, isn’t shy of delivering its best right up to the 6,800rpm redline. At which point the scenery is moving past very, very quickly indeed.

Big V8 up front, coupe bodystyling … sounds familiar, right? Sure, but no pony car ever handled as well as this, or boasted Benz-like build quality. Mustang thrills with Mercedes status and integrity? Win win.

And it’s just so much fun to drive too. BMW might be able to do the racer thing but, boy, does AMG know how to build a charismatic engine. The low-rev bassline burble is there but way up in the rev range things take on a much harder edge, punctuated by redline shifts that crackle like a volley of rifle fire.

Upgrade to the AMG performance pack and engine internals donated by the SLS help bump power from 457ps (451bhp) to 487ps (480bhp), bulking mid-range torque delivery and slicing a further tenth off the 0-62mph sprint.

Handling is much like the standard C63, which is to say meaty, composed and, when the mood takes you, very happy to shake its tail in a huge cloud of tyre smoke. This isn’t the razor-sharp handling of the M3 but a more exploitable, engaging and – whisper it – fun way of achieving the same ends. Don’t underestimate the C63’s poise though – just-so fixed-rate dampers and the bespoke AMG wide-track front axle from the sedan mean a fluid sense of composure that’s more engaging than the more binary M3. Audi RS5 then? Forget about it. Here AMG’s more intuitive touch shows up the Audi obsession with soulless tech in place of character and flow.

So it’s an easy car to like this new C63 Coupe. Old school foundations underpin AMG’s ability to combine the luxury and quality of your dad’s S-Class with the rebellious heart of a genuine muscle car. A winning formula in anyone’s book.

 

Niiice. Great review, well written!

 

I just can't find myself liking the coupe, I really want to but it does nothing for me. I LOVE the sedan however. I'm hope the Black Series version will make up for it

 

WOW! Great review!!

 

Great review and write-up, but there is something off about the lines on this car. Not working for me..

 

+1

Bring on the Black Series already!

 

I'm surprised so many people dislike this car! I think it looks absolutely amazing especially in red!

I have a silver C350 Coupe on order so maybe I'm a bit biased

 

looks too feminine, and quite bland too. there isn't any benefit to losing the practicality of the sedan which looks mega in comparison.

 

AWESOME photos and review --- cool car but i agree with most of the others that there is something "off" about this car. Maybe i like the sedan and the CLK63 Black Series so much that this just cant win me over? not sure what it is but i cant see myself picking this over other cars in this price range. Very cool in red tho + the quad exhaust does look great.

 

I too like sedan better but I must admit I'm feeling the red