THE beaut new C-Class coupe has been to the gym.
The result is another AMG muscle car, completing the company’s small-car crew for Australia and giving C63 lovers a choice of sedan, wagon and – for the first time – the buff Coupe.
Well, that is, unless you think that a minimum of $152,800 is too much for a new car, or that $154,800 is too much for the coupe, or you’re worried about a 60-litre tank that chokes the cruising range of a blitzer Benz than can easily guzzle at better than 17L/100km.
The newest C63 is smooth-looking and tough, has the right equipment and some deft new tweaks. These include multi-mode stability control that gives keen drivers some wiggle room and the full update package that transformed the ordinary C-Class models a couple of months ago.
VALUE
The Coupe is well-priced for the class and its competition. It used to be overshadowed by Godzilla, the Nissan GT-R, but the all-wheel-drive turbo monster has blown out by more than $20,000 this year to $168,800.
It also edges out BMW’s M3, which comes now from $155,000 as a coupe, although the softer Audi S5 coupe (our pick was always the RS4 stands at $138,900.
The vast majority of C63s are now being ordered with the Performance Pack, which adds $14,900 but pays back with an extra 22kW, bigger brakes, 19-inch alloys and a different steering wheel.
Still, even the cooking car has sports seats, leather trim, alloys, aircon, a punchy sound system and the AMG updates to the engine, suspension and transmission.
TECHNOLOGY
The newest AMG car could be the last newcomer with the 6.2-litre V8. Benz, as with BMW, is shifting to turbo power at its go-faster division. The engine in the new Coupe makes 336kW/600Nm, but the downside is official consumption of 12. 1L/ 100km and CO2 emissions of 283g/km. The upside, thanks to the seven-speed sports auto, is a 0-100km/h sprint in 4.4 seconds and the usual limited top speed of 250km/h.
Carsguide appreciates the work on the transmission, with a variety of driver-friendly modes – including a race-start choice first seen on the AMG Gullwing – and improvements to the AMG-specific suspension and the brakes.
Among other upscale items are a lane-departure warning system and a red light that glows if you’re too close to the car ahead.
DESIGN
The two-door looks even better with the AMG gear, right down to the subtle carbon-fibre boot spoiler on the Performance Pack car. The guards have the been-to-the-gym look, hugging the big wheels and telling the world – especially in sinister black instead of signature silver – this is no badge-mobile.
The inside work on the average C pays off in the AMG model, particularly the new-look dash with bigger colour display. It’s not as impressive as the latest BMW M5 but it works well and so does the tweaking with the leather, good access to the back seats and even the integration of the bazooka exhaust.
SAFETY
The C63 is a Mercedes-Benz and that means lots of good things, even if there is no official ANCAP five-star tick because no one is likely to smash a $150,000 car to get it. But it’s a five-star natural.
DRIVING
Turn the key and you get the V8 «whump» from the exhaust. You get the smile that comes in a car that’s way beyond everyday transport.
This is a car with a lot to like and almost nothing to make you snarl. Yes, the small tank is a nuisance – the fuel gauge is always on the way down – and there seems to be too much tyre thump and roar at first.
But it’s a luxury car with great leather seats, a reasonable boot and acceptable ground clearance that can also crush you deeply into those seats and slash corners with V8 stonk and wide-tyre grip. You are always aware of the engine and what it can do.
It’s fun to fiddle with the transmission and ESP settings, which can turn a pussycat into a tiger, but the bottom line is that the C63 will make life nicer and doesn’t have to be a raging beast. It’s easy to park, has good visibility and the aircon is great.
But no-one buys an AMG-mobile without wanting the fun stuff. This punchy compact is best-in-class stuff. It always feels as if it wants to run wild. The electronics ensure there is a safety net but it’s not a nanny or a ninny.
You know it would be a real hoot on a racetrack with the super-start switch and the ESP set to give you a bit of tail-end sliding action.
It’s quite nimble and easy to push through corners, yet still has the sort of overall grip that reminds you of a racing car.
On the road it is a car that makes HSV and FPV cars look crude, and also puts the M3 in its place.
It’s not cheap but the C63 AMG is worth every cent.
VERDICT
Best in class. Simple as that.
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AT A GLANCE
Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe
RATING 4.5 STARS
PRICE $152,800
WARRANTY 3 years/unlimited km
RESALE 60%
SERVICE INTERVAL 12 months/15,000km
SAFETY ABS, EBD, ESP, BA, 9 airbags
ENGINE 6.2-litre V8 petrol, 336kW/600Nm
TRANSMISSION 7-speed automatic
BODY 2-door coupe
ECONOMY 12.1L/100km, 283g/km CO
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