![]() This Mercedes has the kind of power that, if you ever dared test it on public roads, could have you traveling at speeds that would get your driver’s license cut up on the spot. One time I looked down at the speedometer and was surprised to find I was traveling at 70 mph it felt like the car was hardly exerting itself. One of the first things you realize when driving the C63 AMG - especially on the highway - is that this car builds speed quickly with a subtlety that’s surprising. Cadillac’s new CTS-V bests those figures by significant margins, but its V-8 benefits from a supercharger. The C63 AMG’s normally aspirated V-8 makes 451 hp at 6,800 rpm and 443 pounds-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm. None of those, however, can match the output of Mercedes’ monster motor. It had to be competitors like the RS 4, M3 and IS-F offer very good V-8s, too. 2-liter V-8 engine under its hood, and it’s an impressive engine. You can, however, feel suspension impacts through the steering wheel when driving on rough patches of road.Įven though its name might suggest otherwise, the C63 AMG has a 6. The sedan feels locked in when cruising on the highway, but it retains some traditional Mercedes characteristics, including plenty of power assistance at slow speeds that makes it easy to turn the wheel. The C63 features an AMG speed-sensitive steering system that provides greater steering feel than the regular C-Class. One bright spot in the C63 AMG’s regular suspension is that the sedan remains relatively flat when cornering, with limited body roll. ![]() The Mercedes’ base suspension setup is even more puzzling when you consider that an optional AMG Performance Package includes a limited-slip differential, special brakes, a different steering wheel, a higher 174-mph top speed limiter and a track-tuned suspension. I haven’t had any track time in the C63 AMG, and it may well be a strong track car, but it takes a significant toll on the driver in everyday driving. In daily driving, the M3 doesn’t ride much more firmly than a non-M sibling, like the 335i, but it can navigate a serious road course like a champ. It makes sense that Mercedes would give the C63 AMG a firm ride in order to enhance its performance on the track, but the BMW M3 - one of its prime competitors - shows you don’t have to sacrifice comfort to the extent that the C63 AMG does in order to turn in an impressive performance on the track. On the worn roads of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs, the C63 AMG’s extra-firm ride isn’t enjoyable, as you’re constantly tossed around with every road heave or pothole. Of its contemporaries, the C63 AMG’s suspension tuning is among the firmest the only model that rivals it is the Audi RS 4, which has a downright bone-jarring ride on rutted roads. There’s a kind of seriousness to the C63 AMG’s look that would make a Secret Service agent proud (see a side-by-side comparison with the C350 Sport). A couple of the more noticeable ones include twin bumps running the length of the hood, front fender flares, 18-inch alloy wheels, quad tailpipes finished in chrome, and a few extra badges. ![]() Like performance models from BMW and Audi, the C63 AMG receives a number of exterior changes that distinguish it from lesser C-Class trims without diminishing its level of sophistication. If you’ve stumbled upon this review looking for more information on the regular C-Class, I reviewed that car last year when it was redesigned. Think of this 6.2-liter V-8 sedan as a German interpretation of an American muscle car. The C63 AMG makes a significant break from its German and Japanese competitors by using a time-tested American technique for delivering big horsepower: stuff a big engine under the hood. Then there’s the latest high-powered version of Mercedes-Benz’s C-Class: the 451-horsepower C63 AMG, an incredibly powerful, extremely firm-riding version of the entry-level luxury sedan. If you have about $60,000 to spend, the array of choices available to you is wide, including well-known models like the BMW M3 and newcomers like the Lexus IS-F. It’s hard to think of a better time to be a luxury performance-sedan enthusiast.
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