It’s no secret around here that the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG is one of my favorite cars on the market today. No, it’s not the newest Teutonic tuner car, nor the sharpest handler, but it has a delectable combination of Germanic solidity and the heart of an old-school muscle car.
But so does the BMW M3, right? Yes, but it’s totally different. The M3 always comes off as sterile and uptight, while the C63 feels like it’s up for anything, whether it’s smoky burnouts at the 7-Eleven or lapping the Nürburgring.
It’s like the difference between going to a party with a supermodel versus a stripper: Both are perfectly capable, but one’s a hell of a lot more fun to hang out with.
Whichever your flavor, drop into the C63’s near-perfect leather seats, put it into gear with a proper console-mounted shifter (automatic, mind you), twist the mode knob to S+ or M and enjoy a near-perfect blend of luxury and performance. Burble along in traffic or lay a half-mile patch of rubber; go sideways in a cloud of smoke or go grocery shopping. The C63 is always up for it, and I’m always happy to get the keys to one.
Why is that? It begins with the 6.2-liter V8, which is also still employed by the SLS. While other AMG vehicles are now equipped with force-induced V8s, this bad boy is all motor making all the right noises backfiring when you lift of the gas and sounding downright menacing when you’re on it. Oh, and it has right-now throttle response and likes to rev with power continuously building as you sweep up towards redline.
I know many people throw their arms up in the air crying out that the C63 doesn’t come with a traditional manual gearbox to write off the car, but I don’t think that’s quite fair. The multiclutch gearbox isn’t half bad with quick up shifts and a manual gear shift function that is also pretty good. Down shifts are a touch slow, but not too disappointingly so. Instead it’s good enough to have an entertaining time on your favorite stretches of winding road and around your local course.
Steering is quick witted with good feel and satisfying weight tuned in. Turn in happens nearly immediately. The car holds on around turns, and there’s no shortage of power to kick the tail out if you so choose. The suspension is stiff for little roll when you throw it into a corner, but ride quality is on the rougher end of the comfort spectrum.
The interior is mostly business with a nice carbon-fiber trim pieces and heavily bolstered seats that keep you from going anywhere.
Personally, I really liked the Black Series version of the C63 coupe that we had come through here last year with its wild child looks inspired by the DTM race car. If I had the money, I would be on the hunt for one of those bad boys over a used BMW M3.
The engine dominates the driving experience and don’t get me wrong that’s not a complaint. Throttle response is instant and the torque magnificent — really nice poke from idle to redline. And it’s all so easy — quick to react and effortless. Great hot rod/muscle car sounds, too. It’s just glorious and one of those keep-the-radio-off cars. The handling is better than I thought it would be, the car feels light and wieldy, almost delicate. Again, not complaining. Body control is spot-on for my tastes. While I’ve read in some media outlets that the ride can be a bit rough, I disagree — I thought it was fine and better than an M3 for in my opinion.
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