Politically and environmentally correct, it isn’t. And we’re glad for that. For as much as we’re chafed that we’ll never see gas under three dollars per gallon again, we are encouraged that manufacturers still have tuning departments that are passionate about performance. This, in turn, inspires them to push the envelope further. So, of course we were ecstatic when Mercedes dropped off a 2009 C63 AMG sport sedan recently.
What is it?
A hot saloon or estate, in the Queen’s English, it is only available here in the colonies as a sedan. But no matter: It’s a hot five-seater capable of 0-60 times of 4.3 seconds and road-handling manners that will rival any of the cars in its competitive set.
What’s It Up Against?
You name it. Practically every car that winds up in any “top-five best” list for hot, high-performance sedans is a competitor. The Audi RS4, BMW M3 sedan, Cadillac CTS-V and Lexus IS-F all qualify as contenders. Do they match up? Does the C63 match up, for that matter?
Any Breakthroughs?
The AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic automatic transmission with paddle shift levers on the flat-bottomed AMG steering wheel offers a hands-on way to shift through the cogs with both mitts on the wheel. At the same time, it incorporates a rev-matching feature which powers up or down to the logical RPM for the gear selected.
Another breakthrough is AMG’s speed-sensitive sports steering. Recently seen in the newly introduced SL 63 and SL 65 roadsters, it also shows up in the C63, and enables quicker turns in tighter radius while giving more subtle feedback on wider radius turns.
How Does It Look?
Sleek. In Piano Black with chrome accents, the C63 looks like a Teutonic businessman ready for a day on the floor of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. With discreet flash, the C63 is one sedan that holds back on braggadocio, instead letting its performance do the talking. That’s not to say it’s boring. It’s just more like the elder, more mature statesman of the group.
We are fans of this latest generation of C-Class body, with its new, crisp design. When equipped to wear the badge of the AMG division, you know that you are not just getting a standard, off-the-shelf sedan. Expect the usual roundup of front and rear custom fascia, the under-rear-bumper diffuser, and the top-of-the-decklid spoiler. Don’t forget the dual pair of chrome twin exhaust tips and the trick AMG 18-inch alloy five-spoke wheels.
And Inside?
Following the philosophy of talking softly and carrying a big stick, the C63 comes off as almost boring in its inside execution. There is black everywhere. A padded leather and plastic dashboard helps to frame the windshield, while the front seats offer the most generous bolstering we can ever remember doing seat time in. Sit in them, and you feel pretty much locked and loaded for the drive that lies ahead.
The smattering of bright work around the gauge binnacle, door panels, and stick shift surround don’t do much to dress up the interior. With a cockpit that shows more black leather than a dominatrix’s closet, it carries over the strictly business theme from the outside.
A seven-inch power-retractable monitor incorporates the harman/kardon Logic7 Surround-Sound system with GPS navigation, a 40-gb hard drive, and in-dash memory card reader holds sway over the top of the center stack. After finding the audio of your choice, you have the option of pushing a button to cause the screen to retract. Thinking that it’s just something else that might break, we would much prefer to have it visible all the time within a binnacle of its own. On the other hand, though, we find the h/k audio system one of the best available.
But Does It Go?
The C63’s 6.3-liter V8 is a work of art. And it is also the work of one pair of hands. Hand-built in the AMG works in Affalterbach, it prominently displays a build plate with the engine builder’s signature in the area over the intake manifold. The rest of the engine room is sublime, as is its performance.
About performance: Of the cars in the competitive set, the C63 AMG, with 451 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque, is the class of the field, and trumps its closest competitor, the Audi RS4 by 31 horses. Torque-wise, the C63 surpasses the Lexus IS-F, which is whipped handily by a 72 lb-ft advantage over its 371 lb-ft. The Cadillac CTS -V did offer a 400 hp / 395 lb-ft engine choice, but it is currently out of production. Check back in a few weeks for Leftlane’s review of the all-new 2009 Cadillac CTS-V .
Throttle up, and the power from the V8 pushes you back in the seat like a 757 at takeoff. The sound from under the power-bulged hood is throaty and deep. It’s power you can hear and feel. Speed is artificially limited to 155 mph.
The drivetrain throws down with the AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic with blipping function for immediate response. The side-to-side manual function of the shift lever is one we have never warmed to, and much rather prefer the aluminum paddle shift levers mounted on the steering wheel. Below the gear indicator is a preference selector, which allows choices in the C-comfort, S-sport, or M-manual modes to determine engine mapping for fast or comfortable gear changes. A distinctly faster shift occurs when the sport mode is selected over the comfort mode. The throttle blipping is basically rev matching—which we found to settle the car while downshifting before executing a challenging turn. It provides both an audible, and as Mercedes claims, emotionally satisfying experience at the wheel, especially while dicing through flat-graded turns, which are abundant in our South Florida test loop.
The C63’s wide track, coupled with the AMG speed-sensitive sports steering and multi-link front and rear suspension helped us to basically “will” the car wherever we wanted it to go. I guess this must be the emotional part that Mercedes speaks of, where the good stuff on board instills confidence so that the car and driver become one. Poetically hokey stuff for sure, but it really does feel as though the car becomes a part of you. After all the fun has been had, reality can be grasped at again by way of the cross-drilled and ventilated braking system which performed flawlessly once we had to apply the binders. And oh, how we hated to do that.
As we stated when starting this joint, it is a politically incorrect consumer of fossil fuels. The 17.4-gallon tank will hold enough go-juice to get 12-mpg city/19-mpg hwy. That, of course, is if your right foot behaves.
The amazing thing about the C63 AMG is that before we pulled out the Monroney window sticker to check on pricing, we were anticipating an as-tested price north of $72,000. We were too high. All this could be had for $66,160, transportation included.
If you like your speed un-tethered, order the AMG performance package. For an additional $3990 simoleans, your C63 will be outfitted with a stiffer suspension, limited-slip differential, compound brake rotors, Alcantara trim inside and a 6.3-liter V8 without the speed limiter. In the words of Spinal Tap’s Nigel Tufnell, this one goes to 11. Well, actually, 186 mph.
Why You Would Buy It
You need a five-place sedan that looks conservative but when pressed, goes like snot, and you can afford to laugh at the $4.50 per gallon signs at your local gas station.
Why You Wouldn’t
You can’t get your head around paying $66,000 and change for a C-Class. Conservative styling doesn’t fit with your idea of 450 horsepower.
Words and Photos by Mark Elias.
