Bernd Schneider is on it. The multiple DTM (short for Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters — Germany’s premier saloon-based race category) champ clearly has his C 63S by the scruff of the neck. The Merc is squirrelling heavily under brakes at the end of the main straight of the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve and the tail is decidedly squirmy through each of the challenging corners at the daunting Portuguese circuit.
I’m working up a record pulse rate simply staying within six car lengths of Herr Schneider, while the other two cars in our convoy have been reduced to dots in our mirrors. After a frenetic five laps, we stream into the pits, after which I ditch the bash hat and grab a cup of tea to collect my thoughts and allow my heart rate to sink back below 200 beats per minute.
My subsequent train of thought goes pretty much as follows: “That [the C 63S] is one heck ofa weapon. It just devoured the gnarliest circuit I’ve ever driven without ever feeling sloppy or out of its depth (a rarity for a road-going saloon). Damn quick, too — seemingly every bit as rapid as the brutish Jaguar XKR-S coupé I drove the last time I was at this circuit four years ago.”
Is it mere coincidence that Mercedes-AMG chose to unleash its barnstorming C 63S for its maiden media outing at the same track where BMW had only nine months earlier launched its formidable new M3 saloon? I think not.
I suspect Merc-AMG is so confident in the pace and dynamic capabilities of the C 63S that it opted for the same venue as an “I’ll see your M3 and raise you 78bhp and 150Nm” gesture.
The new C 63S and slightly lesser C 63 are all-new cars based on the latest-gen W205 C-Class and, as such, they benefit from the base model’s high-tech, part-aluminium architecture. But they go much further than that as they gain bespoke front suspension and steering, a locking rear differential, big brakes, a dual-clutch gearbox and much more.
Unlike AMG models of 10 years ago, which went like scalded cats in a straight line but did little else with dexterity, the latest additions to the line-up do it all — they go, stop and steer with real precision and purpose. Hence Merc’s marketing catchcry that bills the C 63 as “The car for the professional driver”. I can categorically confirm it’s not an idle boast.
The C 63 and C 63S land here in April, priced from Dh321,746 and Dh350,211 respectively, which puts them pretty much lineball with the new M3. As per the Bavarian offering, both Merc models are rear-wheel drive (in contrast to the larger E 63, which is all-wheel driven in ‘S’ form) and come standard with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. However, unlike the six-cylinder M3, the C 63 adheres to its predecessor’s V8 formula, but it’s a much different powerplant this time around. Yes, the much-loved naturally aspirated 6.2-litre unit has been mothballed, but the good news is that it’s been usurped by a far superior engine.
The new M177 twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 — more or less the same unit as the M178 found in the new AMG GT S that we’ve also sampled in this issue — is an absolute firecracker. In the base-model C 63 it punches out 469bhp and 650Nm, while in the top-dawg C 63S it thumps out 503bhp and 700Nm from just 1,750rpm.
The car’s not excessively lardy either (the C 63 weighs 1,640kg, while the C 63S tips the scales at 1,655kg), and this is reflected in the saloon’s light-footedness and resistance to body roll. It’s not exactly slow either, with the C 63 sprinting to 100kph in 4.1 seconds and the C 63S achieving it in 4.0 seconds flat. Both cars are speed-limited to 250kph, but ticking the box for the optional AMG Driver’s Package will see this climb to a supercar-threatening 290kph.
AMG execs are also particularly proud of the NEDC consumption figure of 8.2 litres per 100km returned by the C 63 and they have a quiet chuckle as they point out this is 0.1 litre per 100km better than the figure recorded by the M3. Be warned, though, that you’re likely to burn through double this quantity and more if you drive the car as it’s meant to be driven.
The format of the launch event also provides the opportunity to test the cars on a real-world road loop that resembles a typewriter ribbon thrown carelessly across the wilderness. With more twists than an Agatha Christie whodunit, an assortment of lumps, bumps, ‘yumps’ and other traffic to contend with, it keeps us in full-concentration mode.
One of the highlights of the C 63 and C 63S is how effectively they transmit their gargantuan torque quotas to the tarmac — particularly as they don’t resort to the Audi quattro formula of using all four wheels to do the driving. The rear locking differential (mechanical in the C 63, electronically controlled in the C 63S) is the key here, effectively converting that massive twisting force into forward motion.
The AMG Ride Control suspension with three-stage, electronically controlled adaptive dampers is also pretty adept at melding a compliant ride with roll-free cornering. The only thing that unsettles the C 63 across the road loop is a couple of sneaky yumps (they just about have the car airborne) that aren’t visible as one approaches them at pace.
The C 63S comes standard with 19in rims, while the C 63 is equipped with 18s, and the other noteworthy point of difference between the two cars is that the ‘S’ has dynamic engine mounts that stiffen up when you’re going hell for leather and soften up when pootling around to isolate the cabin from driveline vibrations.
I have to get back to the engine here, because the sound it produces is epic! It might only displace 4.0 litres, but the M177 sounds like a 7.0-litre V8, especially if you specify the optional Performance exhaust, which has a trio of flaps that open up in Sport+ and Race modes to unleash a delightful aural onslaught. Thus liberated, there’s a superb “braaaap” to savour on upshifts, and a very discernible blip on downshifts. AMG is like a magician when it comes to conjuring up sublime exhaust notes, and what I particularly like is that — unlike some of its German rivals — it don’t resort to gimmicky ‘sound symposers’ that synthetically compensate for an exhaust note that’s in actual fact lackluster.
In real-world conditions, the C 63S isn’t discernibly quicker than the non-S, even though it packs an extra 34bhp and 50Nm, plus the aforementioned big rims, e-diff and dynamic engine mounts. The stocker is plenty quick enough across any roads, and its slightly higher profile tyres make for marginally superior ride comfort. The C 63S is only a necessity if you plan on doing regular track work, where you can actually tap into its broader performance envelope — especially the fade-free characteristics of its composite front brakes.
I’m trying to find a few faults to nitpick, but I’m struggling here as the C 63 and C 63S don’t really have any glaring shortcomings. Yes, there is more wind noise generated around the A-pillar than I might have expected at cruising speeds, but that’s pretty much it. Other than this, it’s a very accomplished and well-engineered package.
I even like the way it looks, especially in the Brilliant Blue metallic paintwork that adorns a few of the cars at the launch event. One of my colleagues manages to snaffle one of these for the opening drive lag (I’m stuck in a boring white car), but a desperate lunge on the second day nets me a blue beauty for the last drive leg of the launch. This stretch of tarmac is even better than the route we traversed on the opening day — packed with hook-like corners, fast sweepers and stunning mountainous backdrops to savour on the straighter stretches.
The scenery inside the car isn’t bad either as the cabin is an artful blend of leather, Alcantara, aluminium and carbon fibre. The rotary vents are a treat for the eyes, and the dash layout gives you the right amount of information, presented in a palatable format. The highlight is undoubtedly the beautiful flat-bottomed, three-spoke steering wheel, which has a red ring at its top-dead-centre — befitting this car’s racy orientation.
I easily manage to conjure up a driving position that’s perfect for me, and I imagine the same would apply for anyone under 1.9m tall. There’s plenty of adjustability on offer, and the pews themselves are supportive enough — even when you’re working your butt off to hang on to the tail of a fired-up Schneider at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve.
I reckon the stage is now set for a very interesting confrontation. A twin test pitting the C 63 or C 63S against the M3 beckons and I think the Bavarian contender might find itself unseated from the throne this time around. The Bimmer is immensely polished and well balanced but, for my money (not that my loot is on the line here), the addictive charm of the C 63’s exhaust note alone would prove too hard to resist.
This story first appeared on wheels in March 2015