If the heart and soul of the Mercedes-AMG C63 is its engine, then we totally understand if you think the decision to rip out the V8 means the end of the road. Say a prayer, say your goodbyes, the C63 is dead.
But hang on a second, because the world is changing the new C63 has a 2.0l petrol turbo engine up front and an electric motor on the rear axle. One that’s quieter, cleaner, better for the planet. Not convinced? Ok, well how about if I tell you it’s now more dynamic than ever, able to tackle mountain passes like a Porsche 911, willing to hug corners on a racetrack without making you feel like the back end is going to let go at any moment and at the same time more civilised on the daily drive than ever?
Surprised? So was I because as I arrived in Malaga in southern Spain, I expected to be disappointed, to find its more muted soundtrack and lack of V8 bark to have completely destroyed its character. Instead I found a C63 with a new character, something more dynamic, more fun.
It all started around six years ago, when Mercedes-AMG realised the world was going to change, that people would want hybrids and electric cars, that the sledgehammer appeal of the C63 might become a little perverse. At the same time there was an acceptance that Mercedes is becoming more of a tech company, as are most automakers these days, and so the team set to work, not just to develop a new car but to develop a whole new dynamic for AMG.
Due to arrive in SA in the third quarter of 2023, the new C63 looks slightly less raucous too. It’s slightly longer than a regular C-Class and the front is 76mm wider. It still has a discreet boot spoiler and a diffuser housing quad pipes, but it’s all a bit more tailored. There’s a new cooling duct in the bonnet ahead of the traditional power bulges, but beneath that bonnet sits a 2.0l, four-cylinder engine producing 350kW.
On the rear axle is a 150kW electric motor with a 6.1kWh battery mounted on top. Together they produce 500kW and 1,020Nm, enough to propel the 2.1 tonne C63 to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 270km/h, but it’s how it handles all that power that’s most surprising.
Rene Szczepek is the head of dynamics for Mercedes-AMG and he explained that, for the first time, it was dynamics that topped the brief rather than the engine. It didn’t take long to appreciate the work he and his team have done. Yes the new C63 has an eerily quiet EV mode that allows it to whisper through town for up to 13km, but then you tap into the eight driving modes and explore its potential.
Tight and twisty mountain passes have never really been the C63’s true home, until now. The 4Matic+ all-wheel drive system, rear wheel steering, a new rear subframe and suspension damping from the AMG GT Black Series combine with the instant torque of the electric motor to deliver a level of performance and adhesion that is adrenaline-inducing. The steering is more communicative and the car responds instantly, not just to driver inputs but to every nuance in the road. This is a BMW M3 beater.
We put it to the test on the technical Ascari racetrack too, doing our best to keep up with multiple DTM champion Bernd Schneider. A C63 on a track can be a daunting thing, but no more. Now it hunkers down, delivers on your every request and even the electronic controls leave you alone.
There are gimmicks though, like the “boost” that flashes up on the garish digital instrumentation at certain points on the track. Gamers will love it. They’ll love the huge head-up display too, though fortunately you can personalise it so you can actually see the road ahead properly.
Szczepek describes the new C63 as a “daily, drivable sports car” and he’s right, because it’s also more civilised than ever about town. It has all the comfort and luxury of the latest generation C-Class, built right here in SA, but now it has a new, more dynamic character that demands to be driven hard. Far from being the disappointment we expected it to be, the new C63 is, quite honestly, the best car AMG has ever built.
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