Sophisticated. Agile. Terrifying.
Logically, these three words shouldn’t go together. True, two of them are apt adjectives for Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs, but how can all three of them suitably describe a car? And why on earth would you want them to? Therein lies the enigma that is the Mercedes C63 AMG.
Let’s take the first point: sophistication. That only requires you to slide behind the wheel for it to make sense. This is after all a Mercedes, so high quality upholstery, fine stitching, and top-level multimedia are all part of the game. That plus a comfortable driving position and plenty of legroom which makes long journeys almost effortless.
Glance around long enough and you could nitpick I suppose. Including both buttons and an i-drive controller, for example, seems a bit redundant. And the fact that the indicator, windscreen and cruise control spindles are all on the left-hand side of the steering wheel suddenly adds mystery to the simple task of changing lanes: which option will I turn on this time? These hardly blot the big picture though.
Look past the flared wheel arches, scowling headlights, ripped bonnet and AMG multi-spoke 19s, and you’ll see much the same Mercedes elegance on the outside too. The low stance, sleek panels and sweeping roofline in particular showcase this nicely.
Second. Agility. Once again, the three-pointed star shines brightly, weighty handling, supple brakes and a dynamic throttle in Normal mode make cruising in town or across country a doddle. Roll your sleeves up and drive a tad more yobbishly and the nose will still point where you tell it to.
That is until you turn the rotary transmission switch from C (Comfort) to S+.
Terrifying.
What was playful and agile mere seconds ago has just kicked the table over. The hitherto idling 6.3l V8 suddenly snarls at the prey in the driver’s seat, all 450bhp now gnashing at the leash, the suspension stiffening tangibly through the wheel, and steering and throttle flicks more reactive than before. You’ve just poked the bear.
Open the taps less than delicately when exiting a corner and the rears will kick out. No ifs. No buts. No traction control. The bucket AMG sports seats suddenly make a lot more sense.
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Paul
i’m loving this car at the moment, had one recently on the track, in the rain, more than great fun……just awesome. Only problem is it’s like teasing a Rottweiler with a nice juicy bone, great fun for a while watching it dance around, but you know at some stage its going to bite you hard.
Not as good as an M3 or a 991 in so many ways, but much more fun than both