C63 Coupe is all show

LITTLE GO: THIS NON-S VERSION’S PERFORMANCE FIGURES UNDERWHELM DURING TESTING, COMPARED TO RIVALS

SEE INSIDE MOTORING

The above average performance – next to run-of-the-mill cars – is enough to thrill enthusiasts.

Mercedes-AMG’s C 63 Coupe is billed as the sportiest C-Class ever, and there is no reason not to believe this. The sedan version is streets ahead of the old naturally-aspirated model in almost every department. And it was seriously fast in a straight line and in the corners.

So, it was with much-anticipation that I was looking forward to getting my hands on a C-Class Coupe. But when the car (a C 63 non-S version) arrived at our offices, it had been used for many laps around Kyalami at the Festival of Motoring, was leaking coolant and was not happy.

Now, rather than risking an engine and also getting meaningless road test data, I contacted Mercedes-Benz SA and it collected the car for repair. Sometime later, it was returned minus the leak and ready to go.

Okay, first you need to remember the C 63 Coupe minus the S badge runs the same AMG 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo engine, but instead of 375kW of power and 700Nm of torque, you get 350kW and 650Nm. This is still plenty, and certainly way more than BMW M4’s 317kW, but the BMW comes in a full 290kg lighter than the Merc – which counts when the two go head-to-head.

I packed my Racelogic VBOX test equipment and headed to the Gerotek Testing Facility. When the electronic top-speed limiter allowed me to run 293km/h, I thought all was good. But it was only when I started the off-theline sprint starts that I had doubts as to whether this particular car was 100% okay.

My test C 63 Coupe ran a 5.02 seconds zero to 100km/h, and 16.43 seconds to 200km/h, while the 1km mark was crossed at 233km/h. This is fast for a luxury Coupe, but this is somewhat slower than the C 63 S Sedan and the BMW M4 Coupe, which hit these numbers in 4.21 and 4.08 seconds, and 13.05 and 13.35 seconds, respectively. And their 1km speeds were noticeably higher too at 250km/h and 247km/h. So, now you might understand my concern, but the car was sent back to me with a clean bill of health. What more can I say?

And this is not a shootout, this test has been done a million times already between these cars. And although one is always slightly quicker than the other, I honestly believe you will not get a Mercedes-Benz driver out of his car and into a BMW because of a few tenths of a second. The same applies to the BMW driver, especially when you are paying way more than R1 million. And this is before you play in the nice-tohave-but-pricey options bin to either of these cars.

I’m not even going to mention Audi in this test because it has seriously fallen off the planet with its old naturally-aspirated RS4 Avant offering in this segment, especially since the two other German manufacturers have turned to turbocharging the C 63, M3 and M4 models.

Handling is as good as anything in this segment in the C-Class Coupe, and more than enough for the average enthusiast who tackles the odd mountain pass on the weekend. This is mostly thanks to the unique Coupe aluminium four-link front suspension, redesigned rear suspension and fitment of a mechanical limited slip diff (the S model gets an electronic real limited slip diff) running on a AMG Ride Control adjustable sports suspension and dynamic engine mounts.

And, as is the case with all Mercedes-Benz products, all the assistance systems available for the run-of-the-mill C-Class Coupe can be ordered for the C 63 Coupe. So, outside the raft of traditional safety features like airbags, ABD, EBD and any other acronym you can think of, the car comes standard with the further advanced Attention Assist drowsiness detection system and Collision Prevention Assist Plus – to prevent rear-end collisions.

The careful selection of highclass materials, their high-quality touch and feel and the meticulous workmanship lend the interior a high-class appeal. The instrument panel is trimmed with black Artico man-made leather. Crystal grey topstitching, the wing-shaped aluminium trim and the AMG-specific

analogue clock in IWC design underscore the high-quality impression. Numerous AMG-specific controls underscore the sporty heritage.

Well, that’s the hardcore data part explained. But it’s the more subjective part of styling where this C 63 Coupe stands out. I love how the Coupe Mercedes-Benz models look quite different from their Sedan siblings. The Coupe is wider at the front and rear, and is also longer and lower. This makes for a good looking car.