MERCEDES-AMG C63 S
Walk quietly and carry a big stick. One out of two ain’t bad
DON’T EVEN have to leave the carpark to discover this updated Mercedes-amg C63 S is an improvement in the one area it needed it most: ride quality. For all its goodness (bombastic V8 engine, absurdly talented chassis, a doddle to slide) the outgoing C205 C63 could be truculent to live with day-to-day.
It was overly firm, even in its softest suspension setting, which is why I wince slightly as I approach a mean-looking, squared-off speed hump in this new car. But … hallelujah! No thumps, no nasty shockwaves, just a welcome dose of compliance. Nice.
Better news is that this newfound civility isn’t even the biggest headline in this heftier-than-most mid-life update. That goes to a new nine-speed gearbox – lifted from the E63 S – and to an armada of fresh driving modes and control systems.
A ‘Slippery’ setting has joined the old car’s existing Dynamic Select modes (Comfort, Sport, Sport+,
IRace and Individual), and AMG has doubled down on customising the C63’s handling balance with something called ‘AMG Dynamics’.
Essentially this controls the aggression of the rear differential and how it interacts with the stability control through four stages: Basic (no slip, normal driving), Advanced (swift progress, a little ESC leeway), Pro (fast back roads, small neat slides), and Master (bigger angles, more fun).
If it all sounds a little dense and complicated, it can be, especially as there are now multiple ways to adjust and customise the settings, including new toggle switches that hang from the steering wheel spokes. These are fitted with tiny, customisable LCD touch screens that can alter the damping, diff, exhaust, engine and also operate the new nine-stage traction control system inherited from the flagship AMG GT R.
It can verge on tech overload, but take some time to familiarise yourself and it soon becomes intuitive.
On a winding backroad, this new C63 is devastatingly effective. Outputs from the 4.0-litre V8 haven’t changed (375kw/700nm), but the new gearbox’s additional ratios and ability to choose the right gear at just the right moment is a night-and-day improvement over the sometimes clunky old seven-speeder. The handling systems are deftly calibrated, too, and do a brilliant job of making you quicker, and massaging your ego without spoiling the fun or making the experience feel artificial. Then there’s that extra degree of suspension compliance.
Even withstanding the styling upgrades, like the addition of the Panamericana grille and the generational leap inside, this updated C63 is a significant improvement. It’s still as exciting and as hilarious as ever, but now has the depth and subtlety it needed to reach true greatness.