COLUMNISTS An encounter with the C63 AMG Mercedes-Benz is a bit like meeting a senior investment banker for the first time: you expect gravitas, an immaculately tailored suit and an air of aloof detachment – only to find, when you get to know him better, that he’s all rippling muscles, belly laughs and enjoys moonlighting as a nightclub bouncer.
There has been something slightly clinical about almost every Mercedes-Benz I have driven. They are generally swift, refined, well-built and technically accomplished. But fun? Mercedes-Benz does not do fun. Until now.
But then, it had never tried shoe-horning a massive V8 engine of nearly 460 brake horsepower and no less than 6.3 litres into a four-door saloon car no bigger than a Ford Mondeo or BMW 3-Series. The impression is one of sitting atop a volcano.
It is still not as outrageous as General Motors’ bellowing, knuckle-dragging, 600 horsepower Monaro VXR, a pinnacle of hooliganism on four wheels that merits an anti-social behaviour order. But anyone getting behind the wheel of the C63 will find it an almost shocking departure from Mercedes-Benz’s traditional conservatism.
The test drive
Say hello to: Mercedes’ first compact super-saloon, a serious challenger to BMW’s dominant M3
On sale: early 2008
How much? £55,000 (estimate)
How fast? 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds, top speed (limited) 155mph; optional 170mph limiter
How thirsty? 20.6mpg on EU combined rural/urban test cycle
How green? 326 grammes CO2/ kilometre
You might also like: BMW M3 £50,625; Audi RS4 Quattro £50,675; Vauxhall VXR8 £35,105
Crucially, it is not all about straight-line speed. There have been plenty of Mercedes more than able to manage that, particularly since Mercedes-Benz bought the German tuning house AMG a decade or so ago and began using it as its in-house high-performance development division. What sets the C63 apart is its dynamic competence.
My wife used to own a C-Class saloon of two generations back. It had all the steering and handling responsiveness of an oil tanker in heavy seas. When she sold it, there was not a moist eye or waved handkerchief in sight.
The C63 is in a different class. It would be difficult to engineer a more appropriate flagship for Mercedes’ all-new C-Class range. Launched at the beginning of this year, for the first time it has sought seriously to challenge arch-rival BMW’s claim to be the maker of “ultimate driving machines” in the vitally important compact executive car sector exemplified by the 3-Series.
This is the sector in which Mercedes-Benz and BMW have positioned their highest-volume models. The BMW 3-Series accounts for 700,000 sales a year worldwide, while Mercedes-Benz has sold more than 6m of its C-classes since first moving into the sector in the 1980s.
With the extensive new C-Class range, Mercedes-Benz is anxious to get much closer to the 3-Series’ sales volume and exceed the record 500,000 sales set in 2001 by the more sedate predecessor C-Class. Last year, sales of the old model slipped to about 330,000.
Making all the C-Class models more rewarding to drive has been key: “Its predecessors have been more comfort-oriented,” one senior executive said at launch time but “it should be sporting and agile but still retain Mercedes comfort.” The C63, however, has the temerity to throw down the gauntlet to one of BMW’s greatest motoring models: the high-performance M3. The latest, saloon version of BMW’s compact executive coupé is due early next year. Like the just-launched new M3 coupé, it too will have an intimidating specification: a V8 engine, at 4 litres, only two-thirds the size of the C63 but still summoning 414 horsepower to propel a car that, at about 1,650kg, is 100kg lighter than its Mercedes-Benz rival.
The marked difference in character between the two derives mainly from torque, or pulling power. The BMW summons a respectable 295 lb ft; the C63 a startling 442. Getting the best from the M3 is a more pedigree experience than the C63, requiring the smaller V8 to sing its way to 8,000rpm and beyond. The C63 simply grunts and goes. And whereas for years the M3 has been able to run rings around any C-Class models when it comes to agility and handling on winding roads, the C63 narrows the gap hugely.
This is not simply a question of an engine transplant. Both body and front-wheel track have been widened compared with other C-Classes, allowing completely revised front suspension and a recalibrated, more sensitive steering rack. The fun element of driving the C63 is also attributable in part to its gearbox. The seven speeds can be left to do their job automatically – alternatively, there are Formula One-style paddles for manual changes if the driver feels in the mood. The latter works well, with changes coming seamlessly.
Nor can you mistake the C63 for milder C-Class versions, with its aggressive body treatment of widened wheel arches and spoilers. The theme is carried through inside, with deep bucket seats and touches of carbon-fibre trim reflective of Mercedes’ involvement in touring car championships. The butch body effects are something I could personally do without, in favour of a subtle but devastating “Q” car approach. But Mercedes hopes that many will disagree, bolstering its appeal to a younger generation of drivers than the “old” C-Class.
I doubt it will be disappointed.
More reviews at www.ft.com/testdrive
