The Bottom Line
What do the Guide Rating stars mean?
AMG -- which I am pretty sure stands for "Ach! Mein Gott!" -- is Mercedes' in-house go-faster tuning division. While most automakers wait a year or two before introducing the hot-rod version of a new model, AMG has already breathed their magic on the new-for-2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class in the form of a huge V8 engine, beefed-up suspension, big brakes (link goes to photo), big wheels and a bit of extra body kit. I haven't stopped smiling since the moment Mercedes handed me the keys. What makes the C63 AMG so fantastic? Read on.
Larger photos: Front - rear - interior - all photos
Pros
- Fast!
- Easy to control while going fast
- Awesome exhaust note
- Family-friendly back seat and trunk
- Prices aren't all that crazy
Cons
- No manual transmission
- Lousy fuel economy
Description
- Hot-rod version of Mercedes' new-for-'08 C-Class
- Price range (including gas guzzler tax, destination and options): $56,775 - $65,490
- Price as tested: $65,490
- EPA fuel economy ratings: 12 MPG city/19 MPG highway/15 MPG combined
Guide Review - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG
The Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG has about as much to do with the regular C-class as my right ankle does with Rudy Ray Moore's 1976 federal tax return. While the C300, C350 and C63 AMG share many of the same foibles, the C63 AMG is so completely filled with wonderfulness that the quirks don't seem to matter.
The wellspring from which this wonderfulness flows is a 6.2 liter hand-built V8 engine. Several AMG models use this mill, and while the C63 gets the least-powerful version -- 451 horsepower, piddly compared to the 500+ in other AMG 63-series models -- it's more than enough for the trim C sedan. Flooring the accelerator doesn't just push you back in your seat -- it punches you in the gut, smacks you upside the head, then runs off with your wife.
If power is the C63's best feature, than the exhaust note is a close second -- revving the engine brings an almighty blat that sounds as if God went on a Mexican food binge. Whenever possible, I drove with the windows down. (Because of the sound, not the Mexican food.)
The C63 competes against the Audi RS4, BMW M3, and Lexus IS-F -- but what those cars do with technical finesse, the C63 does with raw muscle and sheer attitude. The C63 drives like an M3 that's had a couple of beers -- not as quick or as precise, but a lot more fun to hang out with.
Prices start just shy of $57k -- $24k more than a base-model C300, a whopping $31k less than its 507 hp big sister, the E63 AMG, and about the same as a BMW M3 -- but it is a Mercedes, so things like a navigation system and metallic paint cost extra. I suppose I could lament the C63's lack of a manual transmission and whine about the cheap plastic on the dash or the complex stereo/nav controls. But I won't, because the C63 AMG is a party on wheels -- and who doesn't love a party? -- Aaron Gold
