Mercedes C-Class Estate and C 63 AMG Test Drive (UK)

Press Release

Mercedes C63 AMG Saloon and Estate models heading to UK

Views

First the bad news, UK customers are going to have to wait until late Spring or early Summer next year to get their hands on one of these two but if you have an estimated £51,000 to £52,000 to spend get you name down for one now - the cars are awesome.

The C63 Saloon and Estate models, which share the same powertrain, steering, brakes and suspension, are pitched against the BMW M3 and Audi RS4. Currently, because the Mercedes C63 is available with two body styles, it has the opposition beaten from day one. However we know BMW intend to offer more M3 body options than the new two-door coupe and the new RS4 is still a long way off.

In the past the M3 and the RS4 probably had the Mercedes AMG models beaten for agility and outright performance. Not anymore, the C63 is pure racecar optimised for real-life road conditions.

The new models are products from Mercedes-AMG, a high performance brand within Mercedes Car Group. A workforce of 750 people develops and produces high performance engines and complete vehicles, including their racing touring cars.

The 6.3-litre, V8 petrol engine is no tuned version of a standard production unit. It is designed and built specifically by AMG for several models in the Mercedes range. Their technical boffins said this week at the international press launch; the engine will have the same long life, durability and reliability of standard production units.

The 457hp power output from the engine is impressive enough but the huge amount of torque, 600Nm from 2,000 to 6,250rpm, gives it a huge range of maximum power, ideal for safe overtaking of slower traffic in the minimum amount of time and distance. This is 30 per cent more torque than comparable engines. It has a fantastic exhaust note as well.

Top speed is limited to 155mph and 0 to 62mph is covered in just 4.5 seconds. For the record the official fuel consumption is 20.8mpg and the CO2 figure of 319g/km put it firmly in the £400 VED rating for next year. For the record, during my driving spell with the car in Germany, the fuel consumption was 15mpg for some fast driving on winding and twisty country A roads, levelling out at 18mpg for the test journey as a whole, and this included some in town driving.

Power to the rear wheels is via the Mercedes 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic transmission, which has three settings, Comfort, Manual and Sport and can be operated by the gearchange lever or paddle shift levers behind the steering wheel. In the Sport setting the gear change modes are faster, more responsive and blips the throttle to smooth-out downshifts. The Comfort setting makes the gear changes more slowly and more smoothly.

Choosing the Sport or Comfort modes also changes the suspension and steering response setting too. Comfort is probably where you want to be most of the time as the Sport ride is really very firm, too firm in fact. It is a pity there is not a setting where the Comfort mode can be selected for ride comfort and Sport for engine and transmission responses – that would be ideal for UK motoring conditions.

With the standard 18-inch wheels and tyres the C63 offers huge amounts of grip and adhesion – they need to. The steering is well weighted and precise giving good feedback to the driver and the stopping power of the brakes is just as impressive as the performance of the engine.

The AMG C63 models have a new front suspension and wider front and rear tracks for added stability. Both the C63 AMG Saloon and Estate models are visually stunning and instantly distinguishable from the standard C-Class models. The AMG treatment includes a twin-domed bonnet, unique grille with wide spread foglights, front, side and rear body kit and dual twin exhaust tailpipes.

Inside the AMG treatment continues with sports seats with built in head restraints, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, aluminium pedals and AMG sill guards.

Lovers of high performance saloons or estates not restrained by pressure about green issues or financially worried by high road tax and company car taxation, will without doubt be talking to their Mercedes-Benz dealership pretty soon. The new models cannot fail to be a huge sales success and it will give BMW and Audi something to think about. The M3 is no longer dominant in this sector.

MILESTONES

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Saloon/Estate. Price £51,000 - £52,000 (estimated). Engine/transmission: 6.3-litre, V8, normally aspirated, seven-speed automatic with Comfort, Sport, Manual modes and traction control. Performance: 457hp, 600Nm of torque at 5,000rpm, 155mph (limited), 0-62mph 4.5 seconds, 20.8mpg (18mpg actual). CO2 319g/km, VED Band G £300 rising later in 2008 to £400.

For: Superb performance, impeccable handling, race-proven quality engineering, distinctive AMG styling, option of Saloon and Estate models, competitive prices.

Against: Sports setting provides a ride which is too firm and intrusive.