Te s te r s’
notes
Spec advice
Jobs for
the facelift
ROAD TEST
24 APRIL 2 019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 41
RICHARD
LANE
Disable the
ESP then keep
the new nine-stage
traction-control system
somewhere between six
and eight. No, this still
isn’t quite the 500bhp
Subaru BRZ you’ve been
dreaming of, but it’spretty damn close.
SIMON DAVIS
It’s a testament
to the fantastic
work done by
AMG’s chassis
engineers that the
thunderous 4.0-litre V8
doesn’t dominate the
driving experience. The
C63 is no mere hot rod.
our years have passed since AMG’s latest take on the C-Class Coupé
appeared with a downsized, turbocharged engine, and yet the appeal of this
anachronistic car remains almost entirely undiminished. And while it would
be ea s y to at t r ibute t hat appea l to such a n ut terly t hu nderous power t ra i n – one u n ique
in this class – with real-world performance to make supercars sit up and take note,
AMG’s real success has been to make its lovable coupé-cum-hot-rod simultaneously
more engaging to drive hard and more accommodating of British roads. The chassis
electronics are a particular highlight, if also a touch elaborate, and there’s a delicacy
to the ride that wasn’t always there.
That all being said, the architecture and finish of the interior is beginning to feel its
age, and AMG must do more to isolate the car’s cabin from unwanted road noise. For
any other car in the C-Class range, these would be serious criticisms, but given the ability
of the C63 S to entertain and thrill like very few other cars on sale, they are justifiably
forgiveable and result in only half a star being docked.
With the C63, the
question is whether to
opt for the S or stick with
the standard car. For
us, the £9000 premium
is worth it for the extra
equipment and access to
the additional electronic
chassis trickery.z Bring a little more
exclusivity to the C63’s
cabin over and above the
standard C-Class.
z Greater isolation
from road roar on longer
journeys wouldn’t go
amiss.
z While the nine-speed
’box is excellent on the
move, its low-speed
manners need improving.
F
Scintillating C63 S lays down the gauntlet for M division
AAAAB
VERDICT
ROAD
TEST
RIVALS
ALFA ROMEO GIULIA
QUADRIFOGLIO
The only four-door in this
line-up is perhaps the sweetest-
handling of the bunch. Ferrari-
derived V6 isn’t bad either.
AAAAB
£63,540
503hp/443lb ft
3.9sec/191mph
206g/km, 27.2mpg
ALPINA B4 S BI-TURBO
Alpina’s take on a seriously
quick 4 Series strikes a greater
balance between everyday
usability and performance than
BMW’s M4. Hugely charming.
AAAAB
£63,277
435bhp/487lb ft
4.2sec/190mph
WLTP figures tbc, 23.3-38.7mpg
Price
Power/torque
0-62mph/top speed
CO 2 , economy
MERCEDES-AMG C63 S COUPE
Affalterbach’s thunderous C63 S
Coupé retains its spot at the top
of our performance coupé list.
Few rivals offer quite as much
balletic savagery.
AAAAB
£78,023
503bhp/516lb ft
3.9sec/180mph
251-256g/km, 16.5-29.4mpg
BMW M4 COMPETITION PACK
Keen-handling BMW is starting
to feel its age but remains a
potent driver’s car. Not quite as
theatrical a performer as the
Mercedes, though.
AAAAC
£62,580
444bhp/406lb ft
4.0sec/155mph
WLTP figures tbc, 27.7-28.0mpg
AUDI RS5
The RS5 is more a mega-quick
tourer than a true-blue driver’s
car. Still, it packs huge grip and
will likely outpace all of these
cars on a wet mountain road.
AAAAC
£62,900
444bhp/442lb ft
3.9sec/155mph
206g/km, 30.1-30.4mpg
1 2 3 45
Verdicts
on every
new car,
p82