By Miles Downard
In the battle to be the hottest super saloon out there, there are just two names that stick their necks out from the front of the pack, namely the BMW M3 and the Mercedes C63. The two offer a fairly different approach to the matter in that the M3 markets itself as a driver focussed precision tool, while the C63 prefers power and noise as its unique selling point.
I was fortunate enough to enjoy a week with the latter just before Covid-19 took hold of the world. First off one notices the subtle changes to the exterior thanks to a midlife facelift, which includes a reshaped front end to emphasise the AMG grille while at the back the new diffuser is more prominent. To be honest there wasn’t much on the outside that required a refresh, as the C63 offered up just the right amount of bulging muscle so as to tell it apart from the standard C Class, but not so much as to be garish. Thankfully that hasn’t changed.
On the inside you’d find a few new options, namely oak, walnut or ash wood inserts for the doors and centre console. Or should the wood-look not be your thing you could ask for carbon fibre instead. The optional performance seats are now not only heated but also climatised which is nice on a hot summer’s day.
However the main event for the refreshed interior is the new fully digital 31cm dashboard which can be configured any which way you like. It’ll show you all kinds of info like vehicle set up, gforces, laptimers and the like alongside normal functions like navigation and your dials.
It’s all very nice, I must admit. Mercedes interiors look the absolute business these days and this C63s is no exception. Plenty of theatre which, in conjunction with its bulging muscles outside, gives a hint as to the excitement that awaits a push of the start button.
Once you’ve hit that start button it’s like you’ve just prodded a monster that awakens from a deep, lumberous sleep. A bark emanates from the twin exhaust outlets, followed by a baritone rumble as the monster stirs to life. You’ve just fed a dose of 95 octane into this twin turbo charged, 4 litre V8 beast and it’s begging for more.
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Feeding it is as simple as moving your right foot at which point all 700 torques are fed through the rear tyres onto the road surface, which inevitably leads to intervention from the vehicle’s traction control and stability programs. Frankly there are very few road tyres that can handle this much oomph, despite the rears being a fairly chunky 265 cross section.
With the aid of launch control the C63s will sprint from standstill to 100km/h in just four seconds which is impressive but no more so than most of the competition. The difference of course is the manner in which the C63 makes the driver feel while all of this is going on. It has a definitive muscle car feel which is aided in no small part by the V8 under the bonnet. It’s the only super saloon to boast a V8 as pretty much all the competition offer turbocharged six cylinder motors. The Mercedes is a proper thug as a result.
Another great addition to the theatre of the C63s is a little dial you’ll find on the bottom right of the steering wheel. Push the button in the middle of the dial to cycle through drive modes, from normal to race. Turn the dial from one to ten to determine the preselection of the slip on the rear axle. The combination gives the driver the ability to set the car just to the right level for their own confidence and ability.
Frankly it’s an animal out on the road. Traction is overcome easily and the wild turbo charged V8 sounds that are let loose at every stab of the throttle seem to shatter the sound barrier. Having attended the launch of the pre-facelift C63s at Zwartkops raceway I’m certain its handling capabilities are no less impressive but simply more adjustable given the additional vehicle settings I’ve outlined above. However should you wish to calm things down and go on a long distance cruise, the C63 is completely up to the task. It’ll burble along at very few revs at highway speeds and just eat up kilometres. A big boot and ample rear leg room means family trips are part and parcel of this great all rounder.
My personal preference remains the Alfa Romeo Giulia Q when it comes to the battle of best super saloon, however given the lack of local confidence in the brand you need to be prepared for massive depreciation and shoddy after sales care. By comparison the Mercedes C63s offers up a lot of appeal and road presence with its muscle car nature, yet will transform into 90% of the Alfa’s nimble, fingertip precise driving tool on a race track should that take your fancy. And the after sales network is more extensive and better supported. Sure is a compelling argument.
