Racing Driver Phil Hanson Reviews the Mercedes AMG C63S
The car I am driving at the moment is a Mercedes AMG C63s. It has a 4.0-litre twin-turbo v8 that kicks out 503 bhp, coupled with a 9-speed automatic gearbox to deliver a 0-60 in 3.8 seconds.
I wanted to buy a car that I was immediately drawn to. In my mind, there’s no point buying a sports coupe that doesn’t look impressive or excite the driver.
My C63s came in iridium silver metallic which wasn’t my first preference and has since been changed to a matt satin grey, which I much prefer.
There is an increase in price from the C63 to the C63s. This buys you an extra 30hp but what it also gives you is a styling upgrade. The main benefit of this is the wider wheel arches, it makes the car look more aggressive and creates room for the 19’/20’ inch rims.
Comfort isn’t a luxury that has been forgotten in the C63s, with the AMG performance bucket seats offering a good balance between sport and utility.
I find myself overwhelmed with the number of seating positions in modern cars, so if you like me you don’t suffer from back pain then this shouldn’t be an issue.
If you like to change your seating position regularly then you may be frustrated as the customised settings are limited. There is no lumbar or lateral support adjustment in the upper shell of the seat and no fixed headrest.
Talking of seats, there are four in this model. Like most coupes, the rear seats don’t offer a huge amount of room but are sufficient for short journeys or shorter passengers!
I do have little frustrations with the car’s software, I don’t like how it reminds me every time I get into the car that the rear passenger seat belts are unfastened even when nobody is sat in them.
As mentioned I’d describe the car as a ‘handful’!! This may sound undesirable but given the right road conditions, it is just enough of a handful to be amazing fun.
I usually put the car into sport mode, which definitely makes it more of a ‘handful’. I find that when you put your foot down to exert some of its 503 horsepower, it breaks traction at every opportunity.
For those who don’t want to battle with their car, I recommend the comfort mode for day-to-day journeys. In this mode, I find you can quite happily cruise around thanks to the seamless 9-speed gearbox.
Due to my heavy right foot, I’m no stranger to the fuel fill gauge and that is accompanied by an average of 21 mpg.
The fuel meter is persistently telling me that I’m going to run out of fuel once I get close to 30 miles of range. However, at that point, it conveniently stops estimating what range I have left and I often find myself coughing into the petrol station.
Aside from the annoying gremlins, it’s still the most road-friendly of the sports coupes that I’ve driven.
The noise inside the car isn’t quiet by any stretch of the imagination, yet if you find me a sports car that is quiet, chances are, they haven’t done a great job at weight reduction.
The noise from the outside is a brighter subject. It’s as deep as it is throaty, and when the exhaust valves open, the noise is just unforgettable enough for your neighbours to recall you coming and going to the minute.
On the whole, I couldn’t be happier, but that being said there are a lot of new models that have launched this year which may take my fancy.
Mercedes-Benz AMG C 63 S Coupe specification
Paint: iridium silver metallic
Upholstery: Nappa leather black
9G-TRONIC PLUS
Special equipment
12.3” IC display with premium package
4-way lumbar support
Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus
Aerial for telephone
Ambient lighting
AMG performance seats
AMG Track pace
Analogue clock
Android Auto
Apple Car Play
Black open-pore ask wood trim/ aluminium trim
Design seat belt in silver
Driver’s seat electrically adjustable with memory function
Front seat left, electric adjust w.mem.switch
Heat unit display 10.25”
Heated front seats
MB sound system
Mercedes Benz emergency call system
Mirror package
Ambient lighting – exterior mirrors
Electrically folding exterior mirrors
Interior mirror and driver’s exterior mirror automatically diming
Multibeam LED (RHD)
Office function in the vehicle
Parking package
Park-pilot including PARKTRONIC
Petrol particulate filter
Preinstallation for Live Traffic Information
Preinstallation for Mercedez-Benz link
Preinstallation for Navigation Services
Preinstallation for Vehicle Monitoring
Preinstallation for Vehicle Set-Up
Premium package
Privacy glass
Smartphone integration package
Technical modifications
Touchpad with controller
Traffic Sign Assist
Wheel-arch widening for AMG wheels
Wireless Charging
Starting from £38,770
www.mercedes-amg.com/en/vehicles/c-class/coupe.ht…
