RE: Mercedes-AMG C63: Driven

[moffat]

jamespink said:

Good point! Why don't manufacturers provide a mount for an i-Pad (just the space not the unit) so that the new and subsequent user can just slot in £400 worth of the latest pad. Just don't see why MB (along with everyone else insist on using 3/4 year old teck in their cars. An i-Pad would have great navigation (way better than the ancient MB effort) full vehicle readout (OBD2 bluetooth for £5) Internet access etc, the list goes on. Instead you have to pay thousands for last gen kit...

First of all COMAND is standard in the C63 so you don't have to pay for it.

Secondly there have already been leaked pictures showing a new dash for the C Class which will be similar to the S Class's extended LCD dash which should be out within 12 months.

[jamespink]

Burwood said:

moffat said:

I don't think it looks as good as the W204 C63 (I loved my Coupe), but I still think it is an epic car. It's top of my next car list, C63S Estate in red with some carbon gubbings and the performance exhaust.

Just wait until MCL and Eurocharged get a hold of one!!! 600bhp remap??

The 4.0 engine has the internals to safely reach 750hp, so says the guy who designed it. Forged pistons

The pistons are far smaller in diameter than the old 6.2 motor and bore spacing is greater as a result, add tasty rods, forged pistons and a stiff block and ECU heaven awaits!

[Carl_Docklands]

hussein said:

Those wheels are delicious.

They appear to be a very nice rip of the Porsche 997 Turbo centre-locks.

I had one of these new C63's chase me down an hound me like a dog with a bone a couple of weeks ago in Milton Keynes and I think its pretty handy in the wet. Not much in it on public roads, at least in a straight line.

[Axionknight]

jamespink said:

An estate version for my work van in dark grey/tan leather please... Whats not to like???

100% this!

Awesome car.

[jamespink]

moffat said:

jamespink said:

Good point! Why don't manufacturers provide a mount for an i-Pad (just the space not the unit) so that the new and subsequent user can just slot in £400 worth of the latest pad. Just don't see why MB (along with everyone else insist on using 3/4 year old teck in their cars. An i-Pad would have great navigation (way better than the ancient MB effort) full vehicle readout (OBD2 bluetooth for £5) Internet access etc, the list goes on. Instead you have to pay thousands for last gen kit...

First of all COMAND is standard in the C63 so you don't have to pay for it.

Secondly there have already been leaked pictures showing a new dash for the C Class which will be similar to the S Class's extended LCD dash which should be out within 12 months.

My wife has command in her M-class and despite it costing thousands, its shocking to program and use and ridiculously expensive (main dealer job) to update. Even if it's "standard" you are paying a fortune for it. Honestly a £100 Tom Tom is faster more accurate, comes with lifetime updates and is wholly better. Command gives no car data, makes loading/changing a CD a pain and don't get me started on Linguatronic.

I can see its expensive and time consuming for a manufacturer to develop and therefor old fashioned by the time its released, (see your last comment about "should be out in a year") just don't make customers spend £3/4k on it. Total cost for "the space" to mount an i-Pad - £20... OBD2 feed for car data link - £5, i-Pad App - free, Google maps - free...

Edited by jamespink on Thursday 26th February 16:14

[bertie]

I do rather like this, especially an estate.

[bashful]

TNH said:

Strange, whilst I think normal C-Classes look great, I just don't think this looks like a full fat AMG. Just a bit boring. The wheels are lovely but the rest is a bit rep mobile.

They have to leave some styling on the table for the inevitable Black, Black Extreme, Black Extreme Stirling Moss & Black Extreme Stirling Moss Runout editions.

[Clivey]

jamespink said:

My wife has command in her M-class and despite it costing thousands, its shocking to program and use and ridiculously expensive (main dealer job) to update. Even if it's "standard" you are paying a fortune for it. Honestly a £100 Tom Tom is faster more accurate, comes with lifetime updates and is wholly better. Command gives no car data, makes loading/changing a CD a pain and don't get me started on Linguatronic.

I can see its expensive and time consuming for a manufacturer to develop and therefor old fashioned by the time its released, (see your last comment about "should be out in a year") just don't make customers spend £3/4k on it. Total cost for "the space" to mount an i-Pad - £20... OBD2 feed for car data link - £5, i-Pad App - free, Google maps - free...

Edited by jamespink on Thursday 26th February 16:14

I'd prefer a standard-sized headunit that can be replaced when it ages. - Even if you fit an iPad / A.N.Other device mount / connector, they change after a few years (think Apple 30-pin and Lightning adapters). If the designers were worth their salt, they could easily integrate a single / double DIN without spoiling the look of the interior.

Alas, it's done the current way to squeeze more money out of the punter...and people are stupid enough to pay it!

ICE aside, this car's aesthetics seem to gel so much better than the base models. - There's a white C220CDI local to me that just seems ungainly. When I first saw it I thought "I can see what they were trying to do...", whereas previous-gem C-classes have always looked so "right" in my eyes.

[Ratten]

inside looks all a bit 'shiney plastic tastic' for such a pricey machine.

And when will they get rid of the etch-a-sketch? Really? It's like a child has designed the interior.

[Gandahar]

Blackpuddin said:

great report Dan

Agree. Very good read Dan, well written and gives a good flavour.

[iloveboost]

Clivey said:

I'd prefer a standard-sized headunit that can be replaced when it ages. - Even if you fit an iPad / A.N.Other device mount / connector, they change after a few years (think Apple 30-pin and Lightning adapters). If the designers were worth their salt, they could easily integrate a single / double DIN without spoiling the look of the interior.

Alas, it's done the current way to squeeze more money out of the punter...and people are stupid enough to pay it!

ICE aside, this car's aesthetics seem to gel so much better than the base models. - There's a white C220CDI local to me that just seems ungainly. When I first saw it I thought "I can see what they were trying to do...", whereas previous-gem C-classes have always looked so "right" in my eyes.

Same here but a lot of people moan that they look cheap or tacky. You'd think it would also save the manufacturer money, but perhaps not in a high volume car? At least nowadays you can buy an FM transmitter or intelligent CD multichanger adaptor to plug your music player or mobile into. Ten years years ago you had the old faithful 3.5mm jack to tape adapter for a few quid, or nothing!

[Mermaid]

Axionknight said:

jamespink said:

An estate version for my work van in dark grey/tan leather please... Whats not to like???

100% this!

Awesome car.

BMW, take note.

[Clivey]

iloveboost said:

Same here but a lot of people moan that they look cheap or tacky.

To them I'd say it depends, as with the rest of the interior, on their choice. Quick example below (ignore the phone holder) but I've seen even neater. Certainly better than the "Little Tykes My First SatNav" on this Mercedes.

iloveboost said:

You'd think it would also save the manufacturer money, but perhaps not in a high volume car?

Not when they're charging £1k+ for £200 / 300 worth of kit!

iloveboost said:

At least nowadays you can buy an FM transmitter or intelligent CD multichanger adaptor to plug your music player or mobile into. Ten years years ago you had the old faithful 3.5mm jack to tape adapter for a few quid, or nothing!

Our Mini has a USB as standard but didn't seem to want to talk to my iPod Classic...I'll get around to finding out why at some point!

[Panjy]

Has nobody else noticed it weighs nearly 200kgs more than the M3/4, i'm sure that negates most of the benefit of the more powerful engine.

[kambites]

Panjy said:

Has nobody else noticed it weighs nearly 200kgs more than the M3/4, i'm sure that negates most of the benefit of the more powerful engine.

The automatic M3 saloon is 1635kg EU vs 1715 for this, so 80kg or 95 if you're comparing it to the "S".

[pegon]

The lack of visual drama is surely the most appealing aspect of this car.

[zeDuffMan]

The estate version is almost perfect. I could see myself in one in a few years. Amazing how much difference a couple of extra cylinders makes.

[mnx42]

One of my favourite cars visually. Great colour too.

[DeltonaS]

joe1145 said:

patch5674 said:

Watched the Harris vid, this car in wagon form in some sort of grey, de-badged...

Looks so much better in estate form. In S Spec with the grey paint in the pictures would be lovely.

Almost, Estate yes, S yes, but in black metallic, and without the silly "look at me I'm important" no "don't look at me" tinted windows....

And with carbon ceramics, sport exhaust and CF interior.

[markwm]

Some video of it driving around town

http://youtu.be/DYHYcvv2DzM

I'm all for understated but I think this is just too understated for me.