RE: Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe: Review

[JockySteer]

Now that's a looker.

[swisstoni]

Strangely domed bonce on it but at least its different.

[sh33n]

Looks pretty damn good, bet it will go and sound great...but as I've said before - the problem with Mercedes, is Mercedes. Or rather their dealerships, would not entertain giving them a penny.

And please can we stop comparing these cars with the GTR - the GTR is a more expensive, it's what £85k with options and that doesn't get carbon ceramics which are a very expensive option on the other cars. So let's say £5k more for these at least aftermarket, and it's a 90k car.

Also, not everyone goes for baller spec, some people surprisingly can live without HUD and carbon ceramics and on the M4 and AMG and that car is ~£60k. There's a big difference.

[RemyMartin]

Not a Mercedes fan in the slightest but in that colour in those wheels, I think it looks bloody awesome.

[MrBarry123]

Looks fanbloodybrilliant.

[Dan Trent]

sh33n said:

And please can we stop comparing these cars with the GTR - the GTR is a more expensive, it's what £85k with options and that doesn't get carbon ceramics which are a very expensive option on the other cars. So let's say £5k more for these at least aftermarket, and it's a 90k car.

I'll refer you to the previous number crunching piece, specifically...

Earlier article said:

At first glance cost also weighs against the Mercedes, which starts at £61,160 for the C63 Coupe and £68,870 for the S - an M4 DCT is £59,700, the Lexus £59,995 and an RS5 £59,920. All these cars have manifold ways of adding to that with various options packages and, frankly, at this level the difference is unlikely to be a deciding factor. Yet looming menacingly over them all is the £78,030 Nissan GT-R, a comparative price well within reach of any of these cars with a few options added and offering a totally different level of performance.

Also, the C63 S Edition 1 with is £76,355 WITHOUT ceramics, £79,355 with.

The GT-R is a 'next level' car in terms of performance and focus but given the 'real world' proximity in price I'd argue this is where the two overlap and though more expensive than it used to be still within range of a well-funded M4 or C63 buyer.

Cheers,

Dan

[Wills2]

R8VXF said:

Is whatever that screen does an optional extra? Only reason I can think of that both BMW and Mercedes would do that to their normally well blended dashboards.

And the best part of 75 grand!? Mental.

Despite what the article says that car as tested is the best part of 80k! For a c class, mental.

[moffat]

I think it looks epic and I really don't like the saloon nor the estate.

Having previously owned the last C63 Coupe this has got me pretty excited!

I don't really think the gearbox is much of an issue, the MCT box is pretty good, and it's only really occasionally on downshifts that it gets a little muddled and can't 'queue' changes. On the road in normal use it's great and in the new C63 it's much faster. I actually prefer it to the DCT unit which I find too clinical.

Will be interesting to see if MB offer the same kind of great deals that they did with the previous car making the £70k price a lot easier to swallow.

[a_bread]

Throughout this piece there is a constant impression of trying to apologise for being too pro-M4 with the previous article.

[R8VXF]

Saw one of the GLE coupes (?) the other day, that looks like this on steroids. Sounded epic, but the driver was acting like a complete tool. Such a shame they have dropped capacity for a twin turbo setup. At least they can keep the 63 moniker as it wasn't the engine size anyway

On the subject of dash arrangements, near the end of this video it shows the different ways of doing it, but seriously the music is awful so turn the sound off https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDU95L-hf_A. Think the Beemers is the worst. Having sat in a 4 series, it seems to be partially obscured by the dash. Having directions on the screen, the instrument binnacle and the HUD is the best way to do it though.

But seriously, the price of these cars is getting a bit ridiculous. You can have all these toys and more power, for less, with an options list of two things.

[unsprung]

Looks good, sounds great. Bit too expensive for me.

I like how M-B have located the screen. Looks clean. Purposeful.

Eventually, however, the screen will be non-issue. When it goes HUD. Similar to Navdy, here.

[sh33n]

Dan Trent said:

sh33n said:

And please can we stop comparing these cars with the GTR - the GTR is a more expensive, it's what £85k with options and that doesn't get carbon ceramics which are a very expensive option on the other cars. So let's say £5k more for these at least aftermarket, and it's a 90k car.

I'll refer you to the previous number crunching piece, specifically...

Earlier article said:

At first glance cost also weighs against the Mercedes, which starts at £61,160 for the C63 Coupe and £68,870 for the S - an M4 DCT is £59,700, the Lexus £59,995 and an RS5 £59,920. All these cars have manifold ways of adding to that with various options packages and, frankly, at this level the difference is unlikely to be a deciding factor. Yet looming menacingly over them all is the £78,030 Nissan GT-R, a comparative price well within reach of any of these cars with a few options added and offering a totally different level of performance.

Also, the C63 S Edition 1 with is £76,355 WITHOUT ceramics, £79,355 with.

That is expensive! So fair comment on comparing that to the Merc.

Dan Trent said:

The GT-R is a 'next level' car in terms of performance and focus but given the 'real world' proximity in price I'd argue this is where the two overlap and though more expensive than it used to be still within range of a well-funded M4 or C63 buyer.

Cheers,

Dan

I wouldn't disagree at next level in terms of performance, but it's still the next level in cost. Yes a very well-funded / full-spec'd M4 or (more so) C63. But as a M4 buyer myself I didn't entertain the purchase of a GTR, it's that much more and quite a step in real purchase price. I think there would a lot of people like me in that group....unless they all come along to tell me how cheap / poor I am

Also I can't put the roof down in this Merc (sure one will follow) or the GTR, but that's confusing things further again.

[R8VXF]

unsprung said:

Looks good, sounds great. Bit too expensive for me.

I like how M-B have located the screen. Looks clean. Purposeful.

Eventually, however, the screen will be non-issue. When it goes HUD. Similar to Navdy, here.

Having the individual directions on the HUD is very useful, but I wouldn't be with the screen as well to be able to see the overview of the map and other entertainment controls etc.

The problem with relying on a phone to do this is that there are basically 3 main phone operating systems that they would need to be compatible with, and that could get a bit tricky. But when the inevitable iCar comes out that only works with an iPhone, we are all doomed. Doomed I tell you!

[Dan Trent]

a_bread said:

Throughout this piece there is a constant impression of trying to apologise for being too pro-M4 with the previous article.

Well, I have to confess I was surprised at how different the C63 Coupe is to the saloon we compared against the M4 and therefore - yes - it requires a re-evaluation of that verdict given the new context. That's not the same as 'apologising for being too pro-M4' because the BMW remains a damned good car and a worthy rival to the AMG. More in this shortly in a Fleet update on 'our' M4!

Cheers,

Dan

[GroundEffect]

This is how you do it. If you're going down the FI route, keep the V8!

It has an arse only a mother could love though...

[mark_m135]

I love the looks on this, having had a play with the configurator though, its annoying the number of things you can't add as standalone options. I would want the upgraded stereo, but have to get that in a package with a sunroof that I wouldn't want. whats that about?

Anyway, I think it looks fantastic, purposeful and would love one...just need to find some pennies down the back of the sofa, like £40k worth ha

[unsprung]

R8VXF said:

Having the individual directions on the HUD is very useful, but I wouldn't be with the screen as well to be able to see the overview of the map and other entertainment controls etc.

Good point. Where's the full-windscreen "Minority Report" version of HUD when we need it?

R8VXF said:

The problem with relying on a phone to do this is that there are basically 3 main phone operating systems that they would need to be compatible with, and that could get a bit tricky.

It's astonishing, isn't it. The networked vehicle and in-car media. With the impending expansion of the Internet of Things, the challenges presented by mobile phone OSes will seem relatively easy. As if OEMs don't currently face enough in the way of existential problems, their company cultures and their user outcomes will need to become much more technology savvy.

R8VXF said:

But when the inevitable iCar comes out that only works with an iPhone, we are all doomed. Doomed I tell you!

Comes with its own mock turtleneck in black.

[R8VXF]

unsprung said:

R8VXF said:

Having the individual directions on the HUD is very useful, but I wouldn't be with the screen as well to be able to see the overview of the map and other entertainment controls etc.

Good point. Where's the full-windscreen "Minority Report" version of HUD when we need it?

R8VXF said:

The problem with relying on a phone to do this is that there are basically 3 main phone operating systems that they would need to be compatible with, and that could get a bit tricky.

It's astonishing, isn't it. The networked vehicle and in-car media. With the impending expansion of the Internet of Things, the challenges presented by mobile phone OSes will seem relatively easy. As if OEMs don't currently face enough in the way of existential problems, their company cultures and their user outcomes will need to become much more technology savvy.

R8VXF said:

But when the inevitable iCar comes out that only works with an iPhone, we are all doomed. Doomed I tell you!

Comes with its own mock turtleneck in black.

Too much information on the windscreen is constantly distracting, rather than temporarily distracting. KIS for the windscreen and have the supplementary screen available so passengers can help out as well.

It will also endow its user with a smug sense of superiority...

[Wills2]

Dan Trent said:

sh33n said:

And please can we stop comparing these cars with the GTR - the GTR is a more expensive, it's what £85k with options and that doesn't get carbon ceramics which are a very expensive option on the other cars. So let's say £5k more for these at least aftermarket, and it's a 90k car.

I'll refer you to the previous number crunching piece, specifically...

Earlier article said:

At first glance cost also weighs against the Mercedes, which starts at £61,160 for the C63 Coupe and £68,870 for the S - an M4 DCT is £59,700, the Lexus £59,995 and an RS5 £59,920. All these cars have manifold ways of adding to that with various options packages and, frankly, at this level the difference is unlikely to be a deciding factor. Yet looming menacingly over them all is the £78,030 Nissan GT-R, a comparative price well within reach of any of these cars with a few options added and offering a totally different level of performance.

Also, the C63 S Edition 1 with is £76,355 WITHOUT ceramics, £79,355 with.

The GT-R is a 'next level' car in terms of performance and focus but given the 'real world' proximity in price I'd argue this is where the two overlap and though more expensive than it used to be still within range of a well-funded M4 or C63 buyer.

Cheers,

Dan

What you're not factoring in is the discounts available and the APR on the finance, the M4 is 8-10k cheaper spec for spec than the C63S as an example the C63S specced as your M4 is 84k vs. 74k, the M4 is going to be miles cheaper to rent in the real world. (lets face it that's how they will be sold)

Don't know about the GTR but I doubt they do 12-15% discounts like BMW do and low rate finance, I would say that the C63S is closer to the GTR in terms of price the M4 is way below them both, you'll be able to get a M6 for C63S money.

Edited by Wills2 on Tuesday 10th November 12:36

[jimiE55]

I own an E55 so i like Mercs however... Have to agree the rear is not right, Too narrow and upright unfortunately. Shame, as the car seems to be a winner in many other departments.