RE: PH Fleet: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate
RE: PH Fleet: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate
Monday 28th February 2011

PH Fleet: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate

'Luggage capacity matters' for the new PH fleet flagship


Not the latest addition to the PH fleet...
Not the latest addition to the PH fleet...
Back in 1997/8, some people would tell you the Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG saloon had pretty much everything it took to be the only car a petrolhead might ever really need.

Having driven it then, I was about to write I'd discovered the same thing for myself within 5 minutes of getting behind the wheel, when a memory came flooding back. It was as the C43 erupted volcanically out of the Hyde Park Corner underpass on the night I got to play with it, that it was promoted to 'my favourite car in the world, ever' status. Happy days!

Now we're talking!
Now we're talking!
A dozen or so years ago the C43 made the perfect Q car, and it probably still does. With unremarkable and understated looks (unless you were tuned into the AMG thing), it offered four door practicality, and had a deliciously raucous V8 shoe-horned under the bonnet. It even made do with a pair of relatively small tailpipes, leaving the 17ins AMG alloys as the major visual giveaway.

AMG performance is more overtly expressed via styling tweaks these days, and the performance is more 'overt' too. Indeed, by today's standards the C43's numbers are as understated as its styling. It made a little over 300hp and about the same in lb ft from its 4.3 litre V8, and took a positively lethargic 5.8secs to reach 60mph. Top speed was limited to 155mph.

But back in its hey-day, the C43 was a beast. And although out-pointed dynamically by BMW's M3, it had for me (as a dyed-in-the-wool Merc man) the added advantage of that three-pointed star on the nose. So it stayed 'my favourite car in the world, ever' for longer than most.

Say 'hi' to our new AMG C63
Say 'hi' to our new AMG C63
Times change though, and with advancing years have come family commitments and a mucky flatcoated retriever, so the C43 saloon simply wouldn't measure up today. No, as a prerequisite for successful contemporary 'lifestyle', you've got to have a much bigger engine, apparently. Like the one in the new PH fleet C63 AMG Estate.

Yes, we know there's a face-lifted version of the C63 just around the corner, in fact deliveries start this very summer. But when the Mercedes-Benz press office suggests PH HQ might like to add a delivery miles C63 wagon to the long term test fleet for a few months, PH HQ does not (as you can probably imagine) pull back said gift horse's whiskery lips to check on the condition of its teeth.

Nope, PH HQ does what everyone else would do, and runs round in excited circles shouting whoopee and other expletives, before settling down to check the spec list of our new arrival.

Or more likely 'good-bye'...
Or more likely 'good-bye'...
£71,365 is the 'stat' that jumps off the page first, this being the amount AMG enthusiasts would part with for a new car spec'ed up to the level of KN60 UUT.

It breaks down like this: £55,875 for the basic machine, which includes the AMG tweaked bodywork (check out our 'powerdomes', baby), a 6.3 litre V8 engine, 7G-Tronic Speedshift auto, sports suspension, huggy sports seats, and most other major hard- and software items.

To which has been added: a reversing camera £385; an AMG drivers package to increase top speed £2,275; side airbags at the rear £325; front cupholder (we kid you not) £20; hands free phone prep £285; DAB tuner £325; auto climate control with split driver/passenger function £480; AMG exterior carbon trim package £1,225; 19ins AMG alloys £615; Active cornering lights and headlamp wash £205; AMG floor mats £70; COMAND multimedia/satnav/DVD etc £1,980; Surround sound by Harman/Kardon £625; privacy glass £305; load securing kit £175; carbon interior trim £1,605; AMG Performance Pack Plus - brake upgrade, 30hp power upgrade, forged pistons and revise crank, painted manifold (grey), painted brake calipers (red), performance steering wheel in nappa/alcantara - £4,590.

...thanks to a monster under the bonnet.
...thanks to a monster under the bonnet.
Grand total £71,365, and a C class that - you might be surprised to learn - looks and feels as though it's money well spent. We know it looks that way, because white van drivers tend to pull alongside us on the motorway to give the car the thumbs up before making 'accelerator' gestures. (That AMG V8 sounds fantastic from inside the car, but it's even better if you're following.) We know it feels that way, too, because the AMG mods have turned the car into a tactile delight - partly because the seats are so supple and 'huggy', but mainly because the alcantara sports steering wheel is just a delight to hold on to.

But back to the stats, and once you've swallowed the price these are the ones that count:

Engine  
No. of cylinders/arrangement 8/V, 4 valves per cylinder
Displacement 6208cc
Bore x stroke 102.2 x 94.6mm
Rated output 487hp @ 6800 rpm
Rated torque 600Nm @ 5000 rpm
Compression ratio 11.3
Performance/fuel consumption  
Acceleration 0-62 mph 4.5secs
Maximum speed 155mph
Fuel cons. NEDC  Urban 13.8mpg
                             Extra urban 29.4mpg
                             Combined 20.8mpg
CO2 316g/km

We'll tell you what 'our' C63 is like in action over the coming months, starting with a report by Riggers soon on the road trip to the Geneva motor show with snapper Steve Hall. They're en-route today, in convoy with our PH competition winners in the SEAT Cupra R, and something tells us they're having fun...




Author
Discussion

TROOPER88

Original Poster:

1,783 posts

196 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
Great car but what at over 70k its expensive.

I have been looking at buying a C43 AMG for some time now; after reading this It may just make me do just that!

Bolognese

1,500 posts

241 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
Awesome cars. Cant beat the sound cloud9

a11lvj

43 posts

238 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
I had mine for 4 years loved it and never got bored of the sound track and was using as a daily drive car .If your thinking of buying one now be aware of rust and the price of front brakes .It was a sad day when i had to sell my C43 .(due to the cost of fuel )

Cassius81

285 posts

206 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
Awesome car, even better in estate form. Have always been an RS4 fan, but I think I'd have one of these in preference.

Not sure about the red calipers though. On a £20k Golf GTI, perhaps, but a £70k Merc?

Given that used ones have dipped under £40k, I will be very interested to hear how the running costs stack up. Something tells me you'll be lucky to see 20.8mpg combined!

sjmoore

1,893 posts

221 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
Love the idea of a massive V8 shoe-horned into a C class. Love the sound. But would like honest assessment of whether the (massive) extra outlay plus (expected) horrendous fuel consumption makes it the better buy than a 3 litre diesel from Audi, Merc or BMW? Suspect that on the trip to Geneva you'll get there slower than someone in a base C series because of all the fuel stops required!

On the topic of Geneva...are there many PHers going?

adycav

7,615 posts

234 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
They go and sound fantastic but the looks are a little too overdone for my tastes - I agree with the Golf GTI comment re the red callipers for example.

However, in the absence of an M3 estate and no current compact fast Audi wagon, what else is there?

Mermaid

21,492 posts

188 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
Are Mercs becoming more interesting than the RS Audi estates?

Gun

13,432 posts

235 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
I saw a C63 while driving to work this morning, sounded brilliant cloud9

andyp74199

141 posts

208 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
So its had the de-restrict £2k (!!) option...im wondering what the new top speed is ?

sv

229 posts

274 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
How timely - my possible next car. Will follow the updates with interest.

Luca Brasi

885 posts

191 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
andyp74199 said:
So its had the de-restrict £2k (!!) option...im wondering what the new top speed is ?
280 km/h IIRC. Lovely machinecloud9

E21_Ross

36,247 posts

229 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
lovely car! not quite as "Q" as that C43 though hehe thing that got me the most was over 4k for.....a steering wheel!!!!

saw one of these on the road a few weeks back, gave the driver a thumbs up biggrin he smiled, signalled me to wind down my window, which i obliged in doing so, he then booted it biggrin legend!

MagicalTrevor

6,481 posts

246 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
andyp74199 said:
So its had the de-restrict £2k (!!) option...im wondering what the new top speed is ?
just about to say the same!!! How on earth did they work out that price, it's a software tweek!!

Scooby P1

2,617 posts

246 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
Cassius81 said:
Awesome car, even better in estate form. Have always been an RS4 fan, but I think I'd have one of these in preference.

Not sure about the red calipers though. On a £20k Golf GTI, perhaps, but a £70k Merc?

Given that used ones have dipped under £40k, I will be very interested to hear how the running costs stack up. Something tells me you'll be lucky to see 20.8mpg combined!
Red calipers denote the performance pack. Slightly bling but then again the wheels are rather OTT anyway.

If i had the money, C63 estate would be outside over and above almost anything else!

rob.e

2,862 posts

295 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
Looks great and I'm sure its going to be awesome to drive.. BUT a SEVENTY GRAND C-Class?!

You have to say it makes a 35k-ish S4 avant look like great value for money. Yes I know it only has 6 instead of 8 cylinders but its still pretty bloody quick in most uk conditions and it will keep going even if we get some more snow..


off_again

13,917 posts

251 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
If you had asked me 10 years ago if there was a market for £70k 400+ BHP estate cars, I would have laughed. But, how things have changed. 400BHP saloons are almost the norm as they go 500+ and some even are knocking on the door of 600+!

But it just goes to show how much development has gone into these things, and the fact that there seems to be more money sloshing around. Long may it continue and fabulous car. Not sure if it quite hits the mark for practicality, but hey, who cares? Brilliant.

5potTurbo

13,386 posts

185 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
Scooby P1 said:
Cassius81 said:
Awesome car, even better in estate form. Have always been an RS4 fan, but I think I'd have one of these in preference.

Not sure about the red calipers though. On a £20k Golf GTI, perhaps, but a £70k Merc?

Given that used ones have dipped under £40k, I will be very interested to hear how the running costs stack up. Something tells me you'll be lucky to see 20.8mpg combined!
Red calipers denote the performance pack. Slightly bling but then again the wheels are rather OTT anyway.

If i had the money, C63 estate would be outside over and above almost anything else!
Agreed!
One of my workmates picked up his new C63 from Stuttgart last week, but he made the mistake of getting the saloon rather than the wagon, IMO.

TobesH

550 posts

224 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
Love it. Big fan of supercar estates. My choice though = Audi RS6 Avant with a 600bhp remap.

supersingle

3,205 posts

236 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
I prefer the looks of the c43 tbh. Those wheels and quad exhausts look ridiculous. The whole car is far too bling.

zakelwe

4,449 posts

215 months

Monday 28th February 2011
quotequote all
I had to sell my C43 too because of the costs, however it was a great Q car and makes a fantastic noise.

I think it has aged better than the M3 of the same era.

Andy