Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance 4Matic+ First Edition First Drive Review

The C63 has arrived in a new generation and received a massive revamp in almost every department, be it the mechanicals, design, interior, features, and then some more. It has an ask of Rs. 1.95 crore before taxes, but what have the folks from Affalterbach loaded into this performance sedan for this price tag, and is it a justified amount? We find out.

The C63 is the epitome of sportiness in the C-Class range, and this is visible right from the first time you lay your eyes on the design. The unit in question here is the First Edition version and gets a few additional tweaks over the ‘regular’ C63 S E Performance. These include red inserts for the front and rear bumpers, side skirts, and even the letterings on the bootlid and the front fenders. There are also red-coloured front brake callipers, 20-inch five-spoke AMG wheels, and the Manufaktur Alpine Grey paint.

The interior of the new AMG C63 S E Performance is not any less sporty than its exterior. The all-black theme is contrasted by red elements such as the seatbelts, stitching, ambient lighting, and even the carbon-fibre finish for the dashboard. The latter also sports the F1 logo, hinting at the source of all the latest tech for the car.

There are other bespoke elements too, such as the AMG-spec floor mats and the Alcantara inserts for the steering wheel, and this can be further specced-up to a carbon-fibre finish too. If I had to spec mine, one thing I would be sure of is the AMG seats, and not the standard sport seats offered with the car. There is almost every single creature comfort and feature you could ask for in a car of this class, no pun intended. The bootspace will be a tight fit in case you plan airport runs or touring across the country. But that’s not what this car is built for after all.

The new Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance 4Matic+ derives power from the world’s most powerful four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, which is paired with an electric motor in tow. Taking its learnings from the F1 vertical, the 6.1kWh battery pack not only provides an additional boost of power but also allows an electric-only range of 13km. The combined output of the electric motor, along with the 2.0-litre, four-pot petrol engine, stands at 670bhp and 1,020Nm. Married to a nine-speed automatic gearbox sending power to all four wheels via the 4Matic+ system, the car is claimed to sprint to 100kmph from a standstill in just 3.4 seconds.

A part of the tech wizardry lies with the new electric motor built in-house that sits in the boot, which gets an independent two-speed transmission. Then, there is an electric motor inside the turbocharger too, which spools up the turbine before the exhaust flow begins, thus reducing the boost threshold. This also makes turbo lag a thing of the past. Enough of the paper talk and technicalities now, let’s get to the driving bit, shall we?

Unlike its predecessor, which featured the hairy-chested V8 rumbling to life, the new C63 quietly comes on and you might not even realise it. The electric motor allowed for a silent run until we exited the pit lane onto the track at Buddh International Circuit (BIC). A heavy foot later, the petrol mill came to life, and we were off to hit every possible corner and speed in the limited time we had. The boost function was enabled via the touchscreen, with the pre-fed map of BIC informing me of all power being available to put down as the ‘Boost’ lights flickered on the instrument cluster and the HUD. Full whack down, the occupants are pushed back into their seats as the car blinks past triple-digit speeds. The brakes also show their stupendous power, bringing the sporty sedan to a halt at the toss of a dime. If you prefer frequent track days though, the optional carbon-ceramic brakes should be a given. Corner after corner, the boost function brings you up to speed like there’s no tomorrow, and it had the child in me grinning from ear to ear, coincidentally right after Children’s Day.

Courtesy of the small electric motor sitting inside the large turbo, there is no turbo lag at all. The way the power is put down is almost EV-like, with all the torque and power available the instant you mash the throttle. This is also where the two-speed gearbox paired with the ‘traditional’ electric motor comes into use, wherein it supplies the boost even after 140kmph, which is where power from this source is usually known to taper off. The suspension is certainly stiff, yet feels right at home on the track. Apart from the movement between high speeds and the brakes being tested, there was no movement and not an ounce of body roll even remotely in sight.

Getting to the starting line meant we could take an attempt at the launch control function, and even with two people on board (including me on the healthier side), we managed to pull up to 100kmph in just 3.47 seconds. Not bad for a first attempt I’d figure. Yes, the car was in Race mode all the time, but it would be downright silly not to use it at the track, right? The steering feels precise too, and the turn-ins are quite quicker, courtesy of the rear wheel steering. As a beginner, you would need about 10 laps before you start pushing the car to its limits.

At the end of the day, the new C63 is very forgiving. And with all its new telemetry, gadgets, and new technologies, it made even a newbie like me feel as if I’ve had a fair share of experience on the track, even though it was my very first one. If I had to nitpick though, it does miss out on the whole drama of a V8 engine, be it the start-up, the burbles all along, or even the pops and bangs with the aggressive downshifts. What you do find in this car though now are a total of eight drive modes, and changing to the Comfort setup certainly gave a daily driver vibe, be it the suspension, steering, or even the exhaust note.

All in all, the C63 has seen evolution from a 6.2 to a 4.0 twin-turbo, and now, to a 2.0-litre four-pot motor. With learnings from the AMG One hypercar and more, there’s no doubt that it continues to offer a bucket-load of performance, bragging rights, and some form of exclusivity too.

What further aids its cause is the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde personality, where it can do track days over the weekend and then drive you to work the next day. The C63 here truly showcases where technology and its learnings can take you. Certainly, there’s no replacement for displacement, but putting up the new C63 against the old-gen car would be an apples-to-oranges comparison. Nevertheless, given the choice, which fruit would you pick? My decision will arrive only once I’ve driven the V8 C63.

Pictures by Kaustubh Gandhi