Fast and fabulous Merc C63 AMG
By: Henrie Geyser
I have been to heaven and back and it just took a few breathtaking minutes in a brutally fast car driven by the man who regularly shepherds a whole field of Formula One racing cars around the famous race tracks of the world.
The fact that I had to travel all the way to Welkom in the Free State for my once-in-a-life-time celestial experience was really no hardship at all.
For Welkom is home to the Phakisa race track and that's where Bernd Maylander thundered me around the 4.2km circuit strapped into a race-prepared Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.
And for those of you who might not know, Bernd has been a regular winner of the fiercely contested German Touring Car Masters (DTM) and the man at the wheel of the Official Safety Car at Formula One races for a number of years.
To drive a safety car in front of a swarm of very fast F1 racing cars means that you have to keep them circulating as fast as you can, otherwise their engines heat up, their brakes cool off and they start losing grip.
That means that you have to go fast. As fast as you can.
And believe me, Bernd can go fast.
It literally took only a few minutes from the time I was wedged into the roll-over protection “cage” of a mean-looking black C63 AMG, bolted down with a three-point safety harness and the strap of my racing helmet jerked tight until we pulled back into the pits three very hot laps later.
What a trip that was. Three fast straights, four sweeping bends, eight gut-wrenching, rubber-burning corners and the thunder of a massive V8 engine filling the cockpit as Herr Maylander rapidly orchestrated the pedals, gears and steering wheel as the world blurred by.
What a fabulous way to introduce the latest addition to the revered and much desired Mercedes-Benz AMG stable - the new C63 AMG.
Although not quite as wild as the hot black monster driven by Bernd and specially flown in from Germany for the occasion, the standard C63 AMG has got more than enough muscle to satisfy even the most enthusiastic of drivers.
For all practical purposes, it's the road-going version of the race car, for shoe-horned in under its wide bonnet growls a huge chunk of 6.3-litre V8 metal that rockets out 336kW (that's about 660 very healthy horses!) and 600 Nm of torque.
Little wonder it scorches the 0-100km/h stretch in just 4.5 seconds.
Because performance is what AMG is all about, its full arsenal includes a 7G-TRONIC AMG speedshift transmission with three drive programmes ("S" - Sport, "C" - Comfort, and "M" - Manual, that differ in their shift characteristics and speed: gearshifts in "S" mode are around 30% faster than in "C" and no less than around 50% faster in "M" mode), shift paddles on the steering-wheel, a race track tested front axle, speed-sensitive steering, three stage sports suspension, high-performance brake system with large-dimensioned internally ventilated and perforated disc brakes all-round, and a beautifully balanced body with 49% - 51% weight distribution.
A unique feature of the new AMG is an automatic throttle-blipping function during downshifts. It not only sounds great when braking for bends but it also cuts out jolting downshifting.
Huge air scoops up front, "6.3 AMG" lettering on the front wing, LED rear lights, the AMG rear apron with its black diffuser insert and three pronounced diffuser fins, 18-inch light alloys, a low, wide dynamic body, flared wheel arches, the AMG spoiler lip on the boot lid and double-barrel twin chrome exhausts broadcast the car's ability even before you hear the goose-flesh roar of its healthy, free-revving V8.
And the living quarters are as exciting as the outside, with distinctive full leather racing seats, an AMG performance steering wheel with a flattened lower section and a tubular-design instrument cluster.
This roaring flagship of Merc's internationally popular C-Class is as good to look at as it is to drive.
In addition to two long stretches of bumpy and busy public road driving, I drove 22 laps at Phakisa in the latest C63 AMG and after that I will need a hell of a lot of convincing that there is a better car on the road in South Africa with a price tag of R700,000.
When it comes to driving thrills, handling, all-round performance, exciting looks, comfort, practicality, safety, and a classy aura of exclusivity, this latest AMG is way ahead of the rest of the field.
AMG's are all about power, speed, superb handling and raw emotion, which is why they have always been so popular in this country. In fact, South Africa is the fourth biggest market in the world for these boutique Mercs.
In addition to its already full-house of specifications buyers have a choice of a number of optional extras to make their cars even more special, including a R52,000 sports package.
The AMG 63's price includes a Mobilo Drive maintenance plan and a two-year unlimited mileage guarantee.
In addition to this model a number of other AMG models are coming to South Africa in the course of this year, including the C63, SL63, CLS63, SLK63 and ML63.
Footnote: All AMG's are built at Affalterbach in Germany. The company's philosophy is “one man, one engine” and the individual engine builders' names are stuck on each engine they complete. This year AMG celebrated its 40th anniversary.Some more C63 AMG features at a glance:Adaptive brake light
Airbags for the driver and front passenger
Aluminium trim panels on dome, doors and centre console
Acceleration skid control (ASR)
Armrest with roller-top compartment
AMG velour floor mats
Electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors
Outside temperature display
Brake Assist
Adaptive brake system with hill-start assist
COMAND APS, incl. hard disc navigation, LINGUATRONIC voice control and music server, on request also with 6-DVD changer
Child seat recognition in the front passenger seat
Nappa leather upholstery
Through-loading facility and armrest with double cup holder, load securing and 1/3:2/3 split-fold rear seat backrest (sedan)
3-stage ESP®
Headlamp Assist
Power windows
Belt tensioners and belt force limiters for the front and outer rear seats
Air-conditioned glove compartment
Black roof liner
ISOFIX child seat attachment points in the rear
Map pocket on the rear of the driver's seat backrest
THERMOTRONIC comfortable automatic climate control system with three-zone air conditioning
Steering column adjustable for height and reach
Lighting package
Front fog lamps
Surround-sound system
Tyre pressure loss warning system
ELCODE locking system with infrared/radio remote control
PRE-SAFE®
Sidebag for driver and front passenger
Bag hooks in the boot/luggage compartment
Cruise control with SPEEDTRONIC variable speed limiter
Front seats electrically adjustable for height and backrest angle
Leather selector lever
Tinted glass
Electric tilting/sliding glass sunroof
Electrically adjustable front seats with memory function
Windowbags
Central locking with crash sensor
Bi-xenon headlamps with cornering light function and headlamp cleaning
system.
More by Henrie Geyser
More...ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Henrie Geyser has worked as a journalist in Cape Town, London and Windhoek for the Argus Company (now Independent Newspapers) and spent 12 years at The Cape Argus in Cape Town. He then owned and ran a public relations consultancy for 13 years. He joined the online publishing industry through iafrica.com, where he worked for five years as News Editor and Editor. He now freelances for a variety of print and online publications, on the subjects of cars, food and travel, among others; and is a member of the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists.
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