The Mercedes-AMG C 63 is extra-special to me. And that’s because over a decade ago, the C 63 AMG was the first time I experienced the stomach-churning performance of an AMG with a naturally aspirated V8 engine under its hood. It felt manic, with just under 500 horses going to its rear wheels, and enough torque to smoke the rear tyres at will. And that’s besides the thunderous roar from the exhausts, which sounded like the almighty was clearing his throat! It was my first taste of a red-blooded AMG crafted by the boffins at Affalterbach to please the hairy-chested lot of automotive enthusiasts.
Fast forward to the year that’s gone by in a blur, and clearly, Mercedes-Benz had saved the best of its launches for 2024 as its last one. We’re talking the latest version of the C 63, with a rather long name now – the C 63 S E Performance. It’s a radical departure and poles apart from the one I drove a decade ago, with half the number of cylinders. Purists had jumped out of their chairs when it broke cover, stating that a C 63 with a four-cylinder engine is sacrilege, and of course, I was curious. We were to drive the car at the Buddh International Circuit though, an ode of sorts to the F1-inspired technology under its skin.
The fact that the new C 63 has ‘only’ four cylinders under its hood was hard to shake off, as downsizing isn’t something you’d expect on an iconic nameplate like it. The technology it packs in and the shockingly good outputs help the C 63 S E Performance look promising though. We drove the exclusive, ‘F1 edition’ which amplifies its desirability quotient with its decals, red accents, 20-inch alloys and of course, the trademark Panamericana grille and front bumper with massive air intakes, besides a functional air scoop on the hood. AMG is writ large on the sides and the lower part of the body work is blacked out, contrasting nicely with the car’s grey hue.
Front fenders sport faux air inlets and ‘Turbo E-Performance’ badges. Quad exhausts, a boot lip spoiler and C 63 badge with a redline outline add to exclusivity at the rear. Inside, the dashboard looks sporty with lots of carbon fibre bits and sports seats at the front. What’s also worth noting is that despite being a full-blooded performance sedan the C 63 does not compromise practicality. Seats are comfortable, there’s space for four adults and ample storage spaces too. The only tradeoff is the smaller, 280-litre boot, as the battery pack for the hybrid system sits under the boot.
Let’s get to the heart of the matter, which is the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. Easy to frown at since this isn’t even close to the V8s the C 63 has used in the past, but we’re talking about the world’s most powerful four-cylinder engine here. It uses the same F1-derived technology as the C 43 in terms of the electric exhaust gas turbocharger. Essentially, a tiny electric motor spools the turbocharger before exhaust gases reach it, eliminating lag and maximising performance. The turbocharger is larger than the C 43’s though and helps the 2.0-litre engine put out a higher 476PS and 545Nm. These are extremely impressive numbers, though the biggest highlight is the plug-in hybrid system.
A 6.1kW battery pack juices an electric motor that sits on the rear axle and produces 204PS and 320Nm, and gets a 2-speed gearbox. Combined outputs for the engine and motor are a staggering 680PS and 1,020Nm. For perspective, that’s just 20PS less than the 700PS produced by the naturally aspirated V12 engine that powered the Lamborghini Aventador! On the flip side, the plug-in hybrid system has added 300kg, and should you ask, there’s a charging port as well that supports charging at speeds of up to 3.5kW, but the EV-only range is 13km. Not numbers that will interest, because outright performance is what the C 63 S E Performance is all about. And the Buddh International Circuit allowed me to go pedal to the metal. The C 63 leaps forward angrily when given the beans and burying the throttle into the floor is addictive, smile inducing and stomach churning at the same time!
The engine revs up to 7,000rpm and this C 63 seemed to more than make up for having half the number of cylinders as its predecessors on track. There’s serious thrust out of corners and the car is easy to fall in love with as a track tool. Performance is effortless, while the 9-speed dual clutch gearbox does a brilliant job, offering shifts that are perfectly in sync with the performance. And to address the elephant in the room, despite ‘just’ four cylinders, this C 63 also sounds good, and you also get some of the exhaust note in the cabin via the speakers. What’s also shockingly good despite the 2.1-tonne weight is its handling. It’s almost hard to believe how well behaved the C 63 is, despite its weight – the suspension and rear-axle steering have a lion’s share in making it feel like a ‘point and shoot’ tool around corners, while also masking the car’s heft well. Brakes work well too, but you do feel the heft when throwing the anchors.
Oh, and there’s drift mode as well, which sends all the torque to the rear wheels, helping you make light of going sideways. This is besides a plethora of customisation options for the driving modes, adaptive suspension, brake energy regeneration and more. I only wish I had more time on track.
In a nutshell, the C 63 S E Performance is an engineering marvel and a near-direct adaption of Mercedes-AMG’s Formula 1 prowess. It will stun you with its performance and dynamics, while not ditching practicality in the quest for superlative performance. It’s the pinnacle of what the C 63 nameplate can offer but there’s no denying, emotions from the previous iterations are somewhat missing. Then there’s the price tag of Rs 1.95 crores ex-showroom, which is steep. However, if you intend on getting one, rest assured that there’s nothing else like the C 63 S E Performance on sale.
