It makes sense that Mercedes would give the C63 AMG a firm ride in order to enhance its performance on the track, but the BMW M3 - one of its prime competitors - shows you don’t have to sacrifice comfort to the extent that the C63 AMG does in order to turn in an impressive performance on the track. On the worn roads of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs, the C63 AMG’s extra-firm ride isn’t enjoyable, as you’re constantly tossed around with every road heave or pothole. Of its contemporaries, the C63 AMG’s suspension tuning is among the firmest the only model that rivals it is the Audi RS 4, which has a downright bone-jarring ride on rutted roads. There’s a kind of seriousness to the C63 AMG’s look that would make a Secret Service agent proud (see a side-by-side comparison with the C350 Sport). A couple of the more noticeable ones include twin bumps running the length of the hood, front fender flares, 18-inch alloy wheels, quad tailpipes finished in chrome, and a few extra badges. Like performance models from BMW and Audi, the C63 AMG receives a number of exterior changes that distinguish it from lesser C-Class trims without diminishing its level of sophistication. If you’ve stumbled upon this review looking for more information on the regular C-Class, I reviewed that car last year when it was redesigned. Think of this 6.2-liter V-8 sedan as a German interpretation of an American muscle car. The C63 AMG makes a significant break from its German and Japanese competitors by using a time-tested American technique for delivering big horsepower: stuff a big engine under the hood. Then there’s the latest high-powered version of Mercedes-Benz’s C-Class: the 451-horsepower C63 AMG, an incredibly powerful, extremely firm-riding version of the entry-level luxury sedan. If you have about $60,000 to spend, the array of choices available to you is wide, including well-known models like the BMW M3 and newcomers like the Lexus IS-F. Mercedes won't make a lot of money on the Blue Efficiency option, but it might help to avoid proposed fines by the European Union for gas-guzzling vehicles.It’s hard to think of a better time to be a luxury performance-sedan enthusiast. Horsepower remains at 154, while mileage improves from 31.8 mpg to 36.2 mpg.ĭaimler board member for R&D Thomas Weber has said the Blue Efficiency models would cost about €400 ($608) more than the base models. The gasoline-powered C180 Kompressor Blue Efficiency gets the same aerodynamic changes, and furthermore, the 1.8-liter engine is replaced by a 1.6-liter unit. The coefficient of drag drops from 0.27 to 0.25, and this C200 also gets a taller final-drive ratio. The diesel-powered 134-hp C200 CDI Blue Efficiency gets no engine changes, yet mileage improves from 41.2 mpg to 46.1 mpg due to a reduction in drag by optimizing the air openings and gaps. Marginal improvements are made through the use of low-resistance tires, a lighter windshield, lighter wheels, and a power-steering system that cuts off hydraulic assistance when it isn't needed. Acceleration from 0 to 62 mph takes a claimed 6.2 seconds, down from 6.4, and top speed continues to be limited to 155 mph. The costly technology requires a special NOx-reducing catalyst, but there are clear benefits: Mileage improves from 24.2 mpg to 27.0 mpg on the European cycle. ![]() This engine is already on sale in the European-market CLS350 CGI, but has not yet been made available in the U.S. ![]() The most powerful model is the C350 CGI, with a 288-hp gasoline direct-injection 3.5-liter V-6 that is expected to replace the current 268-hp unit, which does without direct-injection technology, at the end of the year. At the Geneva auto show, Mercedes-Benz is showing three miserly nonhybrid versions of the C-class, all of which will be launched in Europe during the course of 2008.ĭubbed “Blue Efficiency,” these models showcase several approaches to fuel saving. Who says you have to give up the three-pointed star to reach hybridlike fuel consumption? In fact, you may not even need that heavy and costly battery pack.
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