The C 63 AMG can be considered the roadgoing counterpart of the AMG C-Class which races in the German DTM Series.

Thanks to its V8 unit which produces 457 hp, the C 63 AMG comes very close to the about 470 horsepower delivered by the AMG C-Class racing version.

The main performance figures are a 0-100 km/h acceleration in 4.5 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h.

Technical highlights include a speed-sensitive steering system, a seven speeds automatic transimission with wheel shift paddles and three driving modes and an all-new three-link front axle suspension design.

It will go on sale in early 2008.

Design

The impressive appearance of the C 63 AMG is accented by its wide, road-hugging stance.

The front end is dominated by the new bonnet with its two pronounced power domes, as well as the trademark AMG radiator grille with a central star and two louvres with chrome inserts.

The honeycomb pattern of the grille is also reflected in the large air dams of the new, athletically contoured front apron which forms part of the AMG-specific bodystyling.

The fog lamps with chrome surrounds are spaced well apart, acting together with the flared front wheel arches to accentuate the width of the car – with the striking transition from the front apron to the wings leaving a particularly strong impression. The side air vents in the front apron serve to expel the hot air from the oil coolers.

If the C 63 AMG is specified with the optional bi-xenon headlamps or the Intelligent Light System, the headlamps are also dark-tinted.

Eye-catching features when viewed from the side include the 18-inch AMG light-alloy wheels, the harmoniously integrated "6.3 AMG" lettering on the front wing and the AMG side skirts.

At the rear the standard LED rear lights, the AMG rear apron with its black diffuser insert and three pronounced diffuser fins, as well as the AMG sports exhaust system with two chrome twin tailpipes, provide further visual highlights that are hallmarks of the brand.

The AMG spoiler lip on the boot lid reduces lift and ensures greater handling stability at high speeds.

Interior

The interior has special AMG sports seats with integral head restraints for the first time.

The seats feature a new design with cross-piping and AMG lettering, and an adaptive backrest with adjustments for the side bolsters and lumbar support.

The standard upholstery in ARTICO man-made leather/AMG fabric is available in a choice of black or reef grey – or as an option the interior can be further enhanced with particularly high-grade leather in black, reef grey or black/sahara beige.

Development Process

The conceptual phase of the Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG started in 2004 with the feasibility study known as packaging.

The new C 63 AMG was first constructed as a digital model, the engine, cooling system, fuel system, drive train and axles being "married" with the bodyshell to examine buildability.

In spring 2005 the first 1:4-scale design models were produced on the basis of drawings and computer images, and in addition the first testing & development vehicles were already built on the basis of the preceding C 55 AMG. This made it possible to test major assemblies such as the drive train, brakes and axles.

Racetrack tests were accompanied by extensive aerodynamic tests on the bodyshell of the C 63 AMG, and it was only then that the final design was approved.

Following approval of the concept in the autumn of 2005, the first fully-fledged prototypes of the C 63 AMG were built. At the same time the high-performance saloon was also produced as a digital prototype.

Computer simulations made it possible for the "real" development prototypes to exhibit a very high level of maturity during the first rollout. These simulations included the most important vehicle functions, such as handling dynamics, the engine and drive train, bodyshell durability, suspension performance, passive safety, the engine’s thermal characteristics and performance/fuel consumption.

The test programme began in summer 2005. Over the next couple of years around 20 vehicles were dispatched all over the world from Mercedes-AMG GmbH in Affalterbach, to be subjected to strenuous tests in every climatic zone.

In addition various endurance trials are run, with the aim of simulating the vehicle’s entire lifecycle under the most severe conditions.

Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG - Key figures

*Electronically limited

(Source: Mercedes-Benz)