2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG
No
company has done more for the cause of the high-performance small car
in recent years than Mercedes-Benz, or more specifically, the AMG
high-performance division of Mercedes-Benz. The first C-Class to carry
an AMG performance package was the six-cylinder C36 back in 1993,
followed by the C43, the company's first V8 effort, in 2000, and in
2005, the C55 V8. The new model, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, first
introduced as a sedan, uses a completely new front-end design language,
with the bar-and-star grille theme from the SLS gullwing coupe, fat
fenders with 6.3 badges, large air intakes, cat's-eye LED headlamps, and
black alloy multi-spoke wheels.
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The 2012 C63 AMG is powered by a naturally aspirated
6.2-liter V8 engine rated at 451 horsepower and 443 foot-pounds of
torque, with a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds, according to Mercedes-Benz.
For 2012, that same powertrain is available in the
coupe body, making it the most powerful C-Class coupe ever built. It
more or less replaces the previous AMG coupe, the CLK 63 AMG, in the
performance coupe lineup.
As with the E63 sedan, there is an optional AMG
package that raises engine power to 481 horsepower, raises the
electronically limited top speed form 155 to 174 mph, and lowers the
0-60 time by a tenth of a second. In either case, the transmission is a
dual-clutch 7-speed overdrive automatic with four shifting modes and a
RaceStart model selected by a rotary switch on the console.
The AMG package includes a special intake manifold
with a titanium gray cover, AMG high-performance brakes with two-piece
front rotors and red brake calipers, a carbon-fiber decklid spoiler, and
an AMG performance steering wheel slathered in leather and Alcantara.
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The chassis under the C63 AMG coupe includes
235/40R18 front and 155/35R18 rear tires, quick-ratio power steering, a
special three-link front suspension, a reinforced multi-link rear
suspension, larger front and rear stabilizer bars, and AMG
high-performance brakes. The Electronic Stability Program has
driver-selectable On, Sport and Off modes for racetrack sessions.
The 2012 C63 interior features an AMG sports
steering wheel that has been flattened on the top and bottom to afford
more driving room and better sightlines to the instruments during
spirited driving, special grip areas, and shifter paddles. The AMG
instrument panel is painted in piano black lacquer and the dashboard and
doors feature aluminum, optional wood or carbon-fiber trims. The
AMG-badged sports seats are covered in a new material called Dinamica, a
man-made fabric that breathes, with MB-Tex side bolsters and horizontal
stitching for coolness.
The sound system in the C63 is built for pleasant
long-distance cruising, an HD radio with AM, FM, weather band, Sirius
satellite, a single-CD changer, MP3, an iPod and MP3 media interface, an
in-dash memory card reader, an AUX input and USB port, and Bluetooth,
all playing through a 12-speaker Harman/Kardon Logic 7 surround sound
system, displayed on a 5.8-inch control screen. There will be four
option packages and 11 stand-alone options offered. Pricing for the C63
has not been announced. We're guessing it will retail for about $60,000.
The C63 is expected to be in Mercedes-Benz dealerships this spring.
800-637-6372
www.mbusa.com
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