End of an era for Mercedes C63 AMG
The car established its notoriety in Australia as the wheels of choice for a wide variety of headliners ranging from Formula 1 executives and drivers to celebrities, goons and gangsters.
Even Lewis Hamilton couldn’t help himself driving a C 63 – the F1 champion was caught by Victoria police running out near Albert Park during the Australian Grand Prix 2010.
Combining an extremely powerful and noisy V8 engine with the relatively compact body of a Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the C 63 was a smash hit in Australia and beyond.
Production of sedan versions has been shut down as the brand switches to a greener, quieter – but faster and more powerful – model with a four-cylinder hybrid engine.
It’s too late to order a V8-powered C63 sedan.
But customers can buy an old-school Mercedes-AMG C 63 Final Edition coupe or convertible this year, after it was confirmed that a “limited number” of cars are coming to Australia.
Power comes from the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that has produced 375kW and 700Nm since the engine was launched in 2015.
A favorite of road testers, the C63’s bass-rich exhaust note complements its effortless thrust.
As we noted in 2019, “it can rumble effortlessly in the background while cruising around town, or wedge you into the seat while filling the cabin with an intoxicating roar.”
The Final Edition brings a handful of tasty upgrades, including carbon-ceramic brakes, two-tone cross-spoke alloy wheels, matte gray paint and eye-catching side decals.
A black leather-trimmed interior with yellow stitching and matte carbon fiber stripes adds to its appeal.
The package adds $28,400 to the price of a C63 coupe, a car that already costs $190,000 plus options and road charges.
Although the next-gen C63 lacks the rock-and-roll soundtrack of its V8 predecessor, there’s no doubt that the new car is noticeably faster.
Our European correspondent John Carey sampled the C63 hybrid on the track in 2022 and came away impressed with its blend of ferocity and refinement.
Capable of sending 500kW and 1020 to all four wheels, he found the new model proves that “four plus volt turbo is the technology to trump the V8” and that “there is no way sooner , the V8-powered C 63 will follow.”
And Mercedes-AMG will continue to offer V8 models in the future, including the soon-to-be-launched SL convertible, the four-door GT hybrid V8 sedan and a successor to the two-door Mercedes-AMG GT coupe and convertible.
