#TDOTD Test Drive of the Day: 6 things you should know about the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe

1. It looks too understated for its performance.

Or maybe it’s too fast for its discreet styling. Either way, there’s almost no warning for hapless Italian exotic car drivers who might not notice that a disguised supercar is lurking right beside them. There’s no big wing, gaping vents or intakes, or huge fender flares in sight. (The trunk spoiler, quad pipes, big brakes with AMG lettering, and chrome “AMG” and “6.3”emblems are the only visual cues, but they’re still very understated.) Woe also to the loud and brash tuner cars who will most certainly eat the dust of this ultra-fast German Q ship. (Exactly how fast? Go to No. 2.)

2. It’s wickedly fast.

Mercedes’s C63 AMG generates a stunning 457 hp at 6,800 rpm and a whopping 600 Nm of torque at 5,000 rpm from 6.3 liters of all-aluminum V8. That overachieving power plant is mated to AMG’s SpeedShift MCT 7G-Tronic 7-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. This powertrain is enough to propel the C63 AMG to 100 km/h from a standstill in a mere 4.4 seconds and hurl it through the atmosphere at an electronically limited 250 km/h (280 km/h with the AMG Driver’s Package). Told you it’s fast.

3. It’s as sporty and flashy inside as it is subtle on the outside.

The stately silver finish of my test car contrasted sharply with its racy red-and-black interior treatment. The deep and heavily bolstered front bucket seats, the rear seats, and the door panels all have the same consistent red accents on black. Even the aluminum pedals have little rubber nubs like those found on the soles of driving loafers. Very sporty and very sexy. 

4. It only seats four.

The C63 Coupe is based on the C-class sedan. But the interior similarities end at the front seats. The back seats are also deeply bolstered and perfect for keeping two persons secure even during hard cornering. A third person sitting in the middle of the back seat will have to sit on a hard plastic shelf (with cupholders) with legs severely splayed to accommodate the huge transmission hump on the center of the floor. As a 2+2, the C63 is still much better than, say, a Porsche 911 or even a Toyota 86.

5. Its engine note is pure ear candy.

It starts when you hit the Engine Start button. The computer blips the throttle so the engine snaps to life with a 3000-rpm roar—much like those Italian exotics. The big V8 emits a basso profundo of Wagnerian proportions. Sure you might seem like an attention-seeking narcissist, but the cognoscenti will approve. And at full throttle? Pure eargasm.

6. It gives surprisingly good value for money.

Sure you may get the same horsepower from a Ford Mustang, which costs half as much. But the C63 AMG still costs half as much than even the lowest priced Italian exotics—most of which are probably quicker than this blitzen Benz to 100 km/h by what, 0.3 or 0.4 second? There’s pretty much no public road in this country where that difference will matter. And even on a race track, a capable driver in a C63 can harry a supercar—while expending less effort and enjoying vastly better comfort. Now that’s priceless.