Matt Brogan•16 Mar 2012
REVIEW
Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Coupe Black Series 2012 Review
In just a couple of minutes the enthusiast-oriented Black Series coupe wins favour as one of this year's best drive.Mercedes-Benz C 63 Coupe AMG Black Series??
Quick Spin
Albert Park, Victoria
Quick Spin
Albert Park, Victoria
Borrowing a few precious minutes of track time at the 2012 Festival of AMG, motoring.com.au had but one lap of Melbourne’s Albert Park Grand Prix circuit to deduce all that it could from a very special C-Class.
The only one of its kind in the country, the Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Coupe Black Series was flown in especially for the Australian round of the 2012 Formula 1 World Championship. It will eventually be joined by 31 other examples -- all of which are sold. Mercedes-Benz says it has been overwhelmed with demand for the GT3-inspired model with a dozen more deposit-paying customers queuing for cars that may never materialise.
At $245,000 a pop it’s an impressive tally.
Ironically painted in ‘Diamond White’ (a $2980 option), the C 63 AMG Coupe Black Series is the latest in a short but exclusive lineage of similarly select models. It builds on the already impressive credentials of the C 63 AMG Coupe adding more power and torque, adjustable coil-over suspension and high-performance composite (floating) disc brakes.
The guards are widened 56mm at the front and 84mm at the rear to hunker over a widened track (+40mm front / +79mm rear). The wheelarches hug menacing black alloy rims, themselves shod in semi-slick Dunlop rubber measuring 255/35 fore and 285/30 aft. From the darkness, red six piston callipers grip 390mm composite discs at the front while four-piston callipers arrest 360mm discs at the rear.
Our test model was further equipped with the optional AMG Aerodynamics Package ($16,000), AMG Track Package ($12,000) and AMG 19-inch 10-spoke black alloy wheels ($1980). Respectively, these add an enlarged front splitter, adjustable rear aerofoil, carbon fibre front flics, rear-axle cooler, semi-slick tyres, and black-painted alloys.
Besides paint colour (of which there are six to choose from – two of which attract a further $7300 charge) the only other option is to configure the car as a dedicated two seater ($NCO). In addition to scoring two form-hugging bucket seats, this option deletes the pelvis and rear airbags and the split-fold rear bench.
Beneath its arrow-shaped nose beats an uprated 6208cc “6.3-litre” V8 (M156) developing 380kW/620Nm – a 44kW/20Nm increase on the ‘regular’ C 63 AMG Coupe and 22kW hike over the C 63 AMG Coupe Performance Pack. The normally-aspirated unit borrows forged pistons, lightweight connecting rods and crankshaft familiar to the SLS AMG. Along with a model-specific ECU the C 63 AMG Coupe Black Series is capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds on its way to an electronically-limited top speed of 300km/h.
Power transmission is handled by a seven-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT. It is equipped with four modes, a RACE START (launch control) program and double-declutching function to allow cleaner down changes accompanied by a rousing throttle blip via the sports exhaust system. The pair combines with staggering effect.
PEDAL TO THE METAL TIME
Departing Merc’s makeshift pit area near Turn 12 we feed the throttle on with just enough gusto to provoke a moment’s wheelspin as the transmission grabs second gear. As the car settles we find ourselves quickly nearing the braking marker for the 90-degree Turn 13. Jumping on the picks C 63 AMG Coupe Black Series hauls rapidly to an appropriate pace, almost washing off too much speed in our anticipation of the turn. Squeezing the loud pedal for the run into the slower Turn 14 / 15 section the sparkling white coupe snarls angrily as the transmission dashes energetically up and down a couple of ratios. The quick rise and fall in tempo briefly unsettles the car as we rapidly shift direction ahead of a full throttle run down the main straight.
The howl of that soulful V8 and the growling fury of exhaust gas squeezing through the Black’s square end pipes burst off the concrete valley as the speedo momentarily cracks the double ton. We dive hard on the anchors for Turn 1 with the back-end squirreling for grip. The steering load is gracefully managed as braking stresses tear at the front hoops as we nudge the right-hander’s ripple strip.
Diving hard across the track to Turn 2, the AMG Black quickly gains velocity through a gentle but sustained right arc before quickly slowing for Turn 3 / 4. Here, Black’s wider track offers impressive tenacity as the tyres compress left and then right, howling pithily before weight is forced rearward under vigorous acceleration.
Dashing centre track through the quirky narrow ‘S’ we’re out of the shadows and into Turn 6. Then, it’s back on the gas momentarily before the seatbelt yanks on your collarbone for the slow, nearly off-camber Turn 9. Here, the rear kicks outward as we feed in plenty of opposite lock, the tyres howling desperately as we search for enough impetus to pull ourselves out of Turn 10 for one last earful of Black’s eight-cylinder choir in full voice.
Then, just like that, it’s over. We roll back into the pits, sigh heavily, and coast to a stop.
It might have only been a couple of minutes, but the C 63 AMG Coupe Black Series quickly earned a place as one of this writer’s favourite drives this year. Its immense stopping power, supreme cornering balance and unrelenting V8 fervour stir the machismo and excite the senses as only few cars can.
Now, to pull a bank job and knock someone off that waiting list…
See pics of Mercedes-Benz Festival of AMG at the 2012 Australian Grand Prix
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Mercedes-Benz
C-Class
Car Reviews
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Performance Cars
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Written byMatt Brogan
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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