Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe Black Series

21 November 2011

Hardcore version of C63 AMG Coupe
Gets race-spec suspension
Price £100,000(est)

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What is it? The C63 Black Series is an even more focused version of Mercedes hardcore C63 AMG Coupe. As much at home lapping a racetrack as it is on a demanding back road, it’s a truly exhilarating, bellowing beast of a machine.

What’s it like to drive? Firm, very firm.

The Black comes fitted with race-specification suspension, which can be adjusted to all-but-eliminate body roll, so you can imagine the effect that has on the car’s comfort.

Still, you’ll quickly forgive the bone-shaking severity of the ride the first time you hook into a twisting back road and experience the G forces generated by the Black’s immense grip.

A 6.2-litre V8 engine with a maximum output of 510 bhp the car’s slimmed down kerb weight (you don’t even get rear seats)means it’ll blast past 62mph in a shade over four seconds.

Really though, it’s the fact that the car accelerates strongly at all revs, with no flat spots, that’ll ring your bell.

So intense is the speed at which the engine picks up revs, you need quicksilver fingers ready to snap the next up-change from the seven-speed paddleshift, or before you know it, the engine will have crashed into the rev limiter.

What’s it like inside? The cabin is decked out with black trim, and red highlights adorn the bespoke AMG sports seats. There’s also a race-inspired flat-bottomed AMG steering wheel and you get telemetry-recording software, which is operated through the central control panel. Other than that, it’s pretty similar to a standard C-Class Coupe.

Outside is a different story.

The Black comes with wider axles and much bigger brakes, so Mercedes has had to fit deep bumpers with massive air-vents and oversized wings, complete with their owns meshed vents to provide extra cooling for the brakes. With the suspension set so low, there’s very little daylight between the body and the 19-inch AMG alloys, while the bulbous rear diffuser and fat twin exhausts mark the Black out as a very special C-Class Coupe indeed.

Should I buy one? If you do you’ll become a member of a very exclusive club, because only a handful of cars will find their way to the UK.

That, plus the devastating handling and performance, make the Black a very tempting proposition.

Just be aware though that because of the ‘take no prisoners’ nature of the suspension, this is car far more at home on the racetrack than battered city streets.

Rivals
Jaguar XKR-S
Maserati Grand Turismo MC Stradale

What Car? says…

Peter.tullin@whatcar.com