Affalterbach, Germany, July 4, 2007 – Just in time for road weary Americans looking to celebrate bursting rockets on this Fourth of July, Mercedes-Benz has announced that it's introducing a road-going sister model to its AMG C-Class German Touring Car racers -- the new C63 AMG that should light up the road when it arrives in the US next Spring.
The excitement of motor racing will hit the streets when AMG delivers this car powered by a 6.3-litre V8 engine developing 451-hp and maximum torque of 443 lb-ft. that will propel the C63 AMG from zero to 62 mph in 4.5 seconds. While its top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph this should be enough thrust for anyone to be excited by this “rockets red glare.”
Keeping all this power on the road is an all-new front axle, speed-sensitive AMG sports steering and a new, 3-stage ESP, the AMG sports suspension that’s designed to ensure both outstanding driving enjoyment and handling dynamics. Its combination of AMG design elements, a sporty interior and the ability to use this powerhouse for everyday chores should make the C63 AMG an attractive choice for those in the market for a “practical” high-performance car. The C63 AMG will land at U.S. dealerships in spring 2008.
The C63 AMG, Mercedes-AMG GmbH is one way the company is marking the 40th birthday of the high performance company within a company. This new V8 model is now the fifth generation of the AMG C-Class, whose family tree goes back to the C36 AMG of 1993 – the very first vehicle developed as a cooperative venture between Daimler-Benz and AMG.
The C63 AMG has all the performance brand’s styling earmarks that one would expect including its wide, road-hugging stance. A new hood with prominent power domes conceals the independently developed AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine, which develops an impressive 451-hp at 6800 rpm from a displacement of 6208 cubic centimeters. The C63 AMG comes very close to the roughly 464 horsepower found under the hood of the AMG C-Class racing touring car that competes in the DTM series. This high output is in line with those that believe it’s always about the power-to-weight ratio, which for this vehicle is a very favorable 3.6 kg/hp.
The horsepower combined with the torque should provide powerful acceleration in all engine speed ranges. Just to let you know what’s working under the hood they’ve made sure that the V8s thoroughbred racing technology produces a distinctive designer exhaust note. Who needs a stereo when you can turn up the real music every time you accelerate?
This high-performance eight-cylinder engine is partnered with the AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS 7G-TRONIC transmission. The steering wheel shift paddles and three driving modes give the seven-speed automatic transmission the ability to provide a sporty or more comfort-oriented style of driving according to the driver’s preference. The different modes - "S" (Sport), " C" (Comfort) and "M" (Manual) differ in their shift characteristics and speed: gearshifts in "S" mode are around 30 percent faster than in "C", and no less than around 50 percent faster in "M" mode. Pressing a button activates the desired driving program.
A unique feature is an automatic throttle-blipping function that employs during downshifts. This is designed to give drivers an almost completely jolt-free downshifting process and has been proven to be particularly useful when braking before bends on the racetrack. Good to know if you want to tackle the Nurburgring in your new car.
A redesigned front axle with 35-millimeter wider track is there to enhance handling dynamics along with AMG sports suspension. The stiff springs and gas-pressure shock absorbers keep the tires on the road and minimizes body roll when negotiating serpentine bends at speed.
The multi-link independent rear suspension has also been thoroughly re-engineered, with a twelve-millimeter wider track and more camber leading to improved cornering performance. Reinforced drive shafts and drive joints increase fatigue strength and round off the improvements to the rear suspension of the C63 AMG.
C63 AMG is fitted with 18-inch AMG light-alloy wheels or a19-inch wheel/tire combination on request. Behind the spokes is the stopping power from the AMG high-performance braking system with internally ventilated and perforated disc brakess with high fade-resistance. There’s a 3-stage The Electronic Stability Program ESP with Sport function as a new feature in the C63 AMG designed to counter oversteer or understeer. It also enables an accompanying reduction in engine torque, that allows a higher threshold for allowing corresponding drift angles – which means that the driver of the C63 AMG has more freedom to drive in a manner they see fit. ESP is restored to its normal function as soon as the brake pedal is operated.
Prolonged pressure on the ESP key activates "ESP OFF". There is no intervention to control the handling dynamics, and no reduction in engine torque – thus increasing driving enjoyment even further. The manufacturers cautions that , "ESP OFF should only be used by experienced drivers on dedicated racetracks.” In this mode operating the brake pedal restores all the normal functions of ESP.
The system’s traction logic is active in all three ESP modes. If one of the drive wheels threatens to spin, specific brake pressure is applied to create the effect of a mechanical differential lock. This means that the engine power is optimally transferred to the road.
It is not only in technological but also in visual terms that the new C63 AMG is more distinctively different from the standard C-Class than ever before and this decidedly sporty theme continues in the interior, which now has special AMG sports seats with integral head restraints for the first time.
Providing the distinctive exterior design, sporty interior, the sports suspension, handling dynamics, horsepower and enhanced torque wasn’t done without thinking about long-distance comfort that is expected in every Mercedes. You just may get there a lot faster and make some noise while you’re at. Have a happy Fourth of July dreaming about this rocket.
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