OUR neighbor Mrs Parkinson had a particularly psychotic dog that see-sawed within seconds between a whirwind of frenetic, threatening activity and unconsciousness.

The dog was fanatically territorial and roamed free in the precise boundary of Mrs Parkinson’s front yard, so as children, we were acutely aware that traversing the lawn would enrage the dog and bring immense pain – possibly death – to the trespasser.

So we knew the limits of the dog and ourselves. The limits of the Mercedes-AMG C63 S, however, are similarly as polarising but not as clearly defined.

Know this animal and you’d believe that the replacement of the previously rebellious 6.2-litre V8 with a 4.0-litre engine would tame the animal in the Benz. It’s a mistake to believe, however, that the substantial downsizing has blunted the C63’s teeth.

This can be as unpredictable as Mrs Parkinson’s dog and can drift from benign to scary. It’s all about knowing the limits.

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