Geneva show: AMG quenches C63’s thirst

IMPROVED fuel economy, a new sports transmission and sharper looks are the highlights of AMG’s high-performance C63 version of Mercedes-Benz’s facelifted C-class that is set to arrive in Australia in sedan and wagon forms later this year.

The latest weapon in the Benz armoury will appear in the flesh at the Geneva motor show on March 1, alongside the all-new Mercedes SLK sports car that is also on the Stuttgart launch pad.

Both of these models are due to touch down in Australia in 2011, with the C63 AMG lobbing in the third quarter, following in the wheel tracks of the standard facelifted C-class that is due mid-year.

The C63 is Mercedes-Benz Australia’s top-selling AMG model, last year accounting for half of the 1000 AMG sales in this country.

In the newest iteration, an efficient new seven-speed transmission and a low-drag power steering pump combine to snip the C63’s fuel consumption from 13.5 litres per 100km to 12.0L/100km on the combined cycle (12.5L/100 for the wagon), without harming the sledgehammer power and torque of the 6.2-litre V8 of AMG’s best-selling muscle machine that can race from standstill to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds.

Output of the naturally aspirated engine remains unchanged at 336kW of power at 6800rpm and 600Nm of torque at 5000rpm.

The new Speedshift sports transmission is a steal from the SL63 roadster, complete with wet start-off clutch instead of the previous model’s torque converter.

The transmission also offers four driving modes – C mode (controlled efficiency) uses early upshifts for fuel efficiency, while S, S+ and M modes deliver increasingly sporty shifts at higher revs.

Mercedes says gear changes in the sportiest S+ and M modes take just 100 milliseconds.

A new grille sports a single-blade bar in place of the previous twin-blade arrangement, while the designed headlights gain daytime running lights, while the previously round driving lights in the front bumper are now horizontal. The reshaped bonnet is now pressed from aluminium to save weight.

New AMG light-alloy wheels have five twin-spokes painted in a high-sheen titanium grey.

At the back, a fresh AMG rear apron features a black diffuser with three pronounced fins.

Mercedes says the suspension has been tweaked with numerous measures for improved agility, grip and ride comfort.

These include more negative camber all round, a new rear-axle anti-roll bar with a larger cross-section for higher agility and greater lateral acceleration and new spring and damper rates. The latter is said to have also cut road noise and vibration.

The speed-sensitive sports steering’s new power steering pump reduces drag on the engine to save fuel by only requiring energy when the driver is making steering movements.

Inside, the C63 AMG builds on the advances of the newly facelift C-class that was publicly revealed at January’s Detroit motor show.

Changes include a three-dimensional colour display in the middle of the redesigned speedometer, a new three-spoke AMG performance steering wheel from the CLS 63 AMG trimmed in perforated Nappa leather.

New telematics gain internet access when the car is stationary, telephone directory transfer via Bluetooth®, wireless music reproduction and a USB interface in the centre console. The sat-nav system can store three alternative routes.

Other features borrowed from other models include 11 new driving assistance systems originally introduced in the S-class and CLS.

Using radar, cameras and sensors, these advanced systems help to warn the driver of numerous threats, from wandering out of the lane to a car in the blind spot.

Hard-to-please motorists can step up to the AMG Performance package that lifts power to 358kW with a range of high-performance internal engine parts, and adds a high performance braking system with composite front discs instead of the usual iron, red brake callipers, a carbon-fibre boot spoiler and an AMG performance steering wheel.

About 30 per cent of C63 buyers worldwide last year ticked the box for this extra excitement.