In Sport and Sport+, the car’s character becomes more pronounced. The handling grows more precise, the engine note gets more aggressive, and the blips on downshifts become more dramatic. Every so often, you even hear a “bup-bup” pop from the exhaust.
The suspension firms up, and the handling becomes more accurate, with less of that sense of delay between your inputs and the car’s response. Even so, its character differs from that of sports cars from other brands: it still has the slightly understeering feel typical of a Mercedes. It doesn’t turn with the razor-sharp response of a car that darts into corners.
As with other Mercedes models, the car seems to put stability first, then build driving enjoyment on top of it. We didn’t try Race mode this time, but perhaps the car would feel even sharper in that setting or with the traction control adjusted.
There’s plenty of torque from the engine. I didn’t push the accelerator very hard, but the owner told us that even during ordinary acceleration, the tires will try to spin if you press down deeply. That’s probably partly because the car is relatively compact and rear-wheel drive. Given the car’s character, I suspect Mercedes also tuned it this way deliberately, to make it more fun to drive.
The engine isn’t ear-splittingly loud, but it does sound pretty aggressive. At low and mid revs, it has the rumble you’d expect from a V8; higher up, that unexpectedly turns into a smooth, even-sounding note. Personally, I like the sound at higher revs.
That said, the owner told us he wasn’t entirely satisfied with the sound. He also owns a 718 Boxster GTS, and compared with that lovely sound with the top down, the C63 S feels too quiet and a little underwhelming.
After driving the C63 S, I headed home in our Panamera Turbo. Getting straight back into it made one thing clear: the Panamera feels more luxurious. The difference is especially noticeable in the ride: the Panamera’s suspension, which I’d thought was firm, felt remarkably supple by comparison.
On the other hand, the Panamera gives you less of a sense of where the body’s corners are, or of exactly what the car is doing beneath you. It handles corners well, but the C63 S made it easier to sense the car’s attitude and understand what the body was doing.
I suspect the C63 S’s solid feel is a deliberate part of its design, helping the driver stay in tune with the car—especially when using its compact body and immense torque to power-slide on a circuit.
If I had to sum up the C63 S in one phrase, I’d call it a “mischievous Mercedes.” Even compared with the S 63, this AMG has a clearly sportier, more entertaining character. It’s for someone who wants a compact car with enough power to leave larger, more expensive models behind, but who isn’t as focused on the thrill of handling as someone choosing a BMW M model.
Still, I think the best way to enjoy this car isn’t to chase lap times on a circuit, but to use its power to drift and slide. It feels like a car with the power, body, and chassis to make that kind of fun accessible.
My husband gets to drive friends’ cars from time to time, and I can usually tell from his excitement and the way he talks about them whether he’s really taken with a car or whether it wasn’t quite his cup of tea.
He clearly thought the AMG C63 S was a good car. But when I asked, he said, “I think I prefer my Mercedes a little more relaxed. But for someone who likes this kind of muscle car, it’d be absolutely perfect.”
Whenever the subject turns to Mercedes, he often says, “I want to own an SL.” I suppose that tells you what kind of Mercedes he likes.
Still, I’m grateful that we get to experience so many wonderful cars. Thank you, everyone!
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