Brabus C55

based on AMG Challenge experience... the C63 is pretty f'ing good.

It's not just the motor ... the chassis, steering and brakes are pretty damn good (not to ignore the awesome exhaust note). Never got to wring out the 7 speed at high speed (only "low" speed courses).

Thanks to Pirelli for all the seriously smoked rubber!

c32used

Did you drive it?

FrankW

it better be damn good after 7 years and two generations of w203 AMGs.

I just hate how when Top Gear and Fifth Gear both tested the car the thing would just understeer and really doesn't look like a car that would handle very well.

MRAMG1

Amen brother, those guys seemed to almost make the car push, as opposed to driving it correctly. Heck even my C32 with good rubber was far more neutral than what they were showing.

See yeah

c32AMG-DTM

AMG Challenge events let you drive most (if not all) of the current crop of AMG's on the track - so, unless Brabus C55 heard about this second-hand (which doesn't seem to be the case), the answer to your question should be "yes"

Brabus C55

One general comment, we got to drive AMG cars w/ no concern for tires, brakes or fuel, let alone the car, on a closed course.

I would be more impressed w/ my existing car if I could drive it under the same circumstances. That I'm very sure of.

Still........

Rather than cleverly paste in all the comments above...

Yes I drove the C63 (& the new SL63, E63, CLS63 & SLK55 ... very nice cars for sure)

The C63 seat time was limited to the "autocross" course & a sick skid control left hander that was supposed to be a wet course (w/ Jeff Andretti in the passenger seat .. nice guy). We did it dry & it resulted in serious opposite lock 20 foot high x 50+ feet long piles of smoking fun (when done CORRECTLY). Hope you guys in the blue and green groups got a chance to hit it dry!

The steering feel on the C63 is NOT comparable to my C55 ... it's better ... period. I no longer want to depreciation my car.

Never saw any TV spots on the C63 except for the tire smoking commercial & the hour long test drive w/ TK. If all you can get outta the C63 (or a C55) is a push, you need to learn to f'ing drive.

The turn in is very good, but under "all out" handling conditions, you do need to set the nose of the car ... just like any other V-8 w/ good traction & relatively "lite" weight. Simply turning the wheel, smashing the gas & expecting the front tires to save your lame a$$ won't happen. Go drive an under powered car & be amazed at how much less understeer it has.

Anyway, it was good day & a very long night ... peace!

PS. begin rant [ I'm sick of some of these TV shows ... when they are biased, they are simply biased... sorry, but his rant ended w/ the large goofy british lambo owner getting & lots of expletives. maybe a thread for another time] end rant.

Al Bundy

Jeremy still liked it though. It's rare to hear him call a car 'mental'.

Brabus C55

Jeremy ... that's him!

He's articulate & "charming", but still ... they do have editorial license & they are not always objective.

Mental ... ok ... it's a great car! seriously!

JToups386

Actually, Jeremy called it; "INSANE", and he loved every minute of it! He was like a big kid in his first hot rod, and really thrashed the car to its max. He then vigorously debated in favor of the C63 against the other clowns on the show with their BMW / Audi counterparts.

Of course, all three cars were fantastic, regardless of our particular MB bias.

Thanks for the great review BRABUS C55. I certainly envy your test day! That had to be quite a rush!

Brabus C55

here's another perspective on the challenge & more detailed driving impressions ... not sure I agree 100% but it's a good write-up.

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...26#post2786327

I drove my C55 back yesterday after the LSD install & my C55 was better than I remembered. The new C63 is sweet ... but I'm not trading it in any time soon

Fifth Ring

I wonder why you see ANY car pushed to the point of plowing or tail-out oversteer when any performance driver will tell you that you never HAVE to get to that point, and your fastest lap times will be those where you do NOT do any plowing or understeering. If Fifth Gear seems obsessed with drifting cars around track. It doesn't show what a car can do.

Brabus C55

Yeah ... that's why the Stig throws down times & the others go for those " ain't my tires & I'm a closed course" fun... oversteer & tire smoke makes good TV.

The comments about "tons of understeer" tells me the reviewing TV driver was a knucklehead. If you can't get a <4,000 lb, RWD, 450+ hp, 12.5sec car to rotate w/ the throttle ... start reviewing lawn movers.

e1000

I love it when he called it an "Axe murder with headlights".........

yeah, I want one.

Brabus C55

... ....

https://mbworld.org/forums/c32-amg-c55-amg-w203/241562-amg-challenge.html