I live in the guts of downtown Chicago.

The reason I ask this question is because lately I am becoming less and less excited about owning a fast car. When I moved to the downtown area a little over 2 years ago the traffic wasn't that bad. However, things have changed and traffic is almost completely unavoidable at just about all hours of the day no matter what day of the week it may be. That being said, what fun is a C55 or better yet a C63?? I'm constantly stuck in traffic and I never ever get to really have some fun with this fine german beast. My lease will be up in May which is right around when the C63 will be out... Why would I waste all that money on a car that can do the quarter somewhere in the 12s when all my driving is done in bumper to bumper traffic???? Seems really hard to justify and might find myself in a Lexus...

I forgot to mention too... My C55 is almost 3 years old and is used as a daily driver. The ODO currently sits at 19xxx miles... The first year of ownership was in the suburbs too where I put on 1/2 of those miles.

Can someone please slap some sense into me? All the good press about the C63 has me considering moving back out to the suburbs! I love living downtown though!!! I can't. I won't!

Ha I feel ya... by no means my cars are fast: 91 Legend and 06 c230... I'm in LA traffic and I wish I had a hybrid LOL

Man, come to the suburbs during the weekends! Just go out and drive for a while.

What do you do for winters btw?

I have a set of 17" winter wheels and tires I use and they work great actually.

I feel ya and I have been thinking the same way. But I still get the chance to drive on an open road every once in a while, that's why I'm leaning towards another AMG instead of a regular E or CLS for example. If I were you I'd probably get a different MB which would be more luxurious but not as fast.
I wouldn't get a Lexus tho, you'll miss the feeling of owning an MB. Please also keep in mind, C63 won't be a super beast for a long time, AMG will release a better and faster engine in the next 3-4 years.
And who knows, maybe by that time you'll have more opportunities to enjoy a fast car.

I hear you on Chicago traffic. Even the van was too fast.

It's a double edged sword - two cars are expensive to keep in the city. I bought a 1990 Volvo 740 sedan for $750. Daily beater with not a care in the world, park anywhere, etc. The AMG and Fcar are driven late night / early morning on I55, I294, Edens and Sheridan roads. Little to no traffic and you can drive some great miles. Plus no rain or winters to worry about.

Not only do you appreciate the cars more from not driving them everyday - but imagine how fast 360+hp feels after driving a heavy Volvo with 114hp!!

I live in a big urban city too with traffic getting worse all the time. The only time it's not bad is in the middle of the night. My C55 has also been my dependable daily driver. My advice to you: try taking your car to a track once in a while.

It's amazing what a few days at a track (road course, not drag strip) can do for the mind and car enthusiast in you. It's mighty fun, and you learn a lot too.

On a track, you can fully exploit the power and handling of your car in a relatively safe environment. Nothing beats constantly accelerating full throttle, and then full braking, and then turning your car at your or your car's limits around corners. It's also a challenge to "figure out" a track and the strategy to employ for each corner. It becomes a constant effort to improve your technique. I'm not a track junkie (yet), but I have found that all it takes is a few days on a track each year, and it takes away all desire to speed or do stupid things on the street. Most of the time in the city, I leave my transmission in "C" mode to maximize fuel efficiency and enjoy the comfort of slow and smooth upshifts/downshifts at low rpm's, much like a non-AMG transmission would.....LOL.

If you're a straight line type of guy, try things at a drag strip, although I personally think that is quite boring.

Great post. I will keep this in mind!

My 2nd car is an S2000 and I'm having trouble enjoying the little guy as well.

Sounds like you need a Mini S

Totally disagree. The compact sedan segment is not going to leave behind in the next 3-4 years a 6.2 liter V8 putting out 457bhp/450lbft (and easily tuneable to 520bhp).

C63 would be a sound long term purchase so long as you don't have kids entering their teens, in which case, the E makes more sense.

this is your next whip..






u can beat all those ferrari's & 911TTs on N Shore Dr in it @ 10mph!!

I understand what you meant, but I'm referring to the relation between C63 and AMG in general. Currently C63 seems to be the best in performance among the rest of 63 series (apart from CLK63 Black Series), within 3-4 years AMG will have to release something different for the new E-Class, and I have a feeling they’ll come up with forced induction 63, E63 TT maybe ? Or E65 ?

Now back to the topic, the OP was battling between getting a C63 or something else that makes more sense due to the traffic condition in Chicago. I’d say, get something else for now, and maybe in 3-4 years he’ll be in the position where he has more opportunities to enjoy the car. At the same time, there will be new AMG models that fit his financial situation for him to consider. It may or may not be a C-class, but I’m sure it’ll be better in performance than the current C63.

Understood. E65 surely would set too many noses out of place higher up in the range but who can say for sure.

In my experience AMGs make great DDs though.

I find that my C32 is the best traffic car.

It's low end torque allows me to squirt into traffic gaps better than any other car I have driven and Brembos, all around, allow me to make up for any mistakes.

I took my mother-in-law VR6 Jetta to work a while back and found myself being tottaly out of traffic flow - the car did not have instant throttle response and had spongy brakes, that are common on pedestrian cars. I could not count on it to put me precisely where I wanted to go.

You know, that is the reason why i'm about to sell my C55..
I may move to IL (graduate school) next year and I can't see myeslf driving my car during winter time or in Chicago..

Believe it or not this car does great in the winter just as long as you put on some winter tires. Please don't let that discourage you from driving this wonderful car!

I'm in Chicago and do the same thing you do. The only time you get to open up a car is on the weekend it seems. I'm considering getting a RS4 until the C63 gets here. I guess I like knowing I have the power there just in case I need to beat somebody from one city block to the next.

[off-topic] sure this can change, but just an fyi of my understanding is that part of the reason why they left the FI engine is the height of it. The 6.2L is much more compact, allowing for MB to meet the new pedestrian collision regulations, which mandates a lower and more raked hood, with space between the hood's steel and engine. I'd think MB might consider a turbo [the 63 TT you mention] before a supercharger above the engine if they do FI.

IF the tranny can handle it.

Really??? That was my main concern... I wanted to sell it and get S4 or something ..

How far is Chicago from Northern IL Univ?

Just as long as you're wise about how you drive the car you will be just fine w/ some decent winter tires.

A good hour and a 1/2 with light traffic. No traffic is like finding a unicorn.

[off topic] AMG sent me a survey via email a few months ago regarding the next C and SLK AMG. They asked whether I’d like to see an N/A V8, V12 or V6 kompressor on the future C and SLK AMG. Or something like that.. I don’t remember. But what I remember is, TT had never been one of the options anywhere in the survey. Not even once. They were toying with an idea of putting a V6 kompressor on the next C and SLK, and see whether we’d think it would degrade AMG or not. Obviously it’s not for this upcoming C, but I was surprised they did not mention TT at all.

i drive my C55 w/ winter tires in chicagoland for the past 2 winters and it handles fine. get some winter tires and drive in C mode and you'll be fine.

V12 would never fit unless the Excelero was actually the next C-platform.