Hi guys,

So my sales guy finally let me test drive the one and only C63 in Hong Kong today, it's been trashed by lots of press people already, but overall in great shape

The car is white and looks stunning in real life, a lot more hostile than the pictures. The demo car is standard, so 18" rims, no performance package nor keyless go. I met the sales at the Mercedes showroom in Causeway Bay (for those you're familiar with HK), since their AMG showroom in Repulse Bay is closed for hoilday today. First thing I noticed after starting the engine is the engine note is not really what I've expected... It has a deep V8 sound, but sounded sort of distorted, unlike the S55's loud raw tone, it's somewhat not so pleasing to my ear...

The seats are extremely supportive and it's more of a racing seat than street car seat, but to my surprise, the rear seats are just conventional C Class seats, my GF was tossing left & right at the back and wouldn't shut up about how noisy and bumpy at the back haha! But one thing the really bothers me is the center console kept getting into the way of my elbow and I'm only 5'8" too...

I didn't pay much attention to the gadgets since they're pretty much standard C-Class' The driving position is great and I can see the little raised bump on the hood that reminds me I'm in a C63 even though the interior looks just like any regular C. And since I'm not that familiar with this car so I'm in S gear mode instead of M and ESP set to sport.

Onto the test drive, the suspension is indeed like everyone else said very firm, quite bumpy in the badly maintainced HK road, but not to the unacceptable level for me. Although my GF hated it at the back.. It was Friday noon but because it's hoilday, the traffic isn't that bad at all. I started from Casueway Bay heading to Blue Pool road then to Repulse Bay where it's several miles of 3-4th gears twisties.

The car felt strange in the city, it's a performance sedan, but it's really not that comfortable at all, I felt like I'm in a heavily modded GT-R rather than a Merc.. The steering is sharp and direct, but it still doesn't have enough road feel in my opinion like the E46 M3s. But once I got onto Repule Bay road, that's where the car really shines.. I can't freaking believe this is a Merc!! The car just eats corners like nothing! It had a pretty worn P-Zero but still, I had so much confident in this thing that makes me forgot I'm in a stock car!! It doesn't have active seats, but the seats hold you so tight that the bodyroll is like non-existance, and even though I'm in ESP Sport mode, but there were very little ESP interference even at very hard corners and screaming tires. This is the first AMG (driven SL55, SLK55, C32, E55) that made me felt I had complete control of the car!!!

To be honest, I was shock to see how well the car perform in the corners, I get a feeling that I can take on any road car in this thing without losing much even to the toughest.. IN STOCK FORM!! The twisties in Repulse Bay is pretty bad, and the car felt right at home, it made my stock C32 felt like a Civic at the same road.. And I didn't even push it THAT hard with the sales person next to me getting really nervous..

The traffic started to build up mid way into Repulse Bay, stuck in slower traffic in the twisties doing around 60km/h isn't all the fun, the gear shifting is quick, I would say it felt as quick as SMG II. And the transmission auto gear matching for you in a very graceful manner, way lot smoother than SMG II even in high rpm. I had so much fun with just S mode and I only briefly tested M mode when I was slower in traffic, again, the gear change is very smooth even when I try some stupid slow speed, high rpm shifting on purpose.

After the slow traffic, I got on to Eastern highway, and spotted a 335i rushing up behind me, so I floored it and took it to about 230ish km/h before I went out of road, the car felt VERY stable and capable at higher speed, very un-Merc like, 230km/h felt like 120km/h in this thing and even high speed cornering gave me a lot of confident too. The 335i never even get close, it was falling behind and behind as soon as I floored it..

The fun ended after I arrived back at outside of the showroom, and I'd say this test drive changed my mind completely about this car. I think the car is a little bit too agressive for daily drive since the ride is pretty hash, but it's not bone breaking. GF might hates it, but hey, it IS my ride and not hers.. I don't care what car magazine tells me, this car is VERY capable if you can live with the hash ride, and it's the best mass-produced AMG yet in my opinion. I'll tough have to wait till my GT-R and E60 M5 test drive next week before I make the final call, but something tells me it would be the little AMG :P

 

 

Does the S mode shift as fast as SMG II or the M mode?

 

The M mode, S mode is basically auto mode, just like C55 but much quicker and rev matching.

 

oh.... kool, i have to call my salesman to see when i can get my test drive too.. sounds good

 

Thanks for the impressions. Disappointing to hear the initial tone is underwhelming. Does it meet expectations when accelerating?

Please post your GT-R impressions on here once you get a chance to drive. I'm personally debating on a C63 now or a GT-R next year when dealers actually start selling them at MSRP and would appreciate the back-to-back comparison.

 

radrads203: You're in HK too? It was a special arrangement, the official test drive for customers won't start until April I've heard. Right now it's all press, my sales was trying hard to get my deposit so sneaked the car out during the hoildays haha

C63OrNotToC63: Will do But everyone who test drove the GT-R told me it's insane...

 

M5CLK.. yes i am from Hong Kong too. So i guess i will wait till April then heehee, so when is your car gonna arrive Hong Kong?

 

I don't understand whats un Merc like to feel very comfortable at higher speeds? My Dads W211 as well as the other Mercs we have are driving much better at higher speeds than the E61 BMW he has right now. The Benz always felt rock solid, whereas the Bimmer drivers like a nervous wrack.

 

The lessen road feel from the steering wheel would sometimes give you the sensation of stable in high speed straight line, but once going into high speed corners, all the Merc I've had always felt jumpy and sometimes tail happy too. And steering effort has always been too light to my tasting. BMW on the other hand is more forgiving at high speed cornerings, generally speaking.

This has been my impression from my 500SEC, S500C, CL55 to the C32 and CLK350...

 

You know,

this sounds EXACTLY like a description of my C36 AMG (The original AMG). I think AMG/MB have finally come full circle again and gone back to their roots. Firm ride, surprising handling, and etc. Thats how AMG used to be and thats how they liked to tune their cars back in the day, I guess now that MB is finally releasing the reigns they are able to go back to their roots and make a hell of a beast instead of a subdued daily driver. The C63 just like the C36 is a hotrod for the road and is truly ahead of its time. I don't even consider E92 M3 (or ISF for that matter) in the same catagory although magazines are extremely biased towards the M3. I've been in E46 M3 and I owned a E36 M3, and the trend for M3 is heading downwards, heavier cars, more underpowered, over priced. Its not looking good for the M3.

Im glad AMG is finally making true sports cars again. good for them.

 

just wanna know....when did u do ur test drive? Coz i can never get over 110km/h on Eastern Highway..lol! how did u get up to 230ish? but its a good review, thanks!

 

I've gone 250 in mine comfortably, and I drive a 94, I can't imagine a new AMG car feeling unstable.

 

Nice write up, you must be balling in HK, whats the price you're paying for the C63 in HK ? care to pm me.

 

Ask the last gen. CL65 guys like Vic55 (a mod on here). Above 150 he said it was very floaty. Not floaty compared to say a regular car but floaty in th realm of high performance vehicles. AMG realized this flaw so have gone the E60 M5 and E92 M3 route and added very serious rear diffusers on the new CL63/65, C63 and forthcoming SL63/65.

 

Thanks for the review M5CLK. It's always good to hear from someone other than the press on their impressions about a car.

Since you've also experienced the ride of the E46 M3 how would you rate it compared to the C63 on the badly maintained roads? Is the C63 softer, same, harsher(stiffer)?

 

That's funny as my c55 felt as stable as my 911 at 160

 

Ok guys, to get one thing clear, when I said stable at high speed, it is because in HK, there is not much long stretch for you to go high speed especially on HK side, on the Eastern highway that I did that 230km/h (140ish mph) it was through high speed S bends, using all 3 lanes etc on the short empty stretch that I've got from coming out from Shek O round about, onto Eastern Highway and right before the Kowloon side entrance split.

It was pretty much through light traffics etc so it was NOT straight line accerlation at all... I've done the same route before in my CL55 and C32, and I sure didn't have the confident to go to that speed, both of them were/is stock and on both I had to ease off the gas padel at times, but the C63, I just pretty much completely floored it through the bends. Any decent car should be stable at 150mph in straight line, but it was under the given condition when I said that and again, I said it didn't felt like a Merc becasue it did NOT ride like any stock Merc that I've had or rode in, it felt more like a heavily modded R34 GT-R than an AMG.. I'm sure you'll know what I meant once you sit inside a C63... The hugging seats and the car setup felt just too racing originated, and honestly, the plastic dash etc made me forgot I'm in a German car at times as well...

The HK price is as follow:
HK$1,088,000

Options:
19" AMG multi-spoke light alloy rims - HK$9,000
AMG carbon-fiber trims - HK$20,500
AMG performance package - HK$50,000
(The package includes the partially suede steering wheel, stiffer suspensions, LSD and a special brake system so I was told.. It's not ceremic but the sales said it's similar to ceremic?? I need to look it up haha)
Convenience hands free tele with extended phone functions/aerial - $4,500
Electric roller blind for rear window - HK$4,500
Fire extinguisher - HK$1,500
Intelligent light system - HK$4,500
Keyless-GO - HK$9,000
Pre-Safe - HK$4,000
Sump shield - HK$1,500
Sunblinds for rear doors (manual) - HK$3,000
Thermotronic climate control (it's for the rear seats) - HK$7,000

If I'm ordering next week, it will be Sept delivery... And still thinking about the AMG package since the ride as it is already hash enough for me... No way I'd put a 19" and stiffer suspension there..

And compare to the C63, the E46 M3 was a joy to ride in.. And honestly, I never consider the E46 M3 hash even in HK, but the C63 definately IS hash...

 

are the cost of those options inculding tax? they do seems to be a bit $$?

 

No, they're all pre-tax price...

 

the carbon fiber trim costs more than the rims? damn..

 

Yeah, but don't forget the 19" is only an upgrade from 18".. And the 19" is actually the older multi-spoke one, the 18" looks way better. Oh, and here's the gift from the C63 launch in HK.. I missed the launch coz of a biz trip so no, I don't have one, it's a 1gb memory stick XD

Pictures borrowed from MBHK.org

 

^ That's awesome, I want one

 

damnit that looks neat i want one.

 

i probably can make my own..... hehheheeh