CBS

From Automobile Mag http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews..._black_series/

The review makes me wonder if they even drove the car or ever been to SoCal for that matter.

This car was made for southern California, with its roads as smooth as glass, its easy access to tracks, and its proximity to twisting canyon roads. Driving the C63 Black Series away from this automotive land of milk and honey may leave drivers wondering why they didn't go for the "regular" C63 AMG Coupe due to the stiffly sprung suspension, steering that feels connected to nothing, and the bi-polar accelerator pedal. Yes, you can take this car to the track and drive it home, but unless your route consists completely recently paved blacktop you won't want to. Even the car's best feature - its maliciously evil-sounding exhaust note with a crackling overrun becomes neutered unless you use the slow-to-react paddles.

But this car isn't about the grocery run - not even close. (And plus, all 800 copies of the limited-run car are spoken for anyway.) As we found out during our first drive, the C63 is "totally unhinged and wild." Find a winding road, put your foot down, and smile. The 510-hp 6.2-liter V-8 roars toward redline as coupe is launched forward like rocket from a fighter jet. However, there is a visceral feeling that seems to be missing; unlike, say, the Jaguar XKR-S, the C63 Black doesn't make me cackle upon burying the go-pedal and hearing the howling V-8. Overall, its on-road manners are compromised by its on-track expertise. The sacrifices are not worth the rarely used benefits.

In most real world situations, the Black Series is hilariously overkill. Commuting in the C63 AMG Black Series is akin to trying to drive in a finishing nail with a sledgehammer - your movements become so cautious that the extra potential is wasted. Donny is right, this car needs to be in Southern California where the roads are smooth and twisty. Track time (or easy access to unpatrolled stretches of desert highway) is essential for this car. There's no way to enjoy the considerable power from the 6.2-liter V-8 when you're dodging potholes and stopping for school busses. Indeed, a standard C36 AMG makes a lot more sense for a daily driver.
But the Black series isn't about making sense. Logic goes right out the window when your C-class costs more than an S-class. Daily driving quibbles disappear quickly once you're belted into the supportive bucket seats with a helmet on and an open track day about to start. Anyone wealthy enough to buy a Black Series has enough money for a few sensible daily drivers and a membership to a private track where the Black Series can really shine. Even with the economy the way it is, all 800 copies of this car are already sold. That's 150 more than AMG had planned to sell, but demand was so high the limit had to be raised.

Chargin55

"a standard C36 makes more sense" LOL. This guy really didn't enjoy himself at all did he. I bet he drives a Prius.

tfthach13

Funny thing is that I've actually had people compliment me on the 'smoothness' of my C63's ride. I personally think that the suspension setting on the regular C63 is pretty damn compliant. I have a Mazda6 as a DD and that suspension is bonkers compared to my C63. So I highly doubt that the suspension on the BS is that much more stiffer than our C63's. Granted I've never had the honor of driving a C63BS, I still think it would be above average for a DD in terms of suspension stiffness.

Either that reviewer doesn't know how to appreciate a great car or...he drives a Prius. As was stated above. Lol!

Chargin55

Yes in standard form the C63 suspension is very good. I don't know about California but on country Australian roads running 38 psi they are fantastic. There is a good video comparison on here with C63BS VS CLK63BS that contradicts everything this critic has stated. Like CBS said, I doubt the guy even drove the car.

m a x i m u s

"This car was made for southern California, with its roads as smooth as glass..."

Lol. Really? I live in Beverly Hills and the roads are so not smooth that my car is rattling apart.

Maverick1975

Reviewer is clearly a **** for brains moron, "...finishing nail with a sledgehammer..." what a piece of cliched jibberish.

CBS

And for their review of the C63 they use pictures of the Black Series.



Clearly a magazine run by true car enthusiasts.

http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...c63_amg_coupe/

AMG9

The suspension on the black series is adjustable. Its no secret that car manufacturers tweek their press cars for better performance. Maybe this car was set up for the track because Mercedes wanted it to perform just a bit better. I have herd jermey Clarkson also comment that the black rides very hard compared to his personal CLK black. But Monkey from Evo mag said the BS is very well sprung and not too stiff. This journalist should have at least mentioned that the suspension is adjustable, therefore his complaints about stiff suspension are unnecessary.

WallyR350

Some people will never understand. Their brains are just not wired correctly.

Guilty

No wonder I've never heard of this "magazine"

Vic55

This idiot got out of the CBS and drove home in his Prius....

I saw him on the road on his way home and asked him "That car (Prius) comes in a men's version?"


(no offense to any prius owners )

Even Money

If they think the BS ride is too harsh, they don't understand cars, or maybe they should go drive a lincoln town car. Or, go drive an early model wrx STi with the bridgestones if they want to truly know a harsh ride. There's nothing wrong with the BS ride, and I'm not biased. It's simply firm and planted, but doesn't rattle your teeth.

gthal

True... it is only a little firmer than the regular C63 (based on my limited experience). What the reviewer is sorely missing is that most don't buy the BS as a daily driver but if they do, they enjoy the experience of a car like this and the ride quality is irrelevant. The equivalent (which magazines also talk about) is saying a Camry is too compliant... well, duh... people who buy it don't want it firm and don't take corners at warp speed. I always hated it when magazine complained about this yet the Camry is wildly popular. Cars are built for their intended market.

moosejaw

Agreed

balthaser

I have no experience with the BS but not so with the SoCal roads.

Actually, I just took my car to the dealer last week and put the tire & wheel protection insurance to work. The front right wheel of my C63 was bent when I hit a debris on the I-10 a couple months back. I've got no idea about it until a tire change last month. Then I realized where those vibration truly came from, not from the tire wearout as I thought but the bent rim.

So yeah, smooth-as-glass southern California roads? Smooth his azz.

CELLryuu

Automobile Magazine sure doesnt like our cars. We are last place in this comparison

http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...4000_question/

AMG9

Yes the c63 came in last place according to Automobile mag. I am impressed that the car magazine that conducts a lot of its testing on the road has started to value track performance so much.... that's good because it puts pressure on the manufactures to put out track worthy cars. At least automobile magazine's review is fair. They actually liked our car in many areas and gave the C63 credit where it deserves.....It came in within .01 of the M3 on the tack. They complained only about the transmission and the over heating, stating that an $80+k car should not have to go into an electronic limp mode after just 3 laps on the track. I have yet to track my car, but if this is true, and i think it is because many members on this forum have reported the same, I would want more from an 80+k car that has a "performance package".

natman316

I think he just watched top gear and wrote the review.

_timothy

i think its a good review and has valid points but leaves something to be desired. i have had 4 hours of track time in about a year vs hundreds of hours day-to-day. i decided on the c63 over the m3 specifically because the m3 was boring in city driving which is the majority of what i do. accordingly, the rankings are overly biased on performance where buyers of these cars spend the fewest engine hours: track. that invalidates the rankings in my eyes. track performance is like some scholarly, moot debate that always comes up in subjective arguments over which car is "better."

having said that, the c63 complaints are totally legit in my eyes. from the rattles to the M -> S+ limp to the lesser transmission performance compared to the competition, there are some serious faults with the C63 once you start talking price well optioned (not to mention the truly terrible MB service departments which are all too quick to blame the owner, say they cannot reproduce or to call a problem "normal" to avoid unbillable labor hours).

AMG9

I Agree, that's why I chose the C63 over the M3. The powerful torque of the engine is a priority for me. It could be better but, It's faults are minor in comparison to it strengths.

natman316

i dont think the over heating thing on standard c63s are "minor" though, especially with a performance car they advertise being on the track. would have swayed me from a c63 if i wasnt an MBZ fanboy hahaha

Quadcammer

my god who cares. So they didn't like it. A harsh suspension to one person may be firm and planted to another.

get over it.

JamE55

The thing that puzzles me is that how did that reviewer even get hired as a reviewer? It's pretty clear that he's talking out of his @$$.

RAKLAW

For those of us lucky enough to own a C63BS, and other hi po cars as well all there is to do is smile. The personal experience is the best judge and review. and I can say the car is faboulous.

Vic55

Concur here... Its my fave car of my lot right now and one of the best ones Ive ever owned.