Hi, I have been researching getting a C63. I recently sold my 2017 C43 sedan, so I am not new to the C Class. I did a bit of research but still have a few questions specifically about the FL C63 non-S coupe - specifically US market 2020 model year.

-Does the FL C63 non-S have AMG Dynamics? I'm know that the car won't have the dials on the steering wheel to select traction control levels 1-9, so if it does have AMG Dynamics - is it just set in the middle all the time? I know that the FL C63 non-s has the electronic rear diff - so the pieces are there to implement AMG Dynamics.

Thanks for reading.

 

Not many non-S in the USA as far as I know. Pretty much everybody around here has an S. I think there are some EU members with a non-S that might be able to confirm. I have to ask, though. What do you think AMG DYNAMICS is? It's not related to traction control. AMG DYNAMICS essentially controls the torque vectoring and the steering response. I would assume the FL non-S has it. It has 4 modes, but in the non-S it will only have 3 modes, because the non-S doesn't have RACE mode.

https://group-media.mercedes-benz.co...l?oid=42956027

As for traction control, there's no middle setting in the non-S. The non-S has a different traction control system altogether. It has a more traditional passive traction control system, which first has to detect wheel slip and then reduces engine power and selectively applies the brakes to try to regain traction. The 9-stage traction control system in the S is very different. It's tightly integrated in the ECU's torque management and based on the current level it regulates engine torque to maintain the desired wheel slip. It doesn't cut in like the passive traction control systems do as soon as slip is detected. The non-S still has ESP Sport Handling mode to reduce some of the intervention of TC and ESP, but it won't have the fine control over TC as the S does and the TC in the non-S won't be proactive.

BTW. the AMG Drive Unit (steering wheel buttons and dial) are also available in the non-S, but they were an extra cost option. The dial just doesn't double as the TC level selector, and is only used to change drive modes.

 

Thank you superswiss. I thought AMG Dynamics included traction control via the electronic rear diff, my bad. It sounds like the traction control in the non-S will be more 'bang-bang' - not my idea of fun - shutting down the party when spin is detected. It sounds from your description that if I plan on driving the car hard, even in a FL version, you really need the traction control of the S version.

 

That's pretty much it. The 9-stage TC is the first TC that I've experienced that actually enhances the driving experience rather than ruining the fun. I really started to fully experience the potential recently during a winter driving event in Austria. You can nicely dial in the wheel spin for drifting. The ADA instructors kept telling us it is a performance tool to enhance the driving. Traditional TC would essentially shut down the drift, unless ESP is fully turned off, but the 9-stage allows just the right amount of wheel spin to maintain the drift. In the shot below I believe I had it at level 7 or 8. Higher number means more wheel slip, which is a bit backwards.

 

Thanks for the help, I'm going to pass on the non-s. I was hoping since it had the electronic rear diff, that it would have traction control closer to the C63S, just without the knobs.

 

You are welcome. Perhaps just to add, AMG DYNAMICS does have a traction component. Because it optimizes the power distribution on the rear axle with the help of the e-diff and sending the torque where it can be put to the pavement the car is less likely to loose traction in the first place during cornering, so it's less likely that TC has to intervene when driving aggressively.

 

Do you think the C63 non-s would be a fun car to drive through the canyons? I've read that tires go a long way. The non-s I found is the color / wheel package I like the most, and it's about 15k cheaper than a S model. I guess what I'm asking is if I bought the non-s, would I regret it due to the added traction of the S model. This is a coupe with the 19" forged black C63 wheels.

 

It'll still be fun and if you never drive an S through the canyons you won't know the difference. But I'll say this, the Master mode is where it's at. Initially I used S+ in the canyons, but I wasn't happy with how it drove and handled. The issue with S+ is that the throttle map is progressive, meaning a little throttle input results in a larger disproportional engine response. This makes it feel fast everywhere else, but in the canyons, on the track and while drifting, the non-linear throttle response sucks. I actually almost crashed into a wall once, because I ended up overpowering the rear wheels in S+ and went completely sideways.

This is where RACE mode comes in. One of the best things about the S. RACE mode has a linear throttle response, so the engine response is proportional to the amount of pedal travel. Makes it much easier to control the car and traction. On top of that, RACE mode adds the Master mode to AMG DYNAMICS. You have to put ESP in Sport or turn it off for Master mode to be available, otherwise it reverts back to Pro, but Master makes all the difference. It's super neutral and the mechanical grip noticeably increases. RACE with Master transforms the car in the canyons, on the track and for drifting.

The other thing that the S has are the dynamic engine mounts, which tightly hold the engine to the chassis in these situations. This greatly improves the steering response, because the engine moves with the car instead of slightly behind the car, but when driving normally the engine mounts relax for added comfort. So you get a tight setup for flinging down a canyon road, but things relax if just doodling around town. The engine mounts in the non-S are fixed and basically are a compromise between handling and comfort. Also, don't forget the S has beefier more heat resistant brakes and optionally can be had with carbon ceramic brakes, but I didn't go for the CCBs and haven't regretted it. I actually went aftermarket and put the C63 Black Series Brembo full floating rotors on the front.

I don't know what the S vs. non-S looks like in the used car market. I have a feeling the non-S depreciates faster, but in terms of price difference make sure you compare the options. While they were new the price difference between the S and non-S was about $8k. That difference shrank to about $4k as you added options, because the S came standard with a a bunch of options that cost extra on the non-S. Frankly, the upgraded brakes alone are worth that. If that non-S is $15k less I'm assuming it isn't as well optioned as a comparable S. The must-have for aggressive driving are obviously the AMG Performance Seats, so make sure the car you are considering has them.