Benz C 63 coupe due September

AMG's ground-pounding 6.2-litre V8 finds a new home in the C 63 coupe, scheduled for a local launch mid year
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The high-performance variant of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe will reach Australian shores just five months after its April debut at the New York motor show.

And once here, the 6.2-litre AMG V8-powered coupe will provide Benz buyers with a true answer to BMW's M3 in coupe form. The C 63 Coupe is likely to be a relatively affordable means of procuring a two-door Benz powered by the hand-built V8.

Just how affordable is yet to be decided for the Australian market, said David Mc Car games thy, Senior Manager Corporate Communications for Mercedes-Benz Australia, but "its price will reflect the position in the range -- which will sit above the sedan," he told the Carsales Network today.

"I don't expect it to be a huge premium..." he continued. "The relationship between the sedan and the coupe will be close in a price sense, but we haven't finalised our negotiations [with the factory] yet."

Chances are the C 63 AMG Coupe will be priced to compete closely with BMW's M3, based on the pricing of the C 63 sedan, but that's supposition at this stage. While the pricing for the Australian market is not fixed yet, the broader specification has been. The AMG V8 will pump out 336kW of power and 600Nm of torque through the AMG Speedshift MCT seven-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels. According to Benz that's enough grunt to propel the car to 100km/h from rest in 4.5 seconds.

And if that isn't fast enough, there's an AMG Performance Package for a power increase to 358kW, courtesy of a variable intake manifold (finished in titanium grey) plus forged pistons/conrods and a lightweight crankshaft from the SLS AMG with the same basic engine. This lowers the acceleration time to 4.4 seconds.

Vehicles fitted with the performance package option can be distinguished from the standard C 63 AMG by composite front brake disc rotors, red callipers front and rear, carbonfibre bootlid spoiler and an AMG steering wheel in a combination of nappa leather and Alcantara.

Despite the performance potential, both the standard C 63 AMG and its performance-package-enhanced counterpart still achieve 12.0L/100km in combined-cycle fuel consumption testing. In the same test cycle, the C 63 AMG emits 280g/km of CO2.

The AMG seven-speed transmission employs a wet-plate clutch system in lieu of the torque converter used in conventional automatic transmissions. Benz claims that the unusual setup improves fuel efficiency and responsiveness. Three modes ("S", "S+" and "M") offer the driver a selection of different driving modes to suit specific driving environments and preferences. Shifting with the "S+" and "M" modes takes place in 100 milliseconds and the transmission also features RACESTART for fast launches.

Complementing the drivetrain is the C 63 AMG Coupe's tweaked suspension and braking systems. Spring and damper rates are new, the strut front-end is AMG's own development and the multi-link IRS has been reinforced. Front and rear, the suspension offers wider track and more negative camber. The driver keeps in touch with what's happening at the road through a speed-sensitive power-assisted steering system boasting a ratio of 13.5:1. AMG's premium braking system comprises ventilated and perforated discs for all four wheels, modulated, when necessary, by a three-mode stability control system ('ESP on', 'ESP Sport' and 'ESP off'). The car rides on 18-alloy wheels, shod with 235/40 R18 tyres at the front and 255/35 R18 tyres behind.

Benz promises outstanding safety in the C 63 AMG Coupe, with the following features fitted as standard: front and front/side-impact airbags, curtain airbags, a driver's kneebag, belt pre-tensioners and force limiters. Additionally, active safety is enhanced with Attention Assist as standard.

The C 63 AMG goes on sale in Australia during September, along with upgraded sedan and wagon variants. The C-Class coupe, with the exception of the C 63, will go on sale locally in July.

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