Ten minutes into my drive, I’m already wondering if the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance is the most misunderstood new performance car. I missed out on driving the new hybrid super sedan when it launched in the back half of last year, but as time and hybrid technology have progressed, the car that everyone deemed ‘too complicated’ and a ‘step too far’ has become one of my favourite drives. For me, the C63 S E Performance was simply ahead of its time.
There was criticism at launch behind Mercedes-AMG’s decision to drop the twin-turbo V8 engine in favour of a more powerful 500kW, 1020Nm, 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol plug-in hybrid. However, as other manufacturers have released their new hybrid products, we’re at a point where the powertrain and 2,133kg kerb weight are the new norm (or better than).
In fact, the new C63 S E Performance almost seems “lightweight” compared to other new hybrid performance sedans, a la the 2.5-tonne BMW M5, but more on that later.
With stricter emissions regulations in Europe necessitating hybrid power, the simple fact is engines are getting smaller, and cars are getting heavier. You shouldn’t write off the C63 S E Performance based on these factors, and I’d argue you should even welcome it. This is the best all-around C63 product we’ve ever seen, whether you like the hybrid powertrain or not.
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How Much Does the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance Cost?
The Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance is priced from AUD$187,900 before on-road costs.
The main competition for the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance is the BMW M3 COMPETITION M xDRIVE, which is priced from $177,800 before on-road costs in Australia. It’s powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder engine that produces 390kW of power and 650 Nm of torque for a 0-100km/h time of 3.5 seconds.
What Powers the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance?
- Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol plug-in hybrid
- Combined power: 500kW
- Combined torque: 1020Nm
- Engine power: 350kW
- Engine torque: 545Nm
- E-motor power: 150kW
- E-motor torque: 320Nm
- Kerb weight: 2,133kg
Under the bonnet of the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine that, when combined with a 150kW rear-mounted two-speed e-motor, produces a combined 500kW of power and 1020Nm of torque. This is the world’s most powerful four-cylinder production engine, with 176kW of power per litre, 350kW of total power, and 545Nm of torque.
This four-cylinder engine is the same as that found in the AMG A 45 S (310kW), but it’s been upgraded with a larger 71mm (+8mm) compressor wheel inside the turbo to make this 350kW power figure. This turbo isn’t powered simply by exhaust gases, either. It leans on the 400-volt onboard electrical system to spool it up from lower RPMs, where it can operate at up to 150,000 rpm. Simply put, there is no turbo lag.
Even when you take your foot off the pedal, the technology maintains boost pressure at all times to give you a direct response when exiting a corner or under braking. It’s brutally fast but doesn’t hit you with a slow-building wave of torque like a typical turbocharged vehicle. It smacks your head back in the seat like an EV.
This power is all sent to the ground through an AMG Performance 4MATIC+ fully variable all-wheel drive system (with selectable Drift Mode) that uses a 9-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT-9G transmission and AMG DYNAMIC SELECT’s eight driving modes: Electric, Comfort, Battery Hold, Sport, Sport+, Race, Drift, Slippery, and Individual.
The electrical energy stored in the 89kg, 6.1kWh lithium-ion high-performance battery can generate a continuous output of 70kW and peak output of 150kW for up to 10 seconds, in addition to output from the combustion engine. This means that when driving around in ‘Race mode’, you get full power whenever you put your foot down for 10 seconds. However, you won’t get full power when cruising around.
As a plug-in hybrid, you can plug the car into a charging station, a Mercedes-Benz Wallbox, or a 240-volt household socket and use the 3.7 kW onboard AC charger to charge the battery pack. However, you only get an all-electric range of up to 15 km, and the car charges the battery so quickly while driving that it’s not worth your time.
How Nice is the Interior of the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance?
With the perfect blend of class and technology, the interior of the new Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance has quickly become the new benchmark in this segment. Yes, it’s screen-heavy, but the MBUX (Mercs’ infotainment system) is so good it doesn’t detract from the overall experience.
You’re looking at an 11.9-inch touchscreen in the middle of the cabin with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android. However, if you want to make the most of your Burmester 3D surround sound system, you’ll want to run your audio through the streaming apps available through the in-car app store. I used Apple Music, and the sound quality available with this stereo, paired with Dolby Atmos (not available through Apple CarPlay), was segment-leading.
The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in front of the driver is a tidy unit that floats behind the steering wheel, and I could see the necessary information from my driving position – some cars struggle with a square peg in a round-hole situation when using these brick-shaped screens. Short of this, you get a head-up display and other tech like wireless phone charging, ambient lighting, and satellite navigation with augmented reality. If a piece of tech is missing from this car, try to find it.
My test car had relatively few options, and I would’ve loved to sit in the optional Performance Seats. However, the standard seats are supportive, come trimmed with real leather and have plenty of electronic adjustment and heating. You’ll happily take this car on a long road trip, down to the shops, or through a mountain pass with these seats, but visually, the optional Performance Seats take the cake.
I could spend a day on the thick-rimmed steering wheel and its touch capacitive buttons, but there is no doubt the mini-screens used to control the drive modes, sound, and suspension are something I’ll miss in every car moving forward.
Jump into the back seats, and it’s not going to be as spacious as the BMW M3, but there’s enough head and knee room to get the job done on longer trips. Those sitting in the back will get a fold-down central armrest, air vents, and USB chargers.
Like most hybrids, the battery and electric motor eat into the boot space, and you’ll lose 130 litres of storage space over the regular C-Class. The Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance only has 324 litres of luggage space, which isn’t great.
How Does the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance Drive?
There’s a lot going on underneath the skin of the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance, but somehow it manages to figure out all of its electric motors, four-cylinder turbocharged power, trick all-wheel-drive system, and the result is a very impressive sports sedan.
I spent most of my time driving around in ‘Sport’ mode, which permanently turns on the engine, and with the suspension set to ‘Comfort’ through the steering wheel controls. However, you could just as easily drive around with the powertrain in ‘Comfort’ mode and let the hybrid system balance power from the rear-mounted e-motor and petrol engine.
With the electric motor ready to give you instant throttle response and the complete lack of turbo lag, the day-to-day driving experience is more similar to an EV than a conventional petrol-powered vehicle.
Put your foot down in any drive mode, and the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance is up and ready to go, but it’s even more exciting when you put the car into ‘Race’ mode and get the full 500kW of power for 10-second bursts before the e-motor cuts power back to around 415kW. Still, that’s plenty enough to get this 2.2-tonne sedan in trouble with the law.
Mercedes-AMG claims that the C63 can sprint from 0-100km/h in 3.4 seconds, but it feels quicker because of the instant torque from the e-motor. I wouldn’t be surprised if real-world tests put it closer to the 3.0-second mark.
There’s no masking the fact the 4-cylinder turbocharged engine doesn’t sound anything like the 4.0-litre V8 from the previous-gen vehicle. However, it’s not like you can walk into a dealer and buy a V8 sedan from any manufacturer in this country, and the BMW M3 sounds remarkably average, too, so it’s hard to knock it. Still, if you’re looking for pure emotion and sound, you’re better off finding something with a V8, like the Mercedes-AMG GT.
It’s hard to fathom how Mercedes-AMG has managed to make a 2.2-tonne sedan handle this confidently, but the 50:50 front-rear weight balance and trick 4MATIC+ fully variable all-wheel drive system probably have something to do with it.
The front end turns in on a dime, without any hint of understeer, and the rear end (with rear-axle steering) just follows you through the corner with a hint of predictable oversteer on the corner exit if you prod the throttle.
How it launches you out of corners is addictive, with a similar response to an EV, but with a sense of emotion thanks to the bark and loud crack on upshifts from the nine-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT-9G transmission that can’t seem to put a foot wrong. Outside of a Mercedes-AMG GT, this is probably Merc’s quickest car in real-world driving conditions.
While more comfortable than any C63 S before it, some reviewers have noted a noticeable roar from the tyres when you’re driving on some of Australia’s coarse-chip roads. However, I didn’t note this while commuting into the Sydney CBD during my test.
Man of Many’s Verdict on the Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance
I walked into this review with an open mind. Still, after building so many great memories with the previous-generation C63 S and its characterful twin-turbo V8, I was unsure how the new four-cylinder plug-in hybrid model would live up to expectations.
Well, I will keep it short and say that this might be the most underrated all-around performance car on sale. It’s quite simply the best hybrid performance car I’ve ever driven, and that puts it up against stiff competition, such as the 550kW BMW XM Label Red. The sum of the parts in this car is what matters, even if the engine doesn’t contribute to the emotional experience.
At the same time as this vehicle, I had a newer, unnamed plug-in hybrid V8 SUV in the garage (worth nearly twice the price), and I spent more time in the C63 S E Performance.
The technology on the inside is impressive, easy to use, and segment-leading as far as I’m concerned, but what Mercedes-AMG has hidden underneath the skin of the C63 S E Performance is even better. I’m usually the first to point out an overly heavy, bloated performance car, but this is not it.
It does everything you ask of it on twisty roads, and then when you put your foot down, you’re transported at light speed. Does it grumble like the previous V8 when cruising down Church Street in Parramatta? Of course not, but it’s light-years ahead of the outgoing model in every other way.
Priced from AUD$187,900 before on-road costs, it’s also a relative bargain in the world of performance hybrids.
The Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance features a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, while the lithium-ion battery, like all other Mercedes-Benz plug-in hybrid vehicles, has a six-year, 100,000km warranty. The brand’s website, which is linked below, has more information and a vehicle configurator.
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