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Yes, everyone loves to hate on the BMW 3 Series’ success… but nobody loves to hate it like the Mercedes C63 AMG. And with a new version for 2012, Benz’s Bavarian-burner has about as good a shot as anything else on the market of convincing Mr Prospective Sports Sedan Buyer out of an M3. Meanwhile, it also serves as a stern, 481 HP warning to Jaguar, Cadillac and the assorted Dreier-chasers: when you’re chasing such a coveted market segment, you have to go big or go home [nauseating technical details for the 2012 C-Class can be found here].
16 Comments on “What’s Wrong With This Picture: Some Hate The Dreier More Than Others Edition...”
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I’ll take a 3 Series over an S Class any day.
5 vs. E is a toss up — 5 is more sporty and E is more elegant.
S Class beats the 7 Series every which way to Sunday.
Won’t the next M3 be blown? If so, the M3 torque “deficiency” that gave MB and “in” last time, won’t be so easy to come by for the next generation.
As great as the 63 engine is, and man, is it ever great, it isn’t particularly efficient. Which will be it’s bane. BMW has focused lots of effort on making their turbo engines efficient; capable generators of high peak output, while still being relatively frugal when less demand is made of them. Heck, with all their fancy tech, they have almost reached the exalted state of the Chevy small block in that regard. Which allows them considerable headroom for upping performance without coming off as too irresponsible. Which will only become more important, as ever larger shares of those who can afford these things, obtained their purchasing power from government transfers to those deemed politically correct.
I agree with you on the efficiency. However, MB has a new line of engines coming out, and I don’t see why they didn’t wait until the fine folks at AMG get done with their versions of the engines to release a face-lift of the C63.
We got an 2011 C63 in a few weeks ago, and that thing is mean. Idling it sounds similar to a normal V8 Mercedes. Give it some gas however, and it makes you think the Apocalypse is coming. It shook the hole building. One thing I don’t get is why they never offer these cars with manual transmissions. I bet there would be a larger interest in this car from M3 consumers if they offered one.
If ever there was an illustration of how a great engine in a mediocre chassis makes for a forgettable car, then the C63 is it. The AMG 6.2 engine is spectacular but the rest of the car lets it down. Maybe the changes they have made for 2012 have addressed some of these problems but this years model drives like a really, really expensive muscle car.
To say that the chassis is mediocre is very unfair. The chassis is actually very good, and besides the interior and exterior not differentiating it from regular C classes, the lack of a manual transmission is this cars downfall.
I bought her in Bakersfield, California. I was testing jets at the time. Well, it got so I wasn’t getting enough action on the ground. You know what I mean?
I mean you can’t stay high the same way forever. So when the M156 came out with the AMG Development Package. Forged pistons, lightweight crankshaft, and just overall reduced mass- I was on line. 481 horsepower. 443 foot-pounds of torque- whatever that is. It’s all in the folder right there in the glove compartment if you want to take a look at it. Oh, she’s a Road King, all right.
Too bad that 3rd pedal is for the parking brake and not the clutch. :-(
Actually, having owned a w124 with four pedals, I quite like the foot-powered parking brake with left-hand pull knob release. The parking sequence is very smooth: turn key to off, lift off clutch, stomp parking brake with same foot. The hand release is very easy to operate (doesn’t require a strong thumb) and is “good enough” with practice for the occasional use when starting up facing uphill.
I know ya’all have been living the good life, but little old me just finally got my butt into the CTS V cockpit.
I could live in there for the next ten years – the M3, not so much. Too fussy and weird and it just screams “Look at Me! Late 2000s!!!!”
I got the feeling that the V could take 10 years of abuse and not have to be traded in right before the warranty expired so it’s got me doing the numbers alright….
A Mercedes C63 with a manual gearbox would be a dreamcar of mine.
You can buy a C class with a clutch pedal….not sure about the C63
Very good (not perfect, what is?) chassis, very cool engine, quality engineering. I can have the money for one at some point. I have fun now with my E34 and my ways.
Big ass motor in a second rate shell. No manual. Too gaudy.
M3, six speed, eggplant purple, sedan. Thank you.
I’ve got to agree with MBella. A C63 AMG with a manual would give the M3 something to think about but you know MB is not really interested in the enthusiast market.
Than what is the point of an AMG model?
We are in the 12th. year with the C 43, and it still shakes the house going in and out of the garage. It has been trouble free, gets 24 to 26 mpg. on the highway, and still runs 14 second flat quarter miles with the automatic.
We will look at the new one.
MB struggles to balance the entire package and this is what you fight the most when going against the 3 series. Traditionally (and it looks the same here) MB shoves a great massive HP engine in a car that’s not well sorted. Kills everything in a straight-line (dragster like), a handful on a road coarse and mediocre as a daily driver