How important is sound to you?
For some car enthusiasts, the aural sensation of a finely-tuned internal combustion engine (ICE) is as much of a part of the experience as the car’s driving ability itself.
It is for that reason that purists are up in arms over the latest Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance, despite the fact that it remains a sensational machine to drive.
What’s the big deal with the new C 63 AMG?
For nearly the entirety of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class’s 30-year existence, there has always been a high-powered flagship AMG model to top the line, and it has always been powered by a large capacity V8 engine.
Over the years, the idea of having a massive V8 being squeezed into a relatively compact executive sedan has turned the C 63 AMG into one of the most legendary driving experiences in the automotive world.
More than just sheer speed and power, a V8 also offers a unique kind of aural experience, with its iconic burble that begins upon startup, and grows into a kind of aggressive throbbing that sounds almost harmonic when you pile on the revs.
So it is no surprise that enthusiasts were upset when Mercedes-Benz announced that the latest fifth-generation C 63 AMG will drop its V8 engine for a turbocharged four-cylinder unit.
Not only that, but the car will also become a plug-in hybrid, which, in the eyes of hardcore V8 fans, feels like a major travesty.
Why the change?
The truth is, Mercedes-Benz’s hand was somewhat forced by ever more stringent regulations in Europe that demand vast improvements in efficiency and greater reductions in emissions for new vehicles.
As entertaining as large V8 engines are, they are also hugely inefficient and polluting powerplants. And for a major carmaker like Mercedes-Benz, persisting with them for a volume production model like the C-Class will see them incur hefty financial penalties, something that few manufacturers would welcome.
The plug-in hybrid drivetrain is seen as a technological solution that will enable the C 63 AMG to deliver same level of performance as its predecessors, while still staying on the right side of the rulebook.
So is it not quite as entertaining now?
That depends on what you define as entertaining. But again, it goes back to the question posed at the start: how important is sound to you?
There’s no detracting from the fact that the aural experience of the new car is different now. Start it up and you’ll be greeted by…silence.
That’s simply the nature of the car’s plug-in hybrid status, with the electric motor taking charge of things at the beginning. It feels odd for an AMG for sure, but at least it is friendlier to your neighbour’s ears in the morning now.
Things get slightly better when you go a bit faster and the engine kicks in. While it doesn’t quite sound as epic as an old-school V8, there’s an interesting supercharger-like whine when the turbo spools up, and increases in volume as you build up the revs.
It is especially noticeable when the car is in Sport+ or Race mode, and it is mildly entertaining to the point where it can get slightly addictive. But it certainly lacks the sense of acoustic drama that the old V8s are renowned for.
How does it drive then?
Noise aside, the new C 63 AMG does hit the mark as a bona fide performance machine.
The 2.0-litre engine works in tandem with the hybrid drivetrain’s electric motor to combine for a total of 671hp and a colossal 1,020Nm of torque, making the C 63 AMG the most powerful four-cylinder production car in the world by a long shot.
With that much power on tap, the C 63 AMG is an absolute rocket when you put your foot down. 0-100km/h comes up in 3.4 seconds, which is frankly mind-blowing considering the size of the engine under the bonnet.
But it’s not just straight-line speed where the C 63 AMG demonstrates its brilliance. Mercedes-Benz has thrown all its engineering and technological know-how at this car to make it a potent handling weapon as well.
It would take a true geek to explain it all in detail, but broadly speaking, the C 63 AMG features an electric limited slip differential and torque vectoring technology to enable both the engine and the electric motor to send power to all four wheels on demand.
It means that whatever input you send the car through your right foot is delivered to the wheels immediately and without delay. Aside from enabling it to blast off with vicious ferocity from standstill, it also gives the car tremendous levels of grip and traction.
The result is a car that can take on bends at speeds that most people dare not attempt. But features such as all-wheel steering and adaptive suspension means that it pivots around corners with the agility and confidence of a smaller and lighter car.
If you truly wanted to behave like a hooligan, the C 63 AMG can indulge you with that too, with a Drift mode and a launch control feature (called Race Start) available for you to play with. Just make sure you do it on closed roads or on a racetrack under controlled conditions.
Is the new C 63 AMG still worth my time?
If you can look past the subdued soundtrack, the latest C 63 AMG remains an intensely talented machine with the kind of performance capabilities that mostly lives up to the standards set by its forebears. Certainly, you expect nothing less for a car that costs the better part of $708,888 including COE (as of January 2025).
But arguably a large part of the C 63 AMG’s appeal is its all-round sensation, and that includes the aural experience. It’s hard to deny that a significant part of the car’s heritage is gone with the V8 engine, but sometimes that’s just the unfortunate price to pay for progress.
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benjamin.chia@asiaone.com
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