Review: Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance 4Matic+ 9G-MCT (2024)

Positioned longitudinally and mated with a 9-speed Speedshift MCT transmission, the new C63 S E Performance features the same M139 turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine from the A45 S that featured in our 2024 Performance Shootout issue. In this application it features a larger turbocharger to deliver 350 kW and 545 N.m of torque – 40 kW and 45 N.m up on the hatchback. Added to this is an electric motor that feeds 150 kW/320 N.m directly into the car’s rear differential via a two-speed transmission. The result is a total output of 500 kW and 1020 N.m of torque, delivered for the first time in a C63 to all four corners via a torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system with a rear-mounted, electronically controlled limited-slip differential.

Including its 400V electric architecture that works to eliminate turbo lag and a 6.1 kWh (gross) battery pack, the new C63 S tipped our scales at 2085kg. Keep this figure in mind when you read the next paragraph…

On a crisp autumn morning on our test strip and with its AMG-specific Panamericana grille pointed towards the horizon, the C63 S E Performance hunkered onto its 275/35 R20 Michelin-sourced rear tyres before launching to the three-figure marker from a standstill in just 3.37 seconds. Three-hundredths-of-a-second quicker than its claimed time. As impressive, though, was the ease with which this performance is unlocked. You simply point, press, and hold on.

Related: Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance Launches in SA – Pricing

Our test equipment recorded equally impressive overtaking acceleration times of 1.61 and 2.15 seconds between 60 and 100 km/h and 80 and 120 km/h, respectively. Discernible throughout is the presence of electric assistance within the drivetrain. This brand’s multi-clutch Speedshift transmission is impressive on its own but, in adopting this supplementary boost it creates a near-seamless delivery of torque, pinning your back into the driver’s seat.

There are eight pre-set driving modes (and any combination of individual settings) to choose from, including all-electric propulsion for as long as there’s charge remaining, a battery hold mode that commits to maintaining charge for maximum attack, a drift mode, and all-important Race mode. Mercedes’ battery technology is designed for optimal thermal management and high energy density, as well as rapid energy distribution and harvesting. This allows the battery to be recharged on the fly, as well as via a wall box.

A feast for those who like to tinker with settings and configurations, for the most part, we chose to toggle between Comfort and Race mode; the discernible difference between these two extreme settings providing an impressive juxtaposition between leisurely around-town cruising (even in all-electric when the system detects an opportunity to save fuel) and sledgehammer performance once the road ahead clear. In this most focused setting, the soundtrack isn’t necessarily V8-rich, but you certainly know you’re at the business end. Here, upshifts are met with a whip-crack, while moving down the cogs elicits the now-familiar pops and crackles from the exhaust overrun.

In their most forgiving setting, the new C63 S’s adaptive dampers provide an impressively compliant ride quality without letting you or your occupants forget that there’s an AMG badge on the boot of this car. Thankfully, there’s still just enough forgiveness in Race mode that the average road imperfection won’t set you off course.

While the adoption of all-wheel drive provides an arguably more forgiving setup for the average driver compared with before, the benefit of being able to call upon both the modern C63’s rear-wheel steering (the wheels move by up to 2.5 degrees) and electric motor is that any hint of understeer while carrying too much pace into a corner is instantly dispelled via the throttle pedal.

Some will accuse the modern C63 S E Performance of being less engaging than previous iterations of this famed flagship model, others will tell you that it has less character than before. All of this may be true, but the counterargument is that faced with the inevitable decommissioning of its V8 engine programme, Mercedes-AMG has opted to change the game, creating a powertrain that is as complex as it is fascinating and particularly effective once you learn its intricacies.

If the previous-generation C63 S felt substantial on the road for its muscular profile and torque-rich eight-cylinder powertrain, the new car feels present for its no-less-intimidating styling and tour-de-force hybrid innards. Either way, the sense of presence and occasion remains.

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