C63 coupe Review

[e90m3_6MT]

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...#ixzz1abqEIeOa

launch 0-280

cold start sound

My lease comes due in january and I'm getting more and more convinced about picking up a new 2012 c63 (coupe or sedan don't know yet) especially since here in canada the residual value of M3's were lowered, I mean 27K after 36 months?? come on BMW canada. Mercedes have it at 44K. Obviously this impacts the monthly payments by a significant margin.

What do you guys think?

[I M STIG]

Well, if I'm honest, I love the C63. If it had a manual I might have bought one over my M3. However, it's still nowhere near as balanced, but the AMG is a true hoon-mobile as an every day car. I love it. Hat's off to Mercedes for doing a proper job.

Just remember, order yours with a limited-slip diff. Otherwise, you'll just spin and spin and spin whenever you're playing around.

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

0-60 in 3.7 seconds? I'm sorry but that's a first.

[e90m3_6MT]

If I place an order it will most definitively be with the performance pack (480 hp and LSD)

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

Originally Posted by e90m3_6MT

If I place an order it will most definitively be with the performance pack (480 hp and LSD)

That's the way to go.

[Sedan_Clan]

Um, the sound of that exhaust is terrible...


...and you guys complain about the exhaust note on current BMW's???? Uhhhhh!

[Ateam]

The shifts sound super quick thought

[rye m3]

Originally Posted by Ateam

The shifts sound super quick thought

Slushbox
If you are comparing the payments, you're leasing and can't really afford it. Sounds like Mercedes is subvening the lease payments.

[Brosef]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Um, the sound of that exhaust is terrible...


...and you guys complain about the exhaust note on current BMW's???? Uhhhhh!

I never thought I'd stoop to using this emoticon, but here goes:

[e90m3_6MT]

Originally Posted by rye m3

Slushbox
If you are comparing the payments, you're leasing and can't really afford it. Sounds like Mercedes is subvening the lease payments.

Really buddy? I have 4 BMW's, including my M3 for the last 3 years.
(x5 4.8 2010, X3 35i 2011, 328i 2009, M3 2008)

I think I should be alright finance wise. The reason I am looking at the payments is that as much as I like an M3, I don't like overpaying.

My M3 has a 40K residual, now for the new 2011's they dropped it to 27K

Since the C63 has a residual of around 44K that means to get the same payments your looking at a downpayment of 17K, hence my train of thought, is the M3 worth 17K more than a C63??? plus I think the new interior with the red/black leather combo is very nice.

As much as I like the M V8, and I do think it's one of the one of the greatest engines to have been made and I'm sad to think BMW is moving away from their N/A high rev engines, I couldn't stop grinning every time I floored the demo C63.

I'll even get to drive it on the track before buying it, I was invited to the amg performance tour in palm beach where they hand you the keys to a few Amg's (sls, sls roadster, cls 63, e63 and of course the C63 in coupe and sedan form.) and then let you loose on the track. should make for an interesting day.

Anyways, money is not the factor here, it's more the fun factor not the last 10th at the track, what top gear calls the soul of the car, and when J.C. says it's an axe murderer with headlights, you can bet he's right with that one.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to count my 2010 cooper S so I guess that makes it 5.

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

Originally Posted by e90m3_6MT

Really buddy? I have 4 BMW's, including my M3 for the last 3 years.
(x5 4.8 2010, X3 35i 2011, 328i 2009, M3 2008)

I think I should be alright finance wise. The reason I am looking at the payments is that as much as I like an M3, I don't like overpaying.

My M3 has a 40K residual, now for the new 2011's they dropped it to 27K

Since the C63 has a residual of around 44K that means to get the same payments your looking at a downpayment of 17K, hence my train of thought, is the M3 worth 17K more than a C63??? plus I think the new interior with the red/black leather combo is very nice.

As much as I like the M V8, and I do think it's one of the one of the greatest engines to have been made and I'm sad to think BMW is moving away from their N/A high rev engines, I couldn't stop grinning every time I floored the demo C63.

I'll even get to drive it on the track before buying it, I was invited to the amg performance tour in palm beach where they hand you the keys to a few Amg's (sls, sls roadster, cls 63, e63 and of course the C63 in coupe and sedan form.) and then let you loose on the track. should make for an interesting day.

Anyways, money is not the factor here, it's more the fun factor not the last 10th at the track, what top gear calls the soul of the car, and when J.C. says it's an axe murderer with headlights, you can bet he's right with that one.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to count my 2010 cooper S so I guess that makes it 5.

Pics! Pics! Pics!

[flitcroft]

Interesting. I drove the C63 before buying the M3 and absolutely hated it. There's so much body roll and that plasticky, cheap interior with the pop-up navigation killed it for me.

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

Originally Posted by flitcroft

Interesting. I drove the C63 before buying the M3 and absolutely hated it. There's so much body roll and that plasticky, cheap interior with the pop-up navigation killed it for me.

The 2012's have fixed this. Interior quality has improved and the pop up nav is gone. They've also added camber to all four corners.

[e90m3_6MT]

Here they are, Don't have much pics of the 328 but again, probably the only shooting brake 3 series funny what some snow storms can do!

I especially like the one where I put the lotus in the rearview mirror, a true testament to the M3 handling even on such a tight technical track!

[persian54]

Originally Posted by rye m3

Slushbox
If you are comparing the payments, you're leasing and can't really afford it. Sounds like Mercedes is subvening the lease payments.

Sorry but this is a rather ignorant statement

[Edward]

Um, is that white one in the vid even a c63? looks narrow, no badges, doesn't even seem to have quad exhaust.....

And it's not a slush box. Pretty sure Mercedes finally put in a dual clutch.

And yes, the c class interior is a plastic graveyard

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

Originally Posted by Edward

Um, is that white one in the vid even a c63? looks narrow, no badges, doesn't even seem to have quad exhaust.....

And it's not a slush box. Pretty sure Mercedes finally put in a dual clutch.

And yes, the c class interior is a plastic graveyard

Nope, it's not a dual clutch. It's a single clutch with a wet clutch pack instead of a torque converter. It can do double de-clutching on downshifts, though. And the interior has been fixed, from what the reviews say. Also, you've got a point that first one isn't a C63. The exhaust doesn't even sound like a stock C63 and I don't see any badges.

[e90m3_6MT]

Originally Posted by Edward

Um, is that white one in the vid even a c63? looks narrow, no badges, doesn't even seem to have quad exhaust.....

the sound should confirm that for you, no c300 sounds like that! also don't forget it's a cold start. also look at the smoke from the exhaust you'll see there's pipes on both sides.
also a decatted c63 sound much more crazy than that.

Originally Posted by Edward

And it's not a slush box. Pretty sure Mercedes finally put in a dual clutch.

it's still not a true dual clutch like the M3, rather it's the 7 speed auto box where they have replaced the torque converter with a clutch pack. so it's sort of is a dual clutch but isn't.

Originally Posted by Edward

And yes, the c class interior is a plastic graveyard

the last one is a pre facelift interior, the first 2 are from the 2012 MY.
I fully agree the 2008-2011 were a plastic graveyard but the 2012, wow, just look at it. even has the leather dash on the second pic!

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

The exhaust note is nothing an Akra can't fix.

[karussell]

i configured one online and it came out to over $80K. along with weighing 2 tons and driving with a few on the autobahn here I don't think its worth it.

[JCtx]

Originally Posted by rye m3

Slushbox

Originally Posted by -=Hot|Ice=-

It's a single clutch with a wet clutch pack instead of a torque converter.

It's not a 'single clutch'; it's a regular planetary gear automatic transmission with a multiple wet clutch pack, just like motorcycles. But not a 'slushbox' indeed, due to the lack of a torque converter. IMHO, it's the best auto transmission in the market. More robust than DCTs, shifts almost as quickly (negligible difference), and more reliable.

[aw_330i]

I'm in the same boat as you right now. My M3 lease is up in March 2012, planning to give it back a bit early since i used too much km's.

The m3 will cost more than the C63 to lease on the same terms.

Anyway, i haven't decided on the next car as of yet but i did go test drive a C63 with performance package. First impression was, i love the seats! it hugged me like a glove. Secondly just starting it up i was really impressed with the sound and the last thing was the acceleration, wow its fast.

My sales offered me to go to West Palm Beach as well to test the amg cars there in Dec. so i'll be heading there to see if i really want a AMG car as my next car.