The C without roof, with fat 4.0 liters and pressure to drop off, is part of the largest model offensive that has ever been driven at AMG, pardon, Mercedes-AMG. And it is the sinful temptation to combine a pleasure-mobile with the heart of a racer. A driving report from the first exit, between Trieste and Slovenian no man's land.
The C63s Cabriolet of Mercedes-AMG in the first driving report
Nice beast
Bucket seats in the Cabriolet. Sounds like ice cream in a plastic dispenser. But if you have the Hot-V unit under the hood, you should be armed because it is simply better. In the C-Class Cabriolet from the Affalterbacher Donnerschmiede, the stranglehold seat shells are combined with the belt feeder. A belt feeder like this makes sense for convertibles and coupes. The far recessed B-pillar would otherwise only allow the strap to degenerate into work. And if you drive a convertible, you want to enjoy it right now - not work. In the case of the C63s Cabriolet, you can enjoy the work of the V8 bi-turbo engine. Together with the 7-speed sports transmission (Yes. Of course it's automatic!) the 510 HP engine knows an impressive range of expressions of will. Bubbling quietly and - what is actually the increase of - Pushing confidently to roaring loudly and subjecting the crew to the G-forces in the angry drums of the 90 ° ignition angle.
Nobody needs the 510 PS in the convertible
Lied. Because if you feel committed to the convincing lateral and longitudinal dynamics and at the same time want to treat yourself to the full pinch of open-air feeling, you cannot avoid the new C63s Cabriolet. V8 bi-turbo and convertible feeling? Unique in this class. The AMG cure also enhances the look of the convertible to an almost erotic level. Wide track, massive wheel arches - the Cabriolet grows massively in width both at the front and rear. The front is 6.4 centimeters wider, the back is 6.6 centimeters. The s version of the C63 variant rolls in series on 19-inch rims with a width of 9 inches at the front and 10.5 inches at the rear. The track of the rear axle is 2.5 centimeters wider compared to the basic models. A completely own rear axle construction (as with the coupé) takes responsibility for the massive appearance and the porn-like look.
And so is just the AMG version of the convertible in an optical dominance on the road, that you should certainly have a healthy self-confidence as a driver, before parking in front of the ice cream parlor.
Also open a real AMG
The V8 is one of the engines that are assembled by hand in Affalterbach. And that's good. While AMG also operates a complex differentiation between the two C63 models - one (C63) has a brake system with a diameter of 360 mm on the front axle and the other (C63s) has a 390 mm disc, and one (C63) has a purely mechanical rear axle differential and the other (C63s) an electronically controlled one (C63) rolls in series on 18-inch and the other (C63s) on 19-inch - so real and authentic are their AMG genes. Open at the top, sideways and drifting over the racetrack with smoking tires? Of course, this is also possible in the convertible. Honest feedback from the front axle, a precision that you don't need when cruising. Almost a dose too much of everything. Too much power to stroll around. A chassis with immense reserves. The precision of a scalpel for the everyday life of a butter knife.
Dynamics at the touch of a button
The fact that you feel obligated to sport at the touch of a button is a good thing today. Even the C-Class Cabriolet in AMG dress do not go from these ambitions. In contrast to the normal brothers, the AMG variants have no air suspension option, but adaptive dampers are still on board. And a focus on the dynamics of the Dynamic Select driving programs. The race mode sharpens the throttle response, shortens the switching times to a minimum and opens the exhaust flaps for the martial sound thunderstorm of the eight-cylinder. It also loosens the lines of the ESP system and allows for gentle drift angles.
Comfort mode is right for everyday use. There remains a solid level of residual spring comfort, seniors are not scared to death by the overrun babbling and snoting of the V8 and the dynamic engine mounts play the comfort number. You can feel that you are in the hottest convertible of modern times - almost- only at the incredibly smooth thrust at the lowest speeds.
Performance Master with fabric top
Two things do not match. The 4.1 seconds at 100 km / h and the 20 seconds for the soft top. Because that can officially open only to Tempo 50. So if you want to open the roof with pleasure and you will be surprised by a green phase at the traffic light, you should not be thundering by kickdown to the next traffic light. Apart from this sprint scenario, the 20 seconds for the three-ply soft top are fast enough, the 50 km / h limit in everyday life fast enough.
Airscarf: problem solved
Who didn't notice. Mercedes has solved the “all of a sudden” Airscarf problem in silence, tells the press nothing about the solution and only announces that it will be able to continue producing Airscarf as usual. Although this problem does not affect the inclined AMG buyer anyway, here you have to do without the neck blow dryer due to the clamping stick seats.
Conclusion: winner after PS and pleasure factor
On the upwardly open scale of sudden “have-wills” automobiles, the C63s Cabriolet nests straight away in a pole position. Pointless, because open is never as fast as the coupé anyway and painfully expensive for simply “open-top driving fun”, the combination of performance and convertible pleasure nevertheless triggers a center in the brain area that is responsible for the immediate release of endorphins. Everything done right. Again.