BMW M4 Competition Vs Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe

It’s a car you can’t help but look back at once parked; an automotive superhero, its tunic in danger of tearing apart under the strain of that rampant 503bhp and 516lb ft of torque (both unchanged from before), so very larger-than-life and all the better for it. In an age when we’re all nervously looking over our shoulders at fully electric performance cars with dizzying outputs and performance numbers but precious little in the way of identifiable soul, the C63 S is a beautiful, almost tragic anachronism, offering a thrill that feels illicit and indulgent – something to be savoured while we can.

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The new nine-speed ’box (the old one had a mere seven gears) uses the same wet clutch in place of a torque-converter, and frankly doesn’t appear to make a great deal of difference to the overall driving experience. I’m sure it aids economy – let’s face it, not this car’s strong point – but if you want manual control, as I very quickly yearn for, there are even more gears to choose from, which isn’t always helpful. You soon learn to forget about the top two or three in normal driving, for they are more like overdrive ratios to save fuel during a cruise. Let the V8 pull hard from low revs in a high gear, rejoicing in the relentless surge and demonic throb from the four tailpipes, and you can’t help but ponder if just four ratios would do the job, such is the spread of torque.

• W205 Mercedes-AMG C63 S saloon (2015-2022) review

As for the four-litre hot-V engine, it’s a continuing thing of fascination; I mean, just how does AMG fit a pair of turbochargers to a V8 and manage to retain almost all of the aural appeal and throttle response of its revered old naturally aspirated units? Apart from Ferrari’s freakily responsive V8 in the 488 Pista, no other manufacturer’s engine can match this cocktail of ability and personality.

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In its most relaxed setting the C63 S is effortless everyday transport, a quiet rumble from beyond the front bulkhead summoning instant overtaking muscle, and the ride quality reasonably relaxed. And what settings there are too. You see, that’s one of the other changes with this revised car: there are now six ‘AMG Dynamic Select’ drive modes (Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Race and Individual), but there are also four ‘AMG Dynamics’ modes (Basic, Advanced, Pro and Master) that tailor the ESP and torque vectoring. And, of course, the variable damping, engine response, gearbox and sports exhaust can all be configured individually too. Crikey. There’s undoubtedly a way of adding up all the differing permutations, but I don’t want to even go there.

Thankfully, part of this new package is a mode switch and some configurable buttons on the new AMG steering wheel, so you have more accessibility options beyond just diving into the main screens, plus you can assign favourite set-ups to the Individual mode. Talking of screens, the C63 S has the new fully digital cockpit, as seen on other new AMGs recently, with a raft of layout options and some very sharp graphics. Frankly, it’s so multi-layered that you just need to park up, switch the engine off, and study the possibilities for 20 minutes if you’re to properly understand how it all works. Is that a good thing? It depends whether you think the C63’s extraordinary adaptability to both roads and conditions and different driver abilities makes it a more capable machine, or that it is all unnecessary complication away from its core competencies. 

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