2019 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Sedan

You know there’s nothing quite like a Mercedes-AMG. And yes, cars like the GT-R are truly spectacular. But for us, things get even more interesting, when you start cramming all of that performance into a smaller package like this C63S sedan. So, let’s crank this little powerhouse up, and wring it out.

It really doesn’t take a whole lot of effort to talk us into spending a few days with any Mercedes-AMG. And, specifically, this racey 2019 C63 S Sedan.

It shares an updated exterior with the rest of the C-class family. That means changes to the front end’s grille and air intakes; as well to the rear, with a new diffuser wrapped around nicely integrated exhaust tips. 

But lest you think this is just the run-of-the-mill front and rear fascia nip and tuck, you should know that exterior lighting, a few interior details, and even the transmission, are also new.

Replacing the previous 7-speed automatic is a new AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 9-speed. In manual mode, shifters on the wheel give you total control; instantly triggering shifts when called for, and not until you do. 

Hell hath no fury like a boosted V8, and while there are no changes in that regard, we never get tired of talking about hand-assembled AMG power-providers. Here, it’s the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 503-horsepower and 516 lb-ft. of torque. It’s one great looking motor, and AMG is not afraid of actually letting you see their handiwork.

But of course driving an AMG is what really tells the tale. 

We can all appreciate updates and big horsepower numbers; but what truly stirs the automotive soul, is getting great feedback from a car, helping you carry on a man-machine conversation over the perfect winding road, or even better, a place like Roebling Road Raceway near Savannah, Georgia. 

No hardware updates to the suspension with the C63 S, but you don’t really need to worry about that too much these days anyway, as you can just dial up whatever experience you’re looking for with AMG Ride Control and Dynamics, which have been updated.  

For us, it was Race mode, dial back the traction control, and off we went. This is one big-power car that doesn’t need high speed sweepers to feel settled, it behaves just about perfectly no matter how tight or wide the turns are. 

All of the masterfully-integrated AMG systems will do the hard work for you, with traction control reigning you in without taking over. If your name is Hanz or Rudolf, it may come natural to you; but for us, it took a while to get used to, feeling almost clumsy at times. But once you convince yourself to just hammer the heck out of it, things start to make sense. This car just wants to be driven hard… and sideways. It’s easy to do it with confidence too, thanks to all of its techno feedback. It really is one incredibly solid car. 

Kudos to AMG for keeping it rear-wheel-drive and not insisting on 4MATIC; tire companies everywhere thank them also, though believe it or not, over three days the Michelin Pilot Sports held up incredibly well. 

Straight-line heroics are pretty impressive too.  Here, you have two options, engage launch control and get off the line with little to no wheel spin. Or just power brake it, get off the brake and launch even harder, modulating wheel slip on your own. Either way on this cold day, we saw 4.0-seconds flat to 60. 

Once it gets rolling, and you can feed in max power, this thing really takes off; with the automatic transmission banging through gears with speedy brutality. We finished out the ¼-mile in 11.9-seconds at 122 miles-per-hour.   

Not much time left to talk about the interior, but updates are minor. Comfortable, classy, you’ll love it. 

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 18-City, 27-Highway, and 21-Combined.

Starting at $75,595… pricey? Yes, but if you can manage with slightly less horsepower and a few less go-fast goodies, you can stick with a base C 63 for “only” $67,995. 

Granted, there is no shortage of performance machines available at this level, but none delivers quite like the 2019 Mercedes-AMG C63 S. And, it’s sedan practical to boot.  AMG has indeed managed to cram more performance than ever into this C-class shape, yet somehow make it even easier to drive. Extreme luxury has never felt so good.