Skip advert
Advertisement

Mercedes-AMG C63 (W205, 2015 - 2023) – design

Proportions of the C63 Saloon aren't quite as neat as before, but the Estate and Coupé are more appealing

Evo rating
RRP
from £60,460
  • Fast and sounds great
  • Ride is firm and engine isn't as characterful as the W204 C63's

The Saloon’s styling is possibly less successful than the interior. The front is fine, but the designers seem to have only worked as far back as the B-pillars. Viewed from front or rear three-quarters the rear arches look in need of a good meal or three, while in profile the saloon just looks plain weird, with a long bonnet and a disproportionately short rear.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The small boot spoiler is the saving grace because despite being more of a gurney flap, the way it fluidly rises up at the edges is beautifully sculptural. The answer to the saloon conundrum presents itself in the form of the estate, which I hop into the following morning. For an extra £1200 you can have not only an extra 55 litres of luggage space (1075 litres extra with the rear seats folded) but a much more handsome machine to boot (if you’ll pardon the pun).

> Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance 2024 review – Affalterbach's BMW M3 rival misses the mark

As for the Coupé, it certainly looks ready to rumble as only the roof, doors and boot lid of the AMG are borrowed from the standard C-class Coupé. Its extravagantly flared wheel arches (64mm wider at the front, 66mm at the rear) transform its stance and presence from that of a rather svelte and elegant small coupe into a real thug. A few years ago AMG could have stuck a Black Series badge on the tail, it’s that pumped and aggressive.

Things are just as serious beneath the bodywork. Most obvious are the wider wheels and tyres (255 section fronts, 285 rears), but there’s significant structural reinforcement to better contain the lateral and longitudinal forces generated during maximum cornering, braking and acceleration. AMG has also gone to town on the suspension, most notably the rear, which features an all-new multi-link axle, which combines a wider track for greater wheel control and increased camber change.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Best used sports cars – proper performance cars for less than a new Golf GTI
Cheap sports cars
Best cars

Best used sports cars – proper performance cars for less than a new Golf GTI

With the sun shining and fuel prices palatable, now is the time to indulge your used sports car desires
1 Jul 2025
New 2026 Ferrari Amalfi revealed – physical buttons return in the 631bhp Roma replacement
Ferrari Amalfi front
News

New 2026 Ferrari Amalfi revealed – physical buttons return in the 631bhp Roma replacement

The Ferrari Amalfi picks up where the Roma left off, as a more capable, debugged super GT that’s finally brought back buttons
1 Jul 2025
VW Golf GTI Clubsport for £6k off – Akrapovic exhaust effectively thrown in free
Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport deal
News

VW Golf GTI Clubsport for £6k off – Akrapovic exhaust effectively thrown in free

The Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport in Mk8.5 guise makes for a tempting prospect at the right price
3 Jul 2025