AMG

2012 Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster

Vehicle: 2012 Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster with B&O sound system, AMG CF exterior and interior trims
Price as tested: CDN$232500

Performance: Remove the Gullwings, Mercedes has beautify the SLS with its a gorgeous ragtop with only added 40 kg to coupe’s curb weight. Given all the additional stiffness needs to add to roadster’s body rigidity, this kind of weight addition on top of the porky weight has to be considered quite amusing by today’s standard. On top of that, roadster still using coupe’s 6.3 liter DOHC 32-valve V8 with a whopping 563 stallion and 479 lb/ft of torque. Having this kind of power is nothing short of amazing by anyone’s standard. Stomp onto SLS’s heavy Mercedes-esque electronic throttle, it takes off like a rocketship with 479 lb/ft of torque. On top of that, along with advanced technology like variable valve timing ensure strong middle to top-end performance. SLS also comes with a handy 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox which works like a champ. Not only does the paddle shifters work, regardless of gears. It has exceptional gear ratios which mated with this AMG powertrain extremely well. Add to the fact that it shifts crisply and smoothly, as any gearbox we expect from the land of Stuggart.

Handling: The main reason for SLS AMG handles so well begins with its near perfect rear-wheel-drive weight distribution. With its front midship engne layout creates close to 50/50 perfect weight distribution, along with a world-class chassis rigidity and superb suspension geometry. It doesn’t come as a surprise SLS AMG handles like a diggin’, both on the track or begging for open roads. The suspension has been calibrated with a sense of suppleness without feeling too bouncy, as it absorbs all the bumps and roughness exceptionally well. The biggest dividend paid by the stiffened roadster body shell, however, its the completely lack of any cowl shakes usually associate with driving a convertible. Even when driven hard over railroad track or expansion joints, SLS roadster remains planted and solid as a rock. While steering still has some usual Mercedes off-center numbness, its already far improved over all the Mercedes steering racks we used to drive. Both the steering response and feedback are on par with anything in exotic car class. Put the AMG Drive Select unit into “Sport” mode, its able to transform SLS from a really good sports car into a great car, by enhancing its suspension to steering to firmer setting. The beauty is none of them have sacificed Mercedes’s usual comfort. The change of setting also change ESP’s instrusiveness to higher degree by allowing some oversteer when throwing it throuugh a corner on a racetrack. Wrap things up, there are minimal body rolls while under to oversteer are well-tempted by all those state-of-the-art technologies.

Brakes: With large 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, SLS stops as well as any world-class sports cars. The stopping distance is short, while pedal feels solid and crisp. ABS doesn’t step in unnecessarily is truly an added bonus.

Interior: With the roadster, you won’t need to deal with coupe’s annoying Gullwings. Latter has driven me nuts when its time to close and get into the vehicle. Roadster’s conventional doors make getting in and out much easier. However, roadster’s downside is making SLS’s already tiny trunk even smalller. You better perpare on what to bring on, even a short weekend getaway, because there aren’t much else can fit into this comical trunk.

On top of that, its the same interior as its coupe silibing. That means it looks too much like an E-Class without any exclusivity. Another problem is the annoying navigation system, which is far from anything initutive. On the flip side, instrumentation gauges are clear and analog, while those sports cars are awesomely comfortable.

Conclusion: So, at the end of the day, would I choose an SLS coupe or roadster? I would take this roadster in a heartbeat, simply because it offers none of coupe’s annoying trait while retaining its performance prowess. What really seals the deal for me, is how it handles and stunning looks. Those are enough to justify the premium over its Gullwing silibing.

Competitions:
Audi R8 V10
Ferrari 458
Porsche 911 Turbo S

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2012 Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster
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Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2/5
Value-for-money: 4/5

Overall rating: 4/5

2012 Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe

Vehicle: 2012 Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe with AMG Performance Pkg Plus and Premium Pkg
Price as tested: CDN$78100

Performance: The only thing this beast has in common with the original C-Coupe is the name itself. Its a radically different ride from what you have seen in an entry-level Mercedes coupe.

It all begins with hand-built AMG 6.3 liter DOHC 32-valve V8, which has advanced technologies right from variable valve timing to electronic throttle add to the mix to sweeten the pot. Given Mercedes AMG’s sweet engineering prowess on producing wonderful engines over the years, this V8 is certainly no exception. It all begins with 451 stallion for the healthy middle to upper ranges while 371 lb/ft of torque serves down below. It all does with engine note that has to be judged as one of the most entertaining in the industry. When launch the C63 AMG with Mercedes-esque heavy throttle, this compact coupe launched like a rocket without breaking a sweat. All you need to worry about is driver’s licence, as it would bring this hefty 1730kg Mercedes coupe to 100 km/h in about 4.5 seconds. Mated with this sweet powertrain is the equally compelling 7-speed Shiftshift, as in Mercedes’s equation for dual-clutch variety. Once again, the engineering has been very exceptionally done. Its able to heel-and-toe when driven up and downshifting, with a proper paddle shifters to override at any given gears. The ratios are perfectly matched to this beast’s performance characteristics, while 7th gear is tall enough to suit Mercedes’s well-honed cruising personality. If there is one drawback, it has to be the fuel economy. We had no less than 20L/100km during full throttle the whole day, with average of both city and highway driving.

Handling: Our C63 comes with the optional rear center differential, with ensures more stable and sharper turn-in when given it full exercise when beckoning the open roads and opening it up on the racetrack. Combined with C-Class’s world-class chassis engineering, which means excellently calibrated suspension and delicate damping of the springs. The result is a C-Coupe which is not only able to compete with anything else in its class. Its able to compete with anything above. That’s a rarity in Mercedes AMG’s underwhelming dynamic capabilities in the past. While the ride is firm and supple, it doesn’t punish the occupants like many harsh sports cars do. All have done with the usual Mercedes elegance, which is worthy of the tri-star emblem on the hood. Meanwhile, its ESP is uninstrusive enough as a Mercedes AMG. What is the most surprisingly fact is how delicate and responsive C63′s steering during off-center. I have never been a huge fans of Mercedes steering racks. But this is a dead giveway that Mercedes steering dynamics is improved significantly. The steering feel is prompt, responsive, delicate and provide great feedback to the driver. Wrapping up the whole dynamic equation is exceptional body motion control and minimal understeer before encounter oversteer. Its rear-drive near perfect weight distribution really paid dividend in this C-Coupe. My only wish for the availability of Mercedes 4-Matic AWD in anything AMG, is most drivers won’t have the skills they need to control such high-powered beast.

Brakes: With large 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, C63′s stopping distance and feel are world-class. The stopping distance is short, while pedal always feels firm and well-modulated. It doesn’t feel fade-free after lots of harsh stops, while ABS doesn’t step in unnecessarily.

Interior: Its best to leave C-Coupe as a 2-seater as rear seats are PITA to get into, despite its electronic front passenger seat assistance. Its lack of proper headroom and legroom pretty much give this away.

On the other hand, the use of materials on both dashboard and door panels are of very high-quality textures. There are plenty of soft-touch plastic with improved layout on the front. As with all Mercedes, it has one of the coolest radio graphic with its infotainment system. The AMG leather sports seats just plain scream ultimate in support and comfort while playing with the C-Coupe.

Conclusion: The wider fender flares and larger wheels have given C-Coupe more road presence than its rather bland base car. That’s about wrapping up this awesome C63 AMG. C-Coupe used to stand for cheap, slow and ugly. This C63 AMG changes everything with attitude. What seals the deal for me is the price. Even with our tester comes with the most necessary option packages, it remains very competitively priced. When you factor in both performance and handling, with the cachet of AMG, it represents one heck of a bang-for-the-buck.

Competitions:
Audi RS5
BMW M3
Cadillac CTS-V

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2012 Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe
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Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-for-money: 5/5

Overall rating: 5/5

2008 Mercedes C63 AMG

Vehicle: 2008 Mercedes C63 AMG with Premium Pkg and Navigation Pkg
Price as tested: CDN$69500

Handling: We already impressed enough with standard C-Class’s dynamic abilities, especially in Sport guise. Give AMG engineers a twist and they really transformed the garden-variety C-Class into a monster. As with all Mercedes, the foundation is already soild and stiff enough. AMG engineers have recalibrated the sports suspension and springs for them to hold onto the the monsterous V8, which we will tell you later on. The result is a performance sedan that Mercedes has never gone before. Previous AMGs are rocketship on straight line but got handful on black top twisties, save the CLS and CLK63 Black Series. This C63 is as capable as anything from Audi’s RS and BMW’s Motorsport division. The steering is sharp and precise, with plenty of feedback both on and off-center. However, there is one dynamic trait that is typical of Mercedes remains intact. That’s the slightly numb off-center during high cruising speed. Its a godsent from AMG to offer 3 different threshold of ESP. The highest setting is the most instrusive one, which is highly recommend for daily driving. Even if its the highest setting, its already less intrusive than all the Mercedes ESP has come before. The 2nd threshold is the setting that allow a bit of instrusiveness when the car rears its ugly heads. This is best for those who haven’t got used to its monsterous horses when first experienced on track. The lowest setting means no matter how hard an enthuisast wants to press this AMG, it won’t step in. All come down to the driving skill of the driver. This system’s desired effect is to give the driver total control over how much understeer and oversteer they want when pushing on track. Speaking on track driving, this C63 is truly a blast-to-drive. With near perfect 50/50 rear-drive weight distribution, it creates a balanced drive that is equally forgiving as entertaining. Thanks to the adaptive damping which adjusts to all driving situation, this supersedan’s ride is firm but far from harsh. It also dials out 99% of all body rolls. That explains its flat cornering through the turns on the racetrack.

Performance: This 6.3 liter “one man one engine” AMG 32-valve DOHC V8 slots into a sedan that weights in at near 4000 lb has created a monster. The throttle response is amazing. Its level of acceleration can easily broken your neck when not used to the little instant response of the throttle. Its engine note is Teutonic-like solid all around the rev range. Engine refinement, smoothness and NVH are all up to Mercedes’s standards. Certainly, its 443 lb/ft of torque at 5000rpm explains how great its bottom end. While its breathtaking 451 hp would make its top end breathing endlessly. Without an excellent transmission, everything else would be wasted. Thanks to AMG’s 7-speed Speedshift gearbox with paddle shifters, its gear ratios are perfect for C63′s sporty character without losing the cruising ability while on top gears. The 0 to 100 km/h time of 4.5 seconds really explain how this compact Mercedes can outrun anything with a sports car monikor, with practicality to boot.

Brakes: With large 4-wheel discs and ABS, C63′s braking prowess is nothing short of astounishing. The stopping distance is short while pedal feels alive even after a couple of hard stops. It doesn’t have any fades after all those hot laps and aggressive braking on the racetrack. Impressive indeed.

Interior: The single biggest highlight are those bolstered AMG sports seats. The supports are superb when you are really going at it in the corners. Plenty of side, back and thigh supports. They are all covered with nice cowhides, which are supple and soft. The rest of the interior is typical C-Class layout. Great set of white dial instrumentation gauges, excellent auto climate control and tasteful use of aluminum trim.

Conclusion: The new C63 is a truly impressive piece of engineering marvels. It got a great powertrain, handles wonderfully and a nice interior to boot. When you factor in the fully loaded price of just below $70 grand, its also bang-for-the-buck. This is a supersedan that appeals to both rational and emotional side of the equation. The best buy of all supersedan, regardless of price, nevertheless.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2008 Mercedes C63 AMG
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Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4.5/5
Value-for-money: 5/5

Overall rating: 5/5

2009 Mercedes CLS63 AMG

Vehicle: 2009 Mercedes CLS63 AMG with AMG Performance Pkg and Premium Pkg
Price as tested: CDN$142900

Performance: Performance rocketship is the best description of this Mercedes. Instead of using the blower in the pre-facelifted CLS55, AMG has upped the ante with this normally aspirated V8 DOHC 32-valve powertrain. The result is a even silkier ride than the one it replaces. A whooping 504 horses put through the pavement is something that is hard to describe. It lauches like a missile on rail. With 504 horses serving the ultra eager top end of the rev range, 465 lb/ft of torque is astounishing when it comes to bottom end acceleration. It all comes in a package that doesn’t short of refinement one expects from a Mercedes-Benz. Not to mention the wonderful Teutonic engine note that is a true music to the ears. AMG’s 7-Gronic manumatic is equally capable, as with AMG Speedshift enhancement really gives this car a huge boost when it comes to redline up and downshifting. In garden-variety Mercedes, say a CLS550, Mercedes has protected it shifting program to discourage of aggressive shifting pattern. With the AMG enhancement, its even more eager and willing to shifts for better responsivenss and acceleration. A truly breathtaking ride indeed.

Handling: AMG is a performance division that not only does “one man one engine” awesomely, they also create some of the best driving beasts in the world. While the previous AMGs have a tendency for overpowering itself, especially when it comes to the instrusiveness of its electroic stability control. They have tempted the CLS’s chassis for less instrusiveness of its ESP, on the other hand, have made it more capable than all the AMG sedans have gone before. Even if the ESP remains an instrusive variety when it comes to performance sedan, it certainly doesn’t step in as eagerly as its CLS55 or C32 predecessors. When it comes to driving dynamics, CLS has always been regarded as one of the best handling Mercedes sedans ever. CLS63 is no exception. The steering is firm and provide great road feel, despite of Mercedes’s typical somwhat dead on-center feel on highway speed. It is a very balanced car thanks to its close to perfect 50/50 rear-drive chassis. Body rolls are superb consider its an over 4200 lb sports sedan. Even with its ESP’s design stance, you can still have a bit of oversteer when pushed. Its semi-active air suspension with adaptive damping system provides surefootness, entertaining handling without sacificing the supple ride quality typical of a Mercedes. Even if an enthuisast sets it into sport mode, it doesn’t have the bone-jarring ride which we usually associate with a sports car. That’s the beauty of German engineering.

Brakes: With huge 4-wheel discs and ABS, CLS’s pedal feel and modulation are nothing short of amazing. The stopping distance and pedal bite are simply world-class.

Interior: Inside the CLS, it better have every toys you possibly wanted including a microwave. The materials and fit-and-finish are first-rate. The use of carbon fiber trim has made the usually boring Mercedes interior a break from the mood. Leather sports seats provide plenty of thigh and side supports, while they are firm enough for a long trip.

The limitations of being a 4-seaters and headroom are possibly the only drawbacks. If you want a more sensible sports sedan riding on the same chassis, E63 is the one to go.

Conclusion: The CLS continues to impress us with its sleek and entertaining dynamic package. Even if Mercedes has opened up a can of worm for debating whether its a sports coupe or sports sedan, its concept is good enough for others to follow. With this CLS63, it remains a performance car that is hard to beat.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2009 Mercedes CLS63 AMG
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Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-for-money: 4/5

Overall rating: 4.5/5

2002 Mercedes-Benz C32 AMG

Short review of 2002 Mercedes C32 AMG
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Amazing, wonderful, great, almost perfect are descriptions I can think of this beast. 3.2L Kompressor engine and stiffer suspension tuned by the genius at AMG, along with the comfortable and supportive bucket seats. With this kind of dynamic qualities, I don’t even give the cheap interior a dim. The only thing I dislike this AMG C-Class is I can’t afford one.

Overall rating: 5/5