Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Coupe Black Series In Australia Mid-2012

C 63 AMG BLACK SERIES

Mercedes-Benz has turned the bonkers up to 11 this week with the international unveiling of the new flagship in the C-Class range: the 2012 C 63 AMG Coupe Black Series.

Like the CLK 63 AMG Black Series before it, the new Black is powered by AMG's 6.2 litre V8 engine. While the same heart beats in the 'regular' C 63 AMG Coupe, the Black gets a range of performance tweaks and a significant power boost.

With forged pistons, conrods and crankshaft,  along with a reprogrammed ECU and an oil cooler 50 percent larger than the regular unit, the C 63 AMG Black Series pumps out a huge 385kW and 620Nm of torque.

The Black's power figures put it well ahead of the regular Coupe's 336kW and 600Nm, and betters even the 358kW offered with the AMG Performance Package.

While the normal C 63 AMG Coupe will sprint to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds, the Black will get you there three-hundredths of a second quicker.

Power is sent to the rear wheels through AMG's SpeedShift seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, offering four driving modes - including Sport and Manual. There's also an electronically-controlled and ESP-linked limited-slip differential with three response settings.

Riding on 19-inch wheels, the C 63 AMG Black Series gets a 40mm wider track at the front and 70mm at the rear, along with adjustable sports suspension and stiffened anti-roll bars.

Braking is managed by 390mm discs and six-piston calipers at the front, and 360mm discs and four-piston calipers at the rear.

On the styling front - and thanks in part to the widened track - the Black coupe gets the usual race-inspired body tweaks. The flared guards and brake vents are the standout feature, along with a wider-open front bumper and a vented bonnet.

At the rear, there's a new vented rear bumper, along with a black diffuser and a unique quad-exhaust tip design.

Climb into the cabin and you'll find a two-person bucket seat layout with red belts, AMG's Nappa leather-trimmed sports steering wheel and piano-black highlights. (And, if you're hoping to cart the family around the Nurburgring, there's a four-seat option available.)

Australia

The 2012 C 63 AMG Black Series will hit European showrooms from January.

Speaking with TMR today, Mercedes-Benz Australia's Jerry Stamoulis confirmed a mid-2012 Australian debut, with pricing to be confirmed closer to launch.

If you can't wait until then, the 'regular' 2012 C 63 AMG Coupe and Sedan will hit the Australian market in September.