- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
4.0TT, 8 cyl.
- Engine Power
375kW, 700Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (98) 10.4L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
5 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Mercedes-AMG C63 Track Test
There is no point in having power unless you can actually use it.
Sure, you can blast away from the traffic lights or belt along a twisty back country road and revel in the brutal performance of something like the latest Mercedes-AMG C63 S without risking your licence - and livelihood - too much.
But, without a highway network like Germany's Autobahn which has derestricted sections with no speed limit, owners of high-performance cars in Australia are hamstrung in how, and where, they can enjoy their machines.
So, it's little wonder that, against the backdrop of our congested - and heavily regulated - road network, driving enthusiasts are participating in track days across the country more often to find their need for speed.
Mercedes-AMG has long recognised that shift too, and offers its customers a huge array of courses, from basic driver training to expert coaching in its AMG GT GT3 race car, as well a host of unique driving experiences such as, in the past, track days at Mount Panorama following the Bathurst 12-Hour race, hot laps around the Albert Park circuit before the Australian Grand Prix and snow driving adventures at the Snow Farm outside of Queenstown in New Zealand.
With the latest C63 S, it has introduced two new elements that are designed to help drivers improve their skills even when they don't have a professional instructor in the passenger seat.
The first is a multi-stage traction control system that was first introduced on the flagship AMG GT R and directly derived from its GT3 race cars, while the other is a function within the infortainment system called AMG Track Pace which goes beyond being just a lap timer and adds live telemetry and downloadable data so drivers can review their on-track performance.
We've driven the updated C63 S on the road earlier this year, and came away impressed with its broader dynamic range and the upgraded presentation of its cabin where it remains the benchmark European muscle car. But, in testing the Track Pace app at Melbourne's Sandown Raceway, this is also our first opportunity to unleash the brutal performance of its 375kW/700Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 which is now hooked-up to a new nine-speed automatic.
In the first session, I concentrated on assessing the traction control system which can be accessed only when the stability control is deactivated. With that done, you can then choose between nine different stages via the rotary knob on the right-hand side of the steering wheel - one offering maximum traction under heavy acceleration to the wheel-spinning most-relaxed ninth setting.
It is really only when you're pushing hard that you recognise the variance through each step, as the C63 S' revised suspension settings - particularly with the adaptive suspension hunkered down tightly in Race mode - and grippy (and optional) Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres offer plenty of purchase when driven within its boundaries.
But, with 700Nm on tap from just 2000rpm, it doesn't take too much to break through the limit of adhesion. With the traction control set to one, the electronics intervene early to ensure it retains forward momentum and feels secure, but twist it a few notches further, to three or four, and it starts to relax with the back-end gently breaking sideways when you stomp on the throttle.
From there onwards, it becomes less and less intrusive and puts the onus back on the driver's skill to prevent it from snapping out - or worse, spinning in a cloud of tyre smoke. It's worth pointing out that this is just 'traction' control reigning in wheelspin from the rear tyres and not the full stability control system, so don't presume it will prevent the car from understeering or oversteering off the circuit.
But it does give drivers a progressive path in finding the limits of the car, and themselves.
In the second track session, I leave the TC system alone to focus on the Track Pace app. This can be accessed through the vehicle settings menu in the infotainment system.
Once activated, drivers can choose from a huge array of pre-loaded racetracks that have been mapped in the system, or, if it's not in there, set-up their own circuit during a warm-up lap, firstly setting a start-finish line and then indivdual sector markers, using the car's GPS system. It's so simple.
When up to speed, it's not distracting for the driver with too much information. Instead, the screen shows where the car is positioned on the circuit and a constant display of a delta to your fastest lap, or a datum lap, showing how many seconds slower or faster you are. As you cross each sector marker, it pauses for a few seconds, which allows drivers to comprehend whether a change in approach to a certain corner was beneficial, or not, and also does the same with the total lap time when you cross the finish line.
It's a smart and easy function to use, and a great tool to understand when and how your driving is improving on a track. There's also a Drag Race mode where you can set a certain speed or distance that records straight-line acceleration or deceleration under braking.
More than that though, when each session is finished the driver can pore through detailed data on the display screen with the vehicle recording more than 80 different parameters, including speed, brake and throttle traces, steering angle and gear changes, for each lap. When connected to a smartphone via the car's wifi link, and using the AMG Track Pace app, drivers can store the data to review and even use the camera to record video footage of each lap.
The app can automatically detect the most exciting moments from each session too and create a one-minute highlights video that can be shared on social media.
in the end, both new elements in the AMG C63 S are perfect companions to help amateur drivers improve their skill set on the track, and gradually get to experience the full potential of the beastly machine.