The new Mercedes-AMG C 63 Cabriolet combines an intensive open-air ambience with the AMG 4.0-litre V8 engine to create an exhilarating performance experience. The biturbo engine developed in Affalterbach is available in two output ratings with 350 kW or 375 kW and provides performance on a par with a sports car. Flared wheel arches at the front and rear, the wide track and the large wheels underscore the powerful looks. The agile longitudinal and lateral dynamics come courtesy of the sophisticated AMG RIDE CONTROL suspension with adaptive adjustable damping, as well as the rear-axle limited-slip differential.
Performance-oriented automotive enthusiasts can enjoy the largest selection in the market segment with the Mercedes-AMG C-Class: it is now available in a number of versions as Sedan, Estate, Coupé and Cabriolet; with a choice of V6 biturbo engine and all-wheel drive or V8 biturbo engine in two output ratings, rear-wheel drive and rear-axle limited-slip differential.
“The C-Class is a decisive factor in our company’s success. The new combination of intensive open-air ambience and powerful V8 engine is unique in the segment and perfectly supplements our large C-Class range”, says Florian Seidler, Co-CEO Mercedes-Benz South Africa and Executive Director, Mercedes-Benz Cars.
Extensive know-how from motorsport and the passion of the AMG engineers, designers and product managers form the basis for the emotive driving experience with the new performance Cabriolet.
Unique offering in the segment with V8 biturbo engine
In its competitive field the new C 63 Cabriolet is exceptional in every respect, being the only vehicle in the segment to boast an 8-cylinder biturbo engine. Mercedes-AMG thus meets the wishes of those customers who desire a combination of a highly emotive, unmistakable engine sound and torquey power delivery. The driver also benefits from the unrivalled performance: the C 63 S Cabriolet accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds, the C 63 Cabriolet in 4.2 seconds. The top speed is 250 km/h (electronically limited; 280 km/h with AMG Driver’s package).
The models at a glance:
Mercedes-AMG
C 63 S Cabriolet
Mercedes-AMG
C 63 Cabriolet
Displacement
3982 cc
3982 cc
Output
375 kW
at 5500-6250 r/min
350 kW
at 5500-6250 r/min
Peak torque
700 Nm
at 1750-4500 r/min
650 Nm
at 1750-4500 r/min
Fuel consumption
urban/extra-urban/combined
12.0/7.2/8.9 l/100 km
12.0/7.2/8.9 l/100 km
CO2 emissions – combined
218 g/km
218 g/km
Kerb weight (according to DIN/EC)
1850 kg/1925 kg*
1835 kg/1910 kg*
Acceleration
0-100 km/h
4.1 sec
4.2 sec
Top speed
250 km/h**
250 km/h**
- DIN ready-to-drive condition (fuel tank 90% full) / EC ready-to-drive condition (fuel tank 90% full, with driver (68 kg) and luggage (7 kg)); ** electronically limited; with AMG Driver’s package 280 km/h
Drive system: 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine and SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission
V8 biturbo engine with hot inside V
The 4.0-litre eight-cylinder biturbocharged engine is already used in the C 63 Sedan, Estate and Coupé. It is also installed in the GT sports car with dry sump lubrication. A characteristic feature is that the two turbochargers are positioned not on the outside of the cylinder banks, but between them in the “V” – experts call this the “hot inside V”.
The main advantages of this design are the compact engine construction, optimal response and low exhaust gas emissions. The ‘hot inside V’ also optimises the supply of fresh air to both exhaust gas turbochargers. Electronically controlled blow-off valves ensure a very immediate and direct response. The maximum charge pressure in the C 63 S Cabriolet is 1.2 bar, and in the C 63 Cabriolet 1.1 bar. The turbochargers reach a maximum rotational speed of 186,000 r/min.
Direct injection with spray-guided combustion
A combination of biturbocharging and direct petrol injection with spray-guided combustion increases thermodynamic efficiency, thereby reducing fuel consumption and exhaust gas emissions. Particularly fast and precise piezo injectors spray the fuel at high pressure into eight combustion chambers. Multiple injection occurs on-demand, ensuring a homogeneous fuel/air mixture. The delivery of fuel is electronically controlled and fully variable for a fuel pressure between 100 and 200 bar.
Cylinder bore liners featuring NANOSLIDE® technology
The aluminium crankcase is produced using sand casting technology and features a closed-deck design. This ensures extreme strength while keeping the weight as low as possible, and allows high injection pressures of up to 140 bar. The NANOSLIDE® coating of the cylinder liners is also used in the Formula One engines of MERCEDES-AMG PETRONAS. It is twice as hard as conventional cast iron cylinder liners and therefore wear-resistant, and at the same time also reduces friction, thereby contributing to higher efficiency.
‘Spectacle honing’ is another measure to reduce friction and therefore consumption: in this complex process, the cylinder liners receive their mechanical surface treatment when already bolted in place. A jig resembling spectacles is bolted to the crankcase in place of the cylinder head mounted later. Any cylinder warpage that might occur during final assembly is therefore taken into account or eliminated as the cylinder liners are honed. This has advantages in terms of both durability and oil consumption.
Cylinder heads with zirconium alloy
The cylinder heads in the AMG 4.0-litre, V8 biturbo engine are made of a zirconium alloy for maximum temperature resistance and thermal conductivity. Four overhead camshafts control a total of 32 valves. Camshaft adjustment on the inlet and outlet side enables an excellent response and optimises the gas cycle for each operating point. Optimised valve springs and the low-friction valve gear with cam followers deliver further fuel savings.
In addition, forged aluminium pistons featuring a lightweight design and high strength are used. A low-friction piston ring package reduces fuel and oil consumption.
Efficient cooling of charge air, water and engine oil
For optimum power output even when outside temperatures are high,
Mercedes-AMG uses indirect air/water intercooling. With optimum air and water flow, the intercoolers have a separate, two-stage low-temperature water circuit. The water-flow intercoolers ensure that the charge air compressed and heated to up to 140 degrees Celsius by the turbochargers is effectively cooled before entering the combustion chambers, and remains at a constant, low level of max. 25 degrees Celsius above the ambient temperature even under full load. A large radiator at the car’s front end ensures controlled cooling of the water circulating in the low-temperature circuit. Extremely short charge-air ducting makes for optimum responsiveness.
The engine coolant is cooled on the particularly effective cross-flow principle, featuring two high-temperature radiators connected in parallel and a particularly efficient 1 kilowatt suction fan.
Since the water pump is driven by the timing chain, a simpler belt drive system with lower tension force is used. The advantage: less loss of drive power. With a rated flow of 420 litres, the water pump conveys the equivalent of more than two full bathtubs per minute.
An external engine oil cooler in the front apron helps to provide proper thermal management for the V8 engine. It is located in the front apron for aerodynamic efficiency. A two-stage, controlled oil pump circulates the engine oil. This varies the flow rate depending on load and engine speed requirement, thereby benefiting fuel economy. At high engine speeds more than 1.0 litre of engine oil per second flows through the oil lines and ducts. To save on weight, numerous oil and water lines are made of aluminium.
C 63 S with dynamic engine mounts as standard
Unique in its segment, the C 63 S Cabriolet – like the Saloon, Estate and Coupé – is equipped with dynamic engine mounts. These help to further resolve the conflicting aims of comfort and dynamic performance. These dynamic mounts are very quickly and variably able to adapt their stiffness to the driving conditions and requirements. Soft engine mounts improve comfort, as they provide more effective decoupling of noise and vibration. However, handling and agility benefit from a generally stiffer mount set-up. These measures enhance the vehicle’s precision when driven dynamically. For example, the steering response and feedback are even more direct.
“One Man ‑ One Engine”: a tradition of hand-built excellence
The biturbo eight-cylinder engine of the C 63 Cabriolet is fitted by hand in the hand-finishing section of AMG’s production plant in Affalterbach based on the “One Man – One Engine” philosophy. This means that each engine is assembled by a highly qualified technician who applies the strictest quality standards. This technician is responsible for everything from installing the crankshaft in the engine block and assembling the camshafts to wiring the engine and filling it with engine oil ‑ as clearly evidenced by the signature on the AMG engine badge.
Electronic documentation of the entire production process
During the assembly process, each engine undergoes a series of tests in which it is examined for oil and water leaks. The entire fuel system is likewise checked for leaks ‑ to the extent that even individual gas molecules can be detected. All the engine functions are then examined on the “cold-test bench” using simulated resistances and pressurisation as well as the very latest resonance and airborne noise measurement methods. And finally a fully automatic image processing system is used to check the delivery condition of the completed engine.
In addition to this, the assembly process is controlled and documented by the AMG Trace System. This system allows full documentation of various process parameters such as the tightening torques, angles and curves of all bolted connections, fluid levels, component and batch information, and test results.
Faster gearshifts: the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission
The transmission plays a major part in the direct and sporty character of the new Mercedes-AMG C 63 Cabriolet. The AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission impresses with its pronounced dynamics and high variability. Whether automatic or initiated by the driver using the steering wheel shift paddles, upshifts and downshifts are executed quickly and immediately. This is achieved by specifically adjusting the engine and transmission parameters. Furthermore, the aluminium shift paddles are now able to transmit the driver’s commands to change gears even faster. The tangible driving dynamics are thus enhanced further.
AMG DYNAMIC SELECT transmission modes
The driver is able to influence the characteristics of the C 63 with four different AMG DYNAMIC SELECT transmission modes. The driver decides on the desired driving experience, from comfortable to super-sporty, using a controller to the left of the touchpad.
“Comfort” is the well-balanced transmission mode with a comfort-oriented suspension and steering set-up, as well as a fuel-efficient powertrain configuration – including smooth gearshifts and a discreet engine note.
The “sailing function” ensures a further reduction in fuel consumption: when the driver releases the accelerator in a speed range between 60 and 160 km/h, the clutch of the MCT transmission is disengaged and the engine is decoupled from the powertrain. The electronics reduce the engine speed to idle level, and the driving resistance is reduced by the compression and frictional forces of the engine in overrun mode.
“Sport” transmission mode is characterised by agile response to accelerator pedal input, shortened shift times and earlier downshifts. Gear changes are made significantly more emotionally appealing thanks to a double-declutching function when downshifting. On top of this, the steering and suspension feature more dynamic tuning. The experience becomes even more dynamic in “Sport Plus” mode. Numerous parameters are sharpened further here, from the highly agile throttle response and the acoustically more powerful double-declutching function, through to targeted torque control during upshifts with cylinder deactivation. The higher idle speed enables lightning-fast moving off. Suspension and steering are equally tuned for an even faster response. In addition, the exhaust system sound is more emotional.
The C 63 S has an additional “RACE” transmission mode. It is the optimal setting for tackling some ambitious laps on a closed-off race track. Here the drivetrain reacts extremely spontaneously and the ESP® switches to Sport Handling mode. In “Individual” transmission mode the driver can individually adjust the response of the drive system, suspension, transmission, exhaust system and ESP®.
Model-specific suspension for maximum driving dynamics
The fascinating agility and high cornering speed of the C 63 Cabriolet are also thanks to the standard-fit AMG RIDE CONTROL suspension with adaptive adjustable damping. This combines a sporty with a comfortable set-up. The driver can select the three suspension settings “Comfort”, “Sport” and “Sport Plus” via a button in the centre console. Whatever the setting, each wheel is individually electronically controlled automatically.
A four-link front suspension with radial, racing-style brake connections is used. Model-specific steering knuckles and a wider track enable greater lateral acceleration.
The rear axle is completely newly developed for the cabriolet and the multi-link concept ensures highly precise wheel control and increased stiffness. The AMG-specific rear axle carrier makes the wider track possible, with the contact surfaces of the wheels moved out by another 25 millimetres compared with the Saloon and Estate. Other innovations include AMG-specific wheel carriers, stiffer elastokinematic tuning and higher negative camber.
As standard the C 63 Cabriolet is shod with 10-spoke light-alloy wheels in size 9.0 J x 18 (front) and 10.5 J x 18 (rear) with rims painted in titanium grey with a high-sheen finish and tyres in size 255/40 R 18 (front) and 285/35 R 18 (rear). The C 63 S Cabriolet runs on tyres in sizes 255/35 R 19 (front) and 285/30 R 19 (rear) mounted on 9.0 J x 19 (front) and 10.5 J x 19 (rear) 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels, painted in titanium grey with a high-sheen finish.
Other tyre/wheel combinations are optionally available. These include mixed-size tyres with forged cross-spoke wheels, painted in matt black with a high-sheen rim flange. The front axle features tyres in size 255/35 R 19 on 9.0 J x 19 wheels. The rear axle is fitted with tyres in size 285/30 R 20 on 10.5 J x 20 wheels.
Rear-axle limited-slip differential: optimal traction, including on the race track
For improved traction and vehicle dynamics, the C 63 Cabriolet is provided with a mechanical rear-axle limited-slip differential, while the C 63 S Cabriolet comes with an electronically controlled version. Both differentials reduce the slip on the inside wheel when cornering, without control interventions in the braking system. The advantage: allows the driver to accelerate out of corners earlier thanks to the improved traction. The car remains more stable when braking from high speeds, and the limited-slip differential also improves traction when moving off. The model-specific, completely redesigned rear axle was specially adapted to the higher vehicle dynamics of the Cabriolet.
The greatest benefit from the electronic rear-axle limited-slip differential – which is installed as standard exclusively on the C 63 S – is the even more sensitive and faster control, which pushes the thresholds higher and makes it even easier to drive at the vehicle’s limits. The 3-stage ESP® with “ESP ON”, “ESP SPORT Handling Mode” and “ESP OFF” settings works in perfect unison with the rear-axle limited-slip differential and is optimally tuned to the outstanding dynamics.
Precise, agile handling
The electromechanical, speed-sensitive sports steering ensures precise, agile handling. The driver benefits from the direct, linear steering ratio of 14.1:1 and an optimised response. It also features variable power assistance with the three characteristics “Comfort”, “Sport” and “Sport Plus”. The power steering is not only speed-sensitive but also factors in the current lateral acceleration, the selected AMG DYNAMIC SELECT transmission mode or the setting of the AMG RIDE CONTROL adjustable damping.
Short stopping distances, excellent sensitivity
The high-performance braking system of the C 63 Cabriolet ensures short stopping distances and excellent control with large, perforated and internally ventilated brake discs measuring 360 millimetres in diameter at the front and rear. The C 63 S Cabriolet is fitted with compound brake discs at the front with a diameter of 390 millimetres to account for the increased performance. A high-performance compound braking system with ceramic discs measuring 402 millimetres in diameter on the front axle is optionally available for the C 63 S Cabriolet. They weigh just half of comparable conventional brake discs and as a result reduce unsprung masses. This in turn substantially improves the steering response.
The Mercedes-AMG C 63 S and the C 63 Cabriolet come standard with the class-leading six-years/100 000 km PremiumDrive maintenance plan.
Mercedes-AMG C 63 R1 439 900
Mercedes-AMG C 63 S R1 559 900
Photo Credit: QuickPic