America owns the muscle car for sure, but there's one German manufacturer who also seems to appreciate putting too much power to the wheels. That's Mercedes, and the AMG C63 S is everybody's idea of a V8 powerhouse they can afford.
BMW and Audi tried the small V8 coupe thing for a while but dropped it after only a few years. Only AMG kept sticking the biggest V8s inside its C 63 (and C 55).
Compared to other AMG models, this bad boy is pretty affordable to buy and delivers a lot of performance for the money. Maintenance isn't that "exotic" either, provided it's within the warranty period. However, that kind of money can also get you a raw muscle car, like the 2020 Camaro ZL1 1LE. We feel a comparison review coming our way.
Canadian reviewers TheStraightPipes put the C 63 S Coupe against the ultimate Camaro, comparing the experience they offer. In terms of raw output, the ZL1 1LE outclasses its German rival with 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque from its supercharged 6.2-liter V8. But the 503 hp and 516 lb-ft of the twin-turbo AMG 4.0-liter V8 is nothing to mock.
The Canadian duo starts things off with a drag race, which is unusual for them. According to them, putting down the power of the ZL1 is impossible, and the C 63 is faster. We're not sure if everybody is going to believe that.
Being a muscle car, the ZL1 wins in the sound department, and the 1LE package also gives it that "wow" exterior styling. You really can't find a stock car with more aero than this, while the AMG only has some discreet skirts and spoilers. How can they put this much carbon fiber on the car for just $75,000?
So in the end, the C 63 is still like a muscle car, but also a good daily driver with a luxury interior. Yes, a German V8 can be worth the money.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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