As you're well aware, the C 63 is a plug-in hybrid with turbo four-cylinder muscle nowadays. The 205 series, by comparison, used to sport a twin-turbocharged V8 and no hybrid nonsense whatever. The 204 was even simpler, with Mercedes-Benz gifting it a free-breathing V8 with 6.2 liters to its name rather than what the exterior badging says.
Ciro De Siena of Cars South Africa owns a W204-generation C 63, which rocks a torque-converter automatic and rear-wheel drive. Pictured at Killarney Race Circuit in South Africa, the AMG-powered Merc is joined by a much newer AMG with a four-cylinder turbo, a DCT, and 4MATIC.
More specifically, 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive. In this application, the electro-mechanical system distributes torque between the front and rear axles. It further sports rear axle drive shafts with electronically controlled multidisc clutches, allowing for selective distribution between the rears for more stability or oversteer.
Under the hood, the A 45 S 4MATIC+ is nothing to scoff at either. Not only does it crank out in excess of 400 horsepower from a displacement of 2.0 liters, but in combination with the aforementioned 4MATIC+ and quick-shifting DCT, it's tremendously fast. But is the A 45 fast enough?
With South Africa's first and only GT Academy winner in the driver's seat, the hatchback made easy work of the 204-series C 63 in the quarter mile. From the first years, the all-wheel-drive system and lower weight (1,605 kilograms or 3,538 pounds versus 1,730 or 3,814) made a huge difference.
Photo: Cars.co.za on YouTube
Ciro De Siena and Ashley Oldfield also raced from a rolling start, managing to secure a narrow victory in the first of two rolls. Ashley decided to start from second in the second race, and not surprising at all, the far better-sounding car had to admit defeat.
When it comes to maximum speed, though, the C 63 is the superior machine. Be it the sedan (W204) or wagon (S204), this generation of the C 63 can easily crack 300 kilometers per hour (186 miles per hour) with the factory-installed speed governor deactivated. The front-biased A 45, by comparison, should get pretty close to the 290-kph mark (180 mph).
Both of them are limited by default to 250 kilometers per hour (155 miles per hour), a top speed limit that originates from a gentlemen's agreement between German automakers and the German government. Considering that Germany has unrestricted portions of the Autobahn, it's a bit of a shame that German high-performance cars are limited to 250 clicks, whether you like it or not.
Happily, however, there are exceptions to this informal agreement. BMW M comes to mind with the M Driver's Package. In the M2, for example, it raises top speed to 285 kilometers per hour (177 miles per hour) for a cool 2,450 euros. The XM Label, which is BMW's punchiest series-production vehicle at the present moment, can be pushed to 290 kilometers per hour (180 miles per hour).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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