Mercedes-Benz E63 & C63 AMG Driving Impressions

I went to the Mercedes-Benz AMG Performance Tour a few months ago at the former El Toro Marine Base to sample the latest AMG products. The event was invitation-only with no exception as I saw a guy tried to do the walk-in and got turned away. There were about 25 to 30 participants in my session. The main tent was pretty “ritzy”. Coffee, juice, water, fruits, and pastries were served.

There was no presentation to sit through, and we went directly to the driving tent. There were three lines for each of the three models, 2010 SL63, E63, and C63, which we will be driving. All three shares the same engine and transmission. The 6.2L (yep, its “63” name is mislabeled) V8 which produces 518hp/465lb-ft in E63 and SL63, but produces “only” 451hp/443lb-ft in C63. Each AMG engine is hand built by a single engine builder from start to finish. All those horses are put to the rear wheels via an AMG Speedshift MCT 7-speed automatic transmission. It’s a multi-clutch unit not unlike VW/Audi’s DSG. Like the Jaguar XFR, all three models received subtle exterior and interior modifications to distinguish themselves from their lesser siblings. The price for the C63 starts at $57,350, the E63 starts at $85.750, and the SL63 starts at $135,000. One can easily add 10 to 15% to the price of the car after checking only a few option boxes. The staff gave us some information about the cars, went through the safety rules, introduced the instructors, and sent us off to our cars.

I drove the E63 first. The course was laid out with a bias towards higher speed to showcase AMG’s addictive power. Since I was the first in line, I didn’t have to wait before jumping into the E63. The engine was barely audible at idle. Flooring the car at the starting line, the rear tires spun for a brief second due to the dusty track surface and awesome torque. Once regain traction, the car surged forward with authority. The power was linear, fierce, and without feeling running out of breath as it approached redline. What an engine! The throttle response was excellent. The exhaust note was as good as, if not better than, the Jaguar XFR with a wicked burble between shifts at wide-open-throttle. Speaking of shifts, the AMG Speedshift MCT (with wet clutch pack, not torque converter) 7-speed automatic shifted rapidly and seamlessly. One of the AMG modifications, in both E and C, to improve the vehicle dynamics was to widen the front track to improve the turn-in and overall front-end grip. The turn-in was crisp, but there was a bit of initial understeering. Though, it didn’t have the nervousness that the Jaguar XFR had at turn-in. The rear of the car didn’t have the tendency to swap ends with the front. Steering was nicely weighted with ample feedback. Decelerating from 110+ mph to about 40-ish, brakes were powerful, and pedal was firm. The overall handling was rock-solid.

After a lap in the E63, I got in line for the C63. They had two of each model, so there was wait time even with relatively small group. I waited about 10 minutes to drive the C63. The C63 got off the line with more eagerness and wheel spin than the E63 due to less mass. My butt dyno told me that it’s slightly quicker than the E63, but not by much. Its handling was also slightly livelier than the E63. Turn-in was sharper, and the car was more tossable. Though, the rear-end was less stable, and I had to be more patient with my right foot when exiting corners. Steering and brakes were very confidence-inspiring, just like the E63. Though much better than the “regular” C’s (C300, C300 4-matic, & C350 that I drove in previous events) which I thought were very sloppy when driven aggressively, the overall handling of the C63 was by no mean precise. It’s just way too much power and torque in an okay-at-best chassis. However, did I mention that it has an epic engine?

I was going to drive the SL63 next, but the line was too long. So I picked the shortest line and drove the C63 again. I sat in an E63 that they had on display for about 5 minutes before heading home. Front AMG sports seats were comfortable and supportive. The steering wheel was thick with shift pedals perfectly placed and felt great in my hands. The interior styling was a bit too angular, and the center console seems a bit too plasticy to me. However, everything operates with the usual Germen precision, and the fit-and-finish was top notch.

I came away impressed with the E63 AMG. It is what the AMG is about: speed, comfort, and class in an understated package. In my opinion, it’s the best car in its class.



E63

Like: Epic engine, fast-shifting transmission, intoxicating exhaust note, rock-solid chassis, subtle yet aggressive exterior styling.

Dislike: Makes its size known in the corners, plasticy center console, high price after checking a few option boxes.

Verdict: The best car in its class.



C63

Like: Epic engine, fast-shifting transmission, intoxicating exhaust note, subtle yet aggressive exterior styling, good steering response.

Dislike: Plasticy interior, handling lacks of precision, pricy options.

Verdict: After a spirit drive in the C63, the driver gets out of the car and says “whoa, I’m still alive”.



Event Rating: 3 out of 5.

Smart Fortwo Test Drive

I recently test drove the Smart Fortwo at the dealership. I've seen many of them on the European streets during my trip there a few years ago. Unlike most cars which park parallel to the curb on the streets, these Smart Fortwo's can be parked perpendicular to the curbs. Yes, they take very little parking space which comes in handy in many crowded metropolitans.


The Smart Fortwo comes in two body styles: coupe and cabriolet. The base (Pure) coupe starts at about $12k, the higher-trim (Passion) coupe starts at $14k, the Passion-only cabriolet starts at $17k, and then there are the Brabus dressed-up coupe and cabriolet ($18k and $21k, respectively). Its motivation comes from a 1.0L, 70hp/68lb-ft, three-cylinder engine which hooks up to a 5-speed automated manual transmission. The front suspension is MacPherson strut while the rear wheels are linked by beam axle. Brakes are disc/drum setup with ABS and force distribution system. It has all the safefty features one would expect from a modern car.


Let's do some tire-kicking. The exterior body panels are made out of ABS plastic which feels quite flimsy when you knock on it. Though, the paint quality and exterior fit-and-finish seems pretty good. The rear glass hatch and tailgate can be opened separately to access the tiny cargo compartment. The cloth for the top on the cabriolet model seems high-quality, opens neatly, and fits tightly when closed. Very Mercedes-like. Once inside the car, the material and fit-and-finish are pretty good. Seats are okay with not much lateral support. Seating position is too high for my liking. On the plus side, the steering wheel feels great in my hands, and the shifter is short and stubby.


The test drive was done on surface streets with no freeway driving. Why? Lack of power is an understatement for this car. My right foot was pinned on the floor during almost the entire drive. It has no low-end torque nor mid-range power. Only at near redline can you feel the slightest forward movement. You really have to drive it like you stole it to barely keep up with the flow of traffic. The manufacture claims that it tops out at 90 mph. However, I'm interested to find out how much distance it needs to get to that mark. The transmission was equally dissatisfying. I'm a huge fan of dual-clutch automated manual gearbox such as the one in VW GTI. However, I'm far less of a fan of single-clutch automated manual gearbox such as the one in BMW E46 M3 and our feature car here. In the E46 M3, the gearbox shifts SLOOOOOWLY in auto mode, making everyone in the car a bubblehead. The clutch-less manual in the Smart is far worse. Not only are the shifts painfully slow, the transmission doesn't handle the starts from standing still well at all. It hesitates whether you start leasurely or aggresively. I tried mashing the gas from a standing still and felt a lot of slippage from the computer "feathering" the clutch too much. Maybe there's a bright spot in Smart's handling? Yes, there is one. It has exteremely tight turing radius, and that's about it. The ride is quite harsh, and the straight line stability isn't great. I can imagine it bouncing all over the place at highway speed on freeways with less-than-perfect road surface. The steering is light and numb with minimal feedback. As stated earlier, the test drive was done on public roads so I can't report on its handling at near-limit, but I don't expect any pleasent surprise there, either.

What about fuel efficiency? This car should save the planet, right? The EPA rates it at 33/41 MPG. However, I seriously doubt that average owners will see even mid-30's overall because how hard you have to drive this thing. That, to me, is not very efficient given its size and the sacrafices one has to make owning this car.

In my humble opinion, the Smart Fortwo is too small to be practical (unless you live in New York or Rome or London....), too slow to be safely driven on the freeways, too harsh and noisy to drive comfortablely, and too expensive to be economical. The Smart Fortwo has just beaten the Chrysler PT Crusier and Chevy HHR for my "The Worst Car That I Have Ever Driven" award. I would not buy one at ANY price. For what you get, this is a very expensive car. There are many better, in all aspects, alternatives on the market in its entire price range.


Like: Tight turning radius, good steering wheel.

Dislike: Just about everything else.

Verdict: The worst car that I have ever driven, period.

Welcome To My Blog

Like most of you, I am a driving enthusiast who enjoys the sheer joy of driving. I love driving on racetracks (not drag strip) and autocross courses in any car, mine or otherwise. In this blog, you will find the list of upcoming driving events (most are free), read about the reviews for past driving events, and read about reviews of the test drives that I took at my local car dealerships.