[kc1337]

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/01/sl65amgblackseries31_580op.jpg

That's the way it goes with fashion: it's on the runway in Paris in March and in a bucket at Big Lots by September. Mercedes-Benz' in-house tuning arm, AMG, has decided to turn with the popular tide and call time on horsepower brinkmanship, with the division boss saying, "We are going to use other ways to extract better performance, including weight saving, engine optimization and alternative technologies."

What's the new fashion? Getting the most out of the least. AMG is going to do that by losing weight, installing tech like the SL63 AMG's wet clutch gearbox on the coming E63 AMG, and possibly re-engineering Mercedes' diesel, hybrid, and four-cylinder engines for AMG duty.

Not too long ago, imagining an A-Class AMG would have been beyond comprehension, but this is the future. We just hope everyone has thought through the consequences: with the reins being pulled on increasingly powerful motors, this is going to put a lot of horses out of work. And that makes the possibility of an equine industry bailout something we can't rule out...

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/14/amg-boss-the-horsepower-wars-are-over/

Interesting

[q0192837465]

yea, Mercedes is Germany's muscle car. It'd be great if they can make their cars handle that power. It'll give BMW a run for it's money

[b-dub]

It's all about the corners now, people don't care about the straight line performance as much. The ring is used as a benchmark.

[heleu]

I think that's just talk for now. There will always be the market for hyperpowerful sedans. They don't build too many S65 AMG, but they lift the image and give bragging rights to the entire MB range.

[GordonTse]

I think that's just talk for now. There will always be the market for hyperpowerful sedans. They don't build too many S65 AMG, but they lift the image and give bragging rights to the entire MB range.

really, what is the point in a 600hp luxury family sedan? it's damn nice, but $250K+ for an s65. i'd love to have one though :D

but i would settle for s63 with 100hp less and $100K cheaper, could buy another c63.

[Volvo-brickster]

I think that's just talk for now. There will always be the market for hyperpowerful sedans. They don't build too many S65 AMG, but they lift the image and give bragging rights to the entire MB range.

i always see a silver S65 parked on granville st between dunsmuir and pender by the holt renfrew...its pimp

really, what is the point in a 600hp luxury family sedan? it's damn nice, but $250K+ for an s65. i'd love to have one though :D

but i would settle for s63 with 100hp less and $100K cheaper, could buy another c63.

100hp less and a lot less torque

[Marco911]

Finally, someone that realizes sporty cars shouldn't weigh as much as pigs.

[Z3guy]

Unfortunately, MB, BMW, and Audi are all going to kill their specific performance cars....from my understanding, the new M cars are going to be only warmed over regular models....no more M specific high revving motors. They will be using the TT 3L in the new M3 and the TT 4.8L in the new M5.

[91civicZC]

yea, Mercedes is Germany's muscle car. It'd be great if they can make their cars handle that power. It'll give BMW a run for it's money

The AMG C63 already more than competes with BMWs M cars. The Black Edition just makes it embarrassing.

[Z3guy]

The AMG C63 already absolutely destroys BMWs M cars, 3/5/or 6, hands down. The Black Edition just makes it embarrassing.

do you know anything about cars?

[poweredbyph]

Thank god. There is no point of producing 500+ HP with just RWD. That is just plain stupid. I can go fast straight... but I just can't corner.

[.Renn.Sport]

do you know anything about cars?

he drives a civic...... he probably never even touched a M car before

[Z3guy]

Thank god. There is no point of producing 500+ HP with just RWD. That is just plain stupid. I can go fast straight... but I just can't corner.

I think having a linear torque curve with high end hp is the most enjoyable motors. It is hard to argue about AMG's big torque, but you are right, when you turn off the traction control they are extremely hard to drive with 500hp and 500+ lbs of torque.

[kc1337]

thats what separates a good driver from a bad driver, throttle control

[shenmecar]

i doubt the people who actually buy these cars still have the agility/dexterity to drive them.

did i just read "A-Class AMG"?!

[heleu]

i doubt the people who actually buy these cars still have the agility/dexterity to drive them.

did i just read "A-Class AMG"?!

With electronic aids off, I agree. But the AMG philosophy is to make their cars drivable by pretty much anybody.

That's why you see so many middle aged chinese women in Richmond driving E63 AMGs... :D

Even the black series....is an automatic.

[kc1337]

AMG should slot some 6spd into their cars, but that would kill their market share by like 80% because all the mercedes i've seen are automatics. Finding a manual one is like a virgin in a whorehouse.

[q0192837465]

The AMG C63 already more than competes with BMWs M cars. The Black Edition just makes it embarrassing.

Watch this my friend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaZExdTHHjY

[Timpo]

the GT-R Spec-V does the same thing.
without increasing the power, they made everything else better.

but i still think it would've been better if they could add more power.

[poweredbyph]

Finding a manual one is like a virgin in a whorehouse.

lol that is so true. I can't even find a ITR that hasn't be raced.

[q0192837465]

lol that is so true. I can't even find a ITR that hasn't be raced.

lol, u can find 1 if my frd ever sell his.

[maxx]

do you know anything about cars?

that would be a No from mista 91civic

[turbomelon]

Watch this my friend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaZExdTHHjY

top gear is just entertainment. Now of course a c63 doesn't handle as razor sharp as the m3, but on more than a few tracks the c63 manages to outpace the m3 and has great steering feel. Obviously the m3 is a more balanced machine, but the c63 handles amazingly so long as you don't slam on the accelerator while turning at full opposite lock.

Obviously on different tracks the m3 will outpace the c63, but its hardly a huge margin between the overall turning abilities of both cars.
TdCpxC5Wn2w

To reference other sources, such as the car and driver lightning lap, yeah the m3 outpaces the c63, but usualy by a fraction of a second, which in most cases depends on the driver's preferences and capabilities.

Of course the older AMG cars weren't exactly handling machines, but mercedes has started to shift philosophies, starting with the clk black and the c63. The c63 unlike the previous c-class amg's was designed from the ground up to accomodate the amg treatment, whereas in the past, the c-classes just recieved a huge engine and a chassis that couldn't appropriately handle the power.

Of course, take my words with a grain of salt, as I'm biased :p.

[B4N M3]

man that's a beautiful shot...and I'm all for more innovative design/other ways to improve performance than just throwing more hp at a car! props to AMG

[Z3guy]

As a daily driver, I would rather have the c63 vs m3...big torque and auto..hard to beat combo....I hope they adopt the SL63 wet clutch 7sp on the c63...that would awesome!

However, I would rather have a e92 M3 than a c63 for a second fun car though