Mercedes-Benz C63 2016 News

Australian new car market roars to new sales heights, but post-election blues may put brakes on in back half of 2016

Dressing in style costs. The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe adds $5000 to the price of a comparable sedan at $65,900 before on-road costs.

Here's a recap of the year's stars, with impressive arrivals and value added to staples.

They would have learned everything they need to know at the world's most successful new car show, the Goodwood Festival of Speed.Goodwood has been running for many years, but more recently it's morphed from a garden party at the stately home of the Earl of March into a genuine motor show which draws every major maker in the UK - and beyond.So what began as a chance for the owners of historic racing cars to exercise their old-timers is now a major event that draws more than 200,000 people each June on the same weekend as the Glastonbury music festival.Some fantastic retired racers still sprint up the Earl's driveway but it's the modern stuff which is drawing the big crowds and the big brands.Goodwood is an event and a destination, proving that cars are still more than just appliances for a lot of peopleMercedes-Benz uses the weekend to unveil its facelifted A45 AMG and new C63 S, Aston Martin rips the covers off its $2.5 million Vulcan and launches it up the hill, and Peugeot shows its 308 GTI for the first time. Mazda, which is the star brand at the show and has its Le Mans winning rotary 787B doing noisy demonstration runs, has its all-new MX-5 in action.There is also a moving motor show where ordinary fans can take a passenger ride and a supercar cavalcade including all of the world's most desirable cars, right up to the 400km/h Ferrari FXX K.And that's the real key to the Festival of Speed. The cars move and there is lots of interactivity for visitors, from off-road driving events to racing car simulators and even kiddie slides.Did I mention Ken 'Gymkhana' Block in the outrageous Ford Mustang that starred in his most-recent internet video hit?Old-school motor shows are just giant showrooms, but Goodwood is an event and a destination, proving that cars are still more than just appliances for a lot of people. If it can work in Britain then the same formula should be just as tasty in Australia.

New generation Mercedes-Benz C63-S to pack 375kW of power.

Just in case the letters AMG don’t quite satisfy your need for performance, Mercedes have released details of an even hotter version of the C63. Dubbed Edition 507 (for the horsepower rating), the range -- comprising a sedan, coupe and estate -- is powered by a beast of an engine with outputs of 373kW and 610Nm.That’s an increase of 37kW and 10Nm over the garden variety AMG version, and 0-100km/h acceleration figures are similarly impressive at 4.2 seconds for the sedan and coupe and 4.3 seconds for the estate.The extra oomph comes as a result of a technology transfer from the 6.3-litre eight-cylinder naturally aspirated powerplant adopted from the SLS AMG.The new C63 AMG range is electronically limited to 280 km/h but it’s not just all about the beastly power. There are also aesthetic improvements both inside and out.Brakes have been beefed up too with composite discs standard as well as red painted callipers. The instrument cluster gets some red applications too and if further differentiation is needed from the C63 AMG there’s a list of optional extras available.To prevent any confusion with the regular AMG version there’s a range of exclusive design features. Some of these include two openings for expelling engine heat on the aluminium bonnet, spoiler lip on the boot lid, a set of light-alloy 19-inch wheels or even lighter optional 5 spoke 18-inch alloys.Further details of the 507 will come at the world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show which starts on March 5. It’s scheduled to go on sale in Germany in June and Australia should get it in the second half of 2013. Further details on pricing, availability and specifications will be confirmed closer to the local launch. 

It's the limited-edition Black Series update of the thumping Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, complete with a carbon-fibre weight-loss program and the most powerful engine yet fitted to a C-Class car.The newcomer - officially the C63 AMG Black Series - has 380 kiloWatts and 620 Newton-metres of torque, which translates into a 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.2 seconds and a top speed beyond 310km/h - provided the compulsory German speed limiter is disabled.A handful of Black Cs will come to Australia next year but there is no firm detail yet on delivery dates or prices.Based on previous Black Series cars, and the current C63 at $152,800, the bottom line is likely to be around $220,000.The Black C has a giant new front bumper with huge air inlets, vents in the alloy bonnet and a rear diffuser, guards widened by 42 millimetres on each side at the rear, and 19-inch alloy wheels. There is also an optional Track Package, although this is not confirmed for Australia.AMG says development of the Black C has its roots in the program for the SLS Gullwing, including its V8 engine and the customer racing program with the car that includes the Peter Hackett version currently competing in Australia."The new C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series is the best proof there is for the permanent transfer of technology from the race track to the road," says the head of Mercedes-AMG, Ola Kallenius.

The 'Edition 63' car has just been announced as a tickle for existing C63 owners and anyone who might be considering a BMW M3 or even a Nissan GT-R. Only 63 cars are being built and for $169,900 - or $172,900 for the wagon - they come with some worthwhile and desirable tweaking. The 336 kiloWatt engine is unchanged but the 'Edition 63' package adds a self-locking differential, special 19-inch AMG alloy wheels, special designo paint colours - with matt grey as an option - exclusive designo leather in the cabin, an AMG performance studio package including extra leather, illuminated door sills and AMG logs spread over the floor mats and gearlever. "The C 63 AMG – Edition 63 has been specifically built for the Australian market and no other. No other market has been granted this exclusively specified, tailored and identified model," says David McCarthy of Mercedes-Benz Australia. The cars land in November.