Driving the 2015 Mercedes-AMG C63 S, the 503-hp grocery getter

You’re a sports car nut, but two doors aren’t always enough. If you’ve lusted after the AMG GT S, but bemoaned the lack of passenger space, we may have found the perfect object of desire. Meet the 2015 Mercedes-AMG C63 S: it has nearly the same engine as the Porsche killer, it’s every bit as fun, and it’s far more practical.  

As Mercedes best-selling car, the C-Class ranks as the inevitable starting point for an AMG makeover. The first AMG variant to seriously take on the BMW M3 was introduced back in 2008. The newest C-Class AMG suite is once again going after the new BMW M3/M4 (425 hp), the Audi RS5 (450 hp) and though Mercedes didn’t mention it, even the new Cadillac ATS-V (455 hp) unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show last year.

But this being the modern Mercedes-Benz, one flavor of AMG-optimized vitamin C isn't enough to chew on — so now there's three. At the bottom lies the C450 AMG, the entry-level hot tune with a 3-liter, twin-turbo V-6 good for 362 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque, or 33 more hp than the everyday C400. While Mercedes hasn’t announced official pricing yet, expect the C450 to start around $50,000 or so, for the junior executive crowd.

The top of the line C63 S-Model borrows the 4-liter, twin-turbo V-8 from the AMG GT with a raucous 503 hp — but gets 37 lb-ft more torque, with 516 lb-ft on tap. There are a number of differences between the two incarnations of the engine, but one that stands out is that the C63 doesn’t get the dry sump oil pan because there isn’t a need for the same slim profile in the C63. While it’s nearly as fast as its two-door brother (it does 0-60 in 3.9 seconds while the AMG GT S does it in 3.7 seconds), the C63 AMG S promises just as much fun in a more subtle package. 

Where this combustion conga looks weakest is the middle, with the AMG C63 sans S. While it’s a step up from the C450, with 469 hp, it's the same V-8 as the S, but with 34 fewer hp, smaller brakes and fewer included amenities (a mechanical differential rather than the electronic differential included on the S, non-carbon-ceramic brakes, etc.). While official pricing hasn’t been released yet, Mercedes says that the C63 will start in the low $60,000 range, which is only $10,000 less than the $70,000 starting price of the C63 AMG S. This will let more month-to-month lease shoppers wear the full AMG dress, but If you’re kicking tires on a C63 AMG, why not go all the way?