MERCEDES has given us our first taste of the fastback two-door that will take on rivals such as the Audi RS5 and BMW M4, releasing images of the C-Class Coupe in its most powerful form.
Due in Australia mid-next year and priced from about $160,000, this Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe will become the quickest model to wear the C63 badge. Its 3.9sec 0-100km/h sprint beats the four-door version by 0.1sec, thanks to wider rear tyres and shorter rear-axle ratios.
And just like the four-door, Australian buyers will shop for the higher-performance 375kW/700Nm C63 S – the car shown here – with Mercedes-Benz Australia bypassing the lower-spec model.
The fastback coupe uses the same twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 as its sedan-based sibling, paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission. However, the coupe sits wider than the sedan, with the wheel arches plumped an extra 64mm at the front and 66mm at the rear to accommodate a wider track.
Mercedes-AMG says the larger wheel arches allow the use of wider tyres – up to 255 millimetres up front and 285 millimetres down the rear – contributing to improved lateral acceleration, traction and agility.
In front, the aluminium bonnet sitting behind the twin-blade grille is 60mm longer and features a pair of “powerdomes” to make the coupe look more muscular.
The re-shaped rear end also features a ducktail kick to the bootlid, featuring an integrated spoiler that, according to Mercedes-AMG, significantly reduces rear-axle lift.
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class will be one of the highlights of September’s Frankfurt Motor Show.
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