Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG sells 1,000+ in Australia

By Alborz Fallah | April 27th, 2010

2008 saw the Mercedez-Benz C 63 AMG hit Australian shores and today the German company announced that it had sold over 1,000 of the highly tuned V8 sport sedans and estates.

The record currently stands at 1,006 sedans and 32 estates, put together they make the C 63 the best selling AMG model in Australia to date. The success has also helped put Mercedes-Benz Australia Pacific into fourth place worldwide (by volume) for global AMG sales.

Despite stock shortages, last year Mercedes-Benz grow its AMG sales by 8 per cent, helped along by the limited edition “Edition 63” C 63 sedans and estates (built for Australia only).

The Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Mr Horst von Sanden said “So far in 2010 we have posted a 22 percent increase in sales, with the all-new E 63 AMG already having sold more than 100 units and the C 63 AMG is on track for more 600 units. We have convincingly established the C63 as the ultimate prestige sports sedan in Australia by outselling our nearest rival by 66 percent in 2009 and 131 percent in 2010.”

The Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG manages 336kW at 6,800rpm and maximum torque of 600Nm. It will sprint from zero to 100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds. The German sports car is directly pitched against the BMW M3, Audi RS4 and Lexus IS-F.

“I sometimes think that AMG stands for ‘Australian Market Growth’,” concluded von Sanden.”

ABMPSV

This is a nice V8 sedan. My friends father bought one in February. We went for test drive…just unbelivable. The sound, acceleration, seats…etc. Price is not bad for powerfull Mercedes $162,500 drive away!! I will ask one for Christmas!!
Gambler88

I’m not surprised. Although i’d rather have the e63 if money’s not an issue. Of the luxury brand somehow i prefer the mb’s interior and technology than say a bmw or an audi. I’m sure amg’s success were also no doubt help by hamilton’s bad publicity.
billy

Best car on the road.
Love this car. Test dove one on sandown race track for Mercedez-Benz drive day and i was left speechless. The power, sound and the set up of the car is spot on amazing.
Just wish i could buy one.
Maybe ill wait outside the F1 next year with a toe truck for Hamilton.
GT

Well deserved results for a fantastic car! Well done
Wayne Kerr

“We have convincingly established the C63 as the ultimate prestige sports sedan in Australia by outselling our nearest rival by 66 percent in 2009 and 131 percent in 2010.”

Nearest rival being the overpriced M3 ?

The M3 only has a marginal handling and fuel economy advantage but loses to the C63 in everything else. If anything it should be $20K cheaper than the C63.

Camski

Major plus in favour of the M3 though is the ride (where by on the track, it wouldn’t matter so much but on our roads it’s a different story). It’s night and day by comparison to the C63 which is rather hard riding.
The Realist

E90 M3 beats the C63 handling and ride wise. It’s not “marginal”.

Not saying the C63 is a poor car (it is fantastic), but M3 sedan is better driver.

BTW combining the E92 and E90 M3 sales beats the C63.

smokin’R32

Has to be one of the best sounding V8s on the market

billy

What about the aston martin v8 vantage?

Devil666

The C63 makes the Vantage sound like a motor scooter.

Deco

The Masarati 4.8l V8 takes it hands down.

Shak

I have had one of these on a 30 min track day, and let me tell everyone, no sound i have heard to this day comes close to this car at flat throttle. While it may kill you going round a corner, it can literally turn other cars to mince meat. (i do not recommend ever turning any of the traction and stability control systems off, EVER).

Camski

Haha tell me about it (re: TC/ESP), two weeks ago it was bucketting down rain at Phillip Island, even with the ESP on, the cars felt like they were on skates .

Not sure if CA knows anything about this, but just on the topic of traction, looks like AMG AU have scrapped their partnership with Pirelli and their PZeros, now fitting some form of Contintental ContiSport stuff.

Shak

Yeah the one i drove had Conti’s but my mate was with me and the E63 they gave him had Pirelli’s so i dont know?

Camski

I’m guessing they have to get through all the Pirellis first then once they’ve finished them off, all new car stock will be fitted with the Continentals.

For those of us that currently have Pirellis and want new tires, my guess is that they’ll most likely be Continentals (unless Pirelli still make the same P-Zeros?)

Don

Not only is the best performing road going Merc in a long time, it’s also a damn good looker, a department MB are a bit patchy in.
Bobbie Milwaukee

Gee’Day Australea. Wow, you auccies must be really rich!

1,000 AMG C-Class sales in market of 50,000 of so cars per year is amazing.

In the United States, this is a very rare car. Why are Australeanese people dam rich? Living in the outback wrestling Alligators must be better than I think.

I should come over for a visit, but make sure you put another Shrimp on the Barbee for me.

Gee’Day day again, from Bobbie in Milwaukee, USA
MB

My C63 has had Conti\’s from day of delivery but I have gone through one set at the 12000km mark. My C63 is effectively a daily used 2-3 times during the business week and alot on weekends. C63 is the best allround package, irrespective of the firm set up which I happen to like. The M3 is a better track car but again as a road car the C63 is better.

Camski

When did you take delivery?

Had my one for about a year now and heard nothing of the tire change until the AMG Track Day a fortnight ago. They had guys from Continental out there on the track monitoring tire temperatures and pressures among other things, so I was guessing the change was relatively recent?

Interesting, 12,000KM’s on a set of tires is pretty good. Not sure why (of course driving style would have a huge affect) but 12,000KM’s odd in, my set of Pirellis still look like they have a bit more life in them yet (road legal of course haha ).

I couldn’t agree with you more, (bar the ride, while it’s not something that bothers me – it’s knowing that the you can get a much nicer ride with equal or greater handling capabilities than the C63) once you set aside the excellent handling, steering precision, steering feedback etc. it’s really the engine that stands out. Sure the gearbox is good, in full auto it always feels like you’re in the right gear, whether you’re driving enthusiastically, overtaking on the highway or stuck in traffic – but it feels to me like the credit should go to the engine, the power delivery (and of course peak power) means that it doesn’t matter which gear the car is in, unless you’re on the track and what maximum power all the time, there’s so much power coming from the engine that even in 3rd or 4th gear climbing a steep hill, punch the throttle and the TC kicks in, it’s almost as if gear selection becomes a moot point.

MB

My car (palladium silver) was one of the first batch of cars delivered without LSD unfortunately deleivered April 2008. Car has just clicked over 27000km with no rattles or problems at all even after a few track days.

In gear power in second & third when holdng the gears or driving manual is just awesome along with manual downchanges when slowing down….the bark the exhaust gives is addictive.

I have driven an SMG M3 sedan back to back on the road and there is not much in it but the M3 sounds like a vaccum cleaner compared to the C63 and you seem to sit higher in the M3.
Max Power

Wow that is a lot of money for something which is nothing more than an European taxi with a V8 in it.
Dave

Couldn’t agree more. It proves just how much exceptional value FPV/HSV represent. Not dissimilar in terms of overall specifications and performance to the Merc, but Half the price. All of them are taxis with a V8 in them, but the local manufacturers do it for half the price. Go Aussies!
MB

Dave & Max Power

$ 4 $ the HSV/FPV are pound for pound some of the best performance V8 purchases you can make globally (not including Evo,STi etc.) however take away the import duty and taxes to bring the Mercedes?BMW/Audi down to the FPV/HSV price, would you still purchase a FPV/HSV?

Oh lord wont you buy me a….what was that line again certainly not FPV/HSV.

BTW Germany uses E as a taxi not C.

Shak

Even with the current 5% tariff and all other taxes taken off, the Germans will still be grossly overpriced. That is just the way they are. They are always going to be more costly than our locals. And who’s to say the Germans will put the prices down if the taxes are cut, they are happily operating off their current levels of profit and their customers will still pay the same levels.

ABMPSV

On the C63 AMG Manufacturer’s List Price including GST $127,734.00, Recommended maximum dealer delivery including GST $3,269.23, Luxury Car Tax (LCT) is $22,146.97, VIC Total Registration $612.30, VIC Stamp Duty $7,660.00, Drive Away Price Base model featured only. $161,422.50.