Mercedes’ $45 million payday for C63

Mercedes-Benz Australia has confirmed it has received more than 300 paid deposits for the freshly-released C63 S AMG, netting some $45 million worth of sales before the car has even officially hit dealerships.

The initial demand has instilled strong confidence about the C63's continued popularity in Australia. The local AMG division is so bullish about the sales potential of the performance hero that it believes sales will eclipse 1000 transactions in the first full 12 months. At $154,900 (plus on-road cost) in sedan guise, those sales predictions will equate to more than $150 million in sales, including a healthy contribution to the Federal Government's much-maligned Luxury Car Tax scheme and other revenue raisers.

"We're at 300 orders and counting," Mercedes-Benz Australia corporate communications manager David McCarthy said of the C63 S.

"The main game for performance is the C63. We've got a pretty strong backlog. I won't be surprised if we sell 1000 C63s in the first full 12 months on sale. It will probably level out to about 50 or 60 a month," he added.

The previous generation C63 remains the most successful AMG model to-date, amassing thousands of sales around the world since its 2007 debut. The latest incarnation plays on the small sedan-big engine formula, albeit in a slightly more refined and more efficient package.

Adding to the weight of sales expectation will be the hotly-anticipated C63 coupe, which will officially debut at the upcoming Frankfurt motor show in September.

Even with the interim payments, the C63 won't be the most popular AMG model sold in Australia this year. That honour belongs to the CLA45 four-door coupe, which currently represents one in every three local AMG sales.