THE LAST DANCE

WE COUNT DOWN THE END OF THE V8 IN THE MERCEDES-AMG C63 WITH ONE FINAL BLAST TO FAREWELL THE BENT-EIGHT

- SCOTT NEWMAN

THE ELDERLY WOMAN looks up with a scowl, unimpressed with the disturbance to her sweeping. I can’t blame her; the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 in this C63 AMG that’s disturbed her reverie doesn’t make a particularly friendly noise. Even at low rpm it emits a deep, guttural growl that reverberates your innards.

Her days ahead aren’t about to become any more peaceful. It’s February 2015 and early days for the international launch program of the new-generation C63. Based out of the stunning Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, better known as Portimão, in southern Portugal, the road loop winds its way through the surrounding hills, navigating numerous tiny towns unaccustomed to thundering V8s.

There is plenty to talk about with the all-new version of Merc’s mid-size muscle car but it’s the engine that dominates conversation, and with good reason. AMG has traditionally never found a horsepower it didn’t like and the new C63 S combines the best of both its rivals – the eight cylinders of the B8 RS4 and the twin-turbocharging of the F80 M3 – to develop a whopping 375kW and 700Nm. For reference, the Audi manages 331kW/430Nm and the BMW 317kW/550Nm.

It’s a high-tech unit, with sprayed-on, diamond-polished Nanoslide cylinder linings, piezo fuel injectors and turbos mounted inside the vee of the engine to help packaging and improve response. Later, I ask AMG’s then-powertrain boss, Christian Enderle, what aspect of this mega motor he’s most proud of: perhaps the throttle response or the monstrous torque? Somewhat disappointingly, he replies “The fuel consumption; I think the combination of 8.6L/100km with 375kW is a world record.”