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If the Mercedes-AMG 63 S were a person, it would have so many people climbing into its DMs (direct messages). Why? Because it contains the perfect mix of ingredients that gets attention from almost everyone.
Its massive 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 engine sounds like thunder, it moves through the air like a missile, and it looks damn right angry.
It sits on the fat Pirelli P-Zero rubber and uses a slightly more biased rear-drive setup with 375kW and 700Nm from the big lump under the bonnet.
When the car was updated in 2018, out went the seven-speed auto, and a new nine-speed Speedshift MCT replaced it with the wet start-off clutch. The rear axle's limited-slip differential is electronically controlled.
A new steering wheel also came aboard that housed a rotary controller for the nine-step traction control system. I found it rather intrusive when I drove the car in Germany at its international launch, but I guess all AMGs have suffered from this.
And while we mourn the loss of the W204's 6.2-litre normally-aspirated engine, the bi-turbo unit in this car makes the driving experience extremely satisfying.
Every gear feels like first gear, and one is pinned violently in the large bucket seat as you watch the big, heavy nose of the Merc monster lurk for its prey like a Great White shark.
The gearbox slices rapidly through gears prompted via paddle shifts located behind the Alcantara-clad steering wheel. It's an intoxicating experience and can easily be left in automatic mode for the driver to hone in solely on the steering.
For a car with so much performance pedigree, you'd think the ride would be as harsh as Twitter trolls, but its not thanks to AMG Ride Control and adaptive dampers. Cruise around in your C63 S during the week in Comfort mode and unhook the leash in Sport + and Race modes. Watch out for choppy road surfaces though; you'll wince like you're drinking tequila every time you hit a patchy section.
The C, in my opinion, is the best-handling AMG product bar AMG GT which I haven't driven. It's direct, taut and surprisingly engaging steering is dialled in for an enthusiasts palette. It'll tear your face off when it comes to stopping too, offering superb brake pedal feel for such a heavy car.
Armed with a sensational V8, a soundtrack that no cars in its segment can match, a massive Panamericana grille and a classy interior that even features an IWC clock, the C63 S goes down as one badass muscle car.
It excites in every aspect, something few cars can do. While its rivals from BMW and Audi use V6 engines, Mercedes will continue to stuff handmade V8 engines into the next C63 S.
Thank goodness for that.
