C63 AMG 507 Edition

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There are very few AMG concoctions we haven’t enjoyed, and the C63 is perhaps our current favorite. Its carrying forward of the M156 naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8 when the rest of the Affalterbach clan—bar the SLS AMG GT—is being downsized and turbo’d reminds us just how special the hot C really is. The only way we envision the C63 getting any better is by giving it more power. And that’s just what Benz’s skunk works team has done with the advent of the new 2014 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Edition 507.

The C63 Edition 507 raises output to—surprise!—precisely 507 horsepower, delivered at 6800 rpm. Maximum torque is capped at 450 lb-ft and arrives at 5200 rpm. Thus emboldened, the Edition 507 surpasses not only the standard C63’s 451 horsepower (481 with the optional development package), but also that of every other vehicle in this class—keeping in mind the 510-hp C63 AMG Black Series was available just for 2012. Mercedes claims a 0-to-60-mph time of 4.1 seconds—three-tenths quicker than the standard C63, and two-tenths up on C63s fitted with the development package—but our most recent test in a C63 with the development package saw us run the sprint to 60 in 3.7 seconds, so expect the 507’s time to be somewhere closer to 3.6. Top speed is electronically limited to 174 mph, up from 155. Fuel consumption likely will remain identical to the standard C63’s EPA estimates of 13 mpg in the city and 19 highway.

The power increase was achieved through forged pistons taken directly from the M159 engine used in the SLS. New connecting rods, a lighter crankshaft, new forged pistons—the same components upgraded in the C63 Black Series—and an engine remapping complete the light-but-effective surgery to the powerplant. (Benz says the SLS-sourced internals shave 6.6 pounds in weight.) The mill is mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission. The chassis is improved as well, with a composite braking system that employs red-finished calipers—six-piston up front and four-piston in the rear—­­clamping down onto 14.2-inch discs at all four corners. Nineteen-inch aluminum wheels are available in a glossy Titanium Gray or matte black and are shod with 235/35 front and 255/30 rear Yokohama rubber.

Making sure the performance changes don't go unnoticed, AMG has upgraded the exterior to achieve a more sinister look. The headlights, grille surround, mirror caps, and decklid spoiler all are finished in black, and 1970s-style striping just above the rocker panels. But the most notable visual cue of the 507 Edition is perhaps its hood, swiped from the C63 Black Series and featuring dual heat extractors.

Interior appointments are limited to black or white leather, trimmed with black faux suede—which also wraps the steering wheel—and contrast stitching. A piano black finish is applied to the dash, where an Edition 507 badge resides, and the door panels. The gauge cluster features red accents to differentiate the special-edition C from the more plebeian of C63 offerings. (Gone are the gaudy red seat belts and accent stitching that crept in to last year’s Black Series, thankfully.)

The Edition 507 will be unveiled at the Geneva auto show in March and hit U.S. showrooms in the summer. Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but we expect the 507 to split current C63’s base price of $62,405 and last year’s limited-edition Black Series, whose base sticker was $108,575. Not available stateside, sadly, is the C63 AMG Edition 507 wagon, which will be sold in Germany and elsewhere. AMG wagon lovers carrying U.S. passports will have to opt for the E63 AMG wagon. And while we adore that car for what it is, it doesn’t quite tickle our fancy the way this M156-powered supercar in disguise does.