Up front, the Interceptor takes a sedan twist on the theme established by last year’s F-250 Super Chief concept, donning a horizontal three-bar grille similar in form to the truck’s, only sleeker, wider and less brutish। The stacked headlights blend into the grille as they did on the truck but also use their design to point at some well-known Ford muscle sedans from 40 years ago, Galaxie 500s and Fairlanes among them. And like those memorable rides, the Interceptor is a classic hard-top design, using a chrome bead to delineate the greenhouse from the body. The 427, by contrast, took a more monolithic approach by allowing the roofline to blend seamlessly into the body. In fact, all the shapes and lines on the Interceptor are stronger, sharper. That same chrome detailing helps to give more definition to the car’s beltline than is found on the 427; larger wheel flares cut higher into its tall flanks; a single character line running the length of the body side gives the car more surface interest, while both ends feature more detailing, in the bumpers, lights and inlets.Inside, you’ll find a liberal use of Ford’s signature squared-circle—or “squircle”—design element, with examples found just about everywhere the eye lands: on the vents, seats, doors and even the steering wheel itself. Two squircle-shaped gauges—speedo and tach—both have needles that move away from the center, opposite each other. As expected with a concept car, the Interceptor features a few pieces of pure design fantasy. Headrests for the front seats fold downward from the headliner and adjust in concert with the seats, both up and down or fore and aft. The bucket seats themselves are stitched from quarter-inch-thick belt leather, stained black on their faces but with its natural tan color exposed on raw-cut edges. It offers a nice contrast against the brushed metallics and smooth surfaces that make up the bulk of the cabin space. The stark meeting of natural materials and industrial metals evokes a Bauhaus ethic, the Interceptor as a sort of automotive Wassily chair.The concept sits on a stretched Mustang platform, with 13.7 inches of body added aft of the front wheels. It also has 2.5 inches more width to play with compared with the Mustang, which allows for an additional 4.2 inches of front track and 5.3 inches in back. Next to the Mustang, however, the Interceptor gives up almost an inch of height. Combining its 54.8-inch height with its long, wide, low-slung body and high beltline gives the Interceptor a menacing look—a car you might expect to find CIA agents driving, at least in movies. The muscle part of the Interceptor’s muscle-sedan formula comes courtesy of a 400-plus-hp, 5.0-liter Ford racing Cammer V8—the very same motor that delivered Ford the 2005 Grand-Am championship in the GS class, powering a Mustang FR500C. The motor is housed under a clamshell hood, with a cutout for a true shaker intake—all the sort of throwback stuff you’d expect from a big, American muscle sedan. What you wouldn’t necessarily expect is that it’s a flex-fuel motor, capable of running on E85 ethanol. From there, power gets shuttled through a six-speed manual transmission to the car’s 22-inch rear wheels, while stopping duties fall to brakes lifted straight from the Ford GT, with 14-inch vented, cross-drilled discs in the front and 13.2-inchers behind.Freeman Thomas, Ford’s North American strategic design director, says what the Interceptor represents is very realistic—and that Ford is seriously looking into building it, or something darned close.“An actor like Steve McQueen can do things other actors can’t,” explains Thomas. “Ford can do things other brands can’t, and this is one of those things.”
Source - http://www.autoweek.com/
e martë, 31 korrik 2007
e mërkurë, 11 korrik 2007
2010 Porsche Panamera Latest Look
Porsche’s four-door Panamera keeps lapping the Nьrburgring, as these photos taken hours ago near the main entrance of the “ring” show.
Due for a formal unveiling at the 2009 Geneva motor show, Porsche’s Panamera is expected to be a strong competitor for the Mercedes CLS and the future Aston Martin Rapide, as well as Volkswagen’s coming four-door coupe.
Though the Panamera takes design elements from the 911 range, there are obvious significant differences. While the 911 has always kept its rear-mounted boxer engine, the Panamera will have a choice of three front-mounted powerplants, though they’ll be set back toward the center of the car as much as possible and behind the front axle for balance.
The entry-level mill will be VW’s 3.6-liter, 300-hp V6, while Porsche’s own drivetrain will be a direct-injection 4.8-liter V8 borrowed from the Cayenne, available in naturally-aspirated guise at 350 hp and with twin-turbos at 560 hp. A range-topping model equipped with the Porsche GT’s 700-hp V10 engine is also a rumored possibility.
Panamera is intended to be a true sports car, while at the same time offer a family a car for everyday use with four full seats, easy access to the rear and a good-sized luggage compartment.
When it hits the road in ’09, Porsche hopes to sell 20,000 to 30,000 annually, with a third coming to North America.
Source www.autoweek.com
Due for a formal unveiling at the 2009 Geneva motor show, Porsche’s Panamera is expected to be a strong competitor for the Mercedes CLS and the future Aston Martin Rapide, as well as Volkswagen’s coming four-door coupe.
Though the Panamera takes design elements from the 911 range, there are obvious significant differences. While the 911 has always kept its rear-mounted boxer engine, the Panamera will have a choice of three front-mounted powerplants, though they’ll be set back toward the center of the car as much as possible and behind the front axle for balance.
The entry-level mill will be VW’s 3.6-liter, 300-hp V6, while Porsche’s own drivetrain will be a direct-injection 4.8-liter V8 borrowed from the Cayenne, available in naturally-aspirated guise at 350 hp and with twin-turbos at 560 hp. A range-topping model equipped with the Porsche GT’s 700-hp V10 engine is also a rumored possibility.
Panamera is intended to be a true sports car, while at the same time offer a family a car for everyday use with four full seats, easy access to the rear and a good-sized luggage compartment.
When it hits the road in ’09, Porsche hopes to sell 20,000 to 30,000 annually, with a third coming to North America.
Source www.autoweek.com
e enjte, 5 korrik 2007
2007 Lexus GS 350. If a six gives you 300 hp, who still says only an eight is enough?
2007 LEXUS GS 350
ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $46,795
DRIVETRAIN: 3.5-liter, 303-hp, 274-lb-ft V6; awd, six-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 3869 lb
0-60 MPH: 5.8 sec
FUEL ECONOMY (EPA/AW): 23/23.3 म्प्ग
When Lexus rolled out its latest GS, all the headlines went to the hybrid edition, the GS 450h, a rear-drive model with performance pretensions। This go-round, though, we sampled an all-wheel-drive model with the new V6 that makes 303 hp। It’s essentially the same engine that’s in the hybrid (don’t let the 450 nomenclature fool you—the 430 is the V8) but without the power boost from the electric motors that comes with the hybrid।This car has a base price about $8,000 less than the hybrid, weighs 300 pounds less despite the mass of the awd hardware (those hybrid batteries and motors are heavy) and comes up only 37 hp short। Lexus says the GS 350 awd gives up 0.6 second to the hybrid from 0 to 60 mph (5.8 seconds versus 5.2), and—for now, at least—this new direct-injected six actually outpowers the 290-hp V8 in the GS 430. The new six is supremely quiet and plenty powerful. It doesn’t shut off at stoplights as the hybrid does, but we’re not sure we’d notice if it stalled—it’s that quiet. Our observed fuel economy of 23.3 mpg isn’t up to the hybrid’s EPA 26 mpg, but it’s not bad for a spacious luxury car. The power rating is the big thing for a six, of course, but Lexus hasn’t really outdone BMW’s 535xi with its 300-hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six or Cadillac’s latest direct-injection 3.6-liter V6 in the STS and the upcoming CTS. The Lexus does want premium fuel (as does the BMW). With sixes now making power on par with V8s offered a few seasons ago, it’s worth considering how much engine you need in this world of unpredictable gasoline prices.A six also gets some weight off the nose compared with an eight, which could be a handling advantage if you spec your car right. That wasn’t evident in this example, though, with its awd system adding in what the smaller engine may have saved.Some of our drivers loved the exterior styling of the GS, while others found it amorphous. The interior also divided drivers; they called it either comfortable or eerily numbing. Few were fond of the foldaway control panel for functions such as the mirror adjusters that resides low and to the left of the steering column—if you leave it open, you bang your knee getting in or out. On the other hand, it does reduce the complexity of the dash’s appearance. Some drivers love being surrounded with dials and knobs as if they were 747 pilots, but others find it baffling and stress-inducing.The GS is a soft, quiet car, rather than an enthusiast driving machine like the 535 or the STS. Buyers in regions with unpredictable weather will find four-wheel traction reassuring (Cadillac makes you buy the V8 in order to get awd in the STS), but Lexus doesn’t tune its system for hard drivers the way Audi does with quattro.Our example came with a navigation system, Bluetooth and voice activation ($1,850); rain-sensing wipers, adaptive front lighting and headlight cleaner ($522); parking assist ($500); rear sunshade ($210); rear spoiler ($200); ventilated seats ($200); trunk mat, cargo net and wheel locks ($197); and all-weather floor mats ($99), bringing the price to just over $50,000.For most buyers ready to pony up $50,000 for a luxury ride, the Lexus name and awd will provide the security they seek, and the car will provide all the comfort and accouterments they’d want. And now that there’s so much power in what is nominally the “base” engine, owners of the GS won’t feel they’re missing out on something essential by shying away from the cutting edge of a V8 or even a hybrid.
Source www.autoweek.com
ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $46,795
DRIVETRAIN: 3.5-liter, 303-hp, 274-lb-ft V6; awd, six-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 3869 lb
0-60 MPH: 5.8 sec
FUEL ECONOMY (EPA/AW): 23/23.3 म्प्ग
When Lexus rolled out its latest GS, all the headlines went to the hybrid edition, the GS 450h, a rear-drive model with performance pretensions। This go-round, though, we sampled an all-wheel-drive model with the new V6 that makes 303 hp। It’s essentially the same engine that’s in the hybrid (don’t let the 450 nomenclature fool you—the 430 is the V8) but without the power boost from the electric motors that comes with the hybrid।This car has a base price about $8,000 less than the hybrid, weighs 300 pounds less despite the mass of the awd hardware (those hybrid batteries and motors are heavy) and comes up only 37 hp short। Lexus says the GS 350 awd gives up 0.6 second to the hybrid from 0 to 60 mph (5.8 seconds versus 5.2), and—for now, at least—this new direct-injected six actually outpowers the 290-hp V8 in the GS 430. The new six is supremely quiet and plenty powerful. It doesn’t shut off at stoplights as the hybrid does, but we’re not sure we’d notice if it stalled—it’s that quiet. Our observed fuel economy of 23.3 mpg isn’t up to the hybrid’s EPA 26 mpg, but it’s not bad for a spacious luxury car. The power rating is the big thing for a six, of course, but Lexus hasn’t really outdone BMW’s 535xi with its 300-hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six or Cadillac’s latest direct-injection 3.6-liter V6 in the STS and the upcoming CTS. The Lexus does want premium fuel (as does the BMW). With sixes now making power on par with V8s offered a few seasons ago, it’s worth considering how much engine you need in this world of unpredictable gasoline prices.A six also gets some weight off the nose compared with an eight, which could be a handling advantage if you spec your car right. That wasn’t evident in this example, though, with its awd system adding in what the smaller engine may have saved.Some of our drivers loved the exterior styling of the GS, while others found it amorphous. The interior also divided drivers; they called it either comfortable or eerily numbing. Few were fond of the foldaway control panel for functions such as the mirror adjusters that resides low and to the left of the steering column—if you leave it open, you bang your knee getting in or out. On the other hand, it does reduce the complexity of the dash’s appearance. Some drivers love being surrounded with dials and knobs as if they were 747 pilots, but others find it baffling and stress-inducing.The GS is a soft, quiet car, rather than an enthusiast driving machine like the 535 or the STS. Buyers in regions with unpredictable weather will find four-wheel traction reassuring (Cadillac makes you buy the V8 in order to get awd in the STS), but Lexus doesn’t tune its system for hard drivers the way Audi does with quattro.Our example came with a navigation system, Bluetooth and voice activation ($1,850); rain-sensing wipers, adaptive front lighting and headlight cleaner ($522); parking assist ($500); rear sunshade ($210); rear spoiler ($200); ventilated seats ($200); trunk mat, cargo net and wheel locks ($197); and all-weather floor mats ($99), bringing the price to just over $50,000.For most buyers ready to pony up $50,000 for a luxury ride, the Lexus name and awd will provide the security they seek, and the car will provide all the comfort and accouterments they’d want. And now that there’s so much power in what is nominally the “base” engine, owners of the GS won’t feel they’re missing out on something essential by shying away from the cutting edge of a V8 or even a hybrid.
Source www.autoweek.com
Tips for Your Summer Trips. What to do, how to do it, what to watch for and even where those speed traps might pop up on your drive
With the Fourth of July and the summer traveling season upon us, there are a few rules of the road to keep you safe. The AAA estimates a record 41.1 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles from home this holiday week—a total of more than two billion miles traveled—with 84 percent of those miles put on cars, trucks and SUVs. That’s a lot of “are we there yet?” questions to endure.The first tip, though simple and effective, is to wear your seatbelt! According to the International Institute for Highway Safety, July 3rd and 4th are the two deadliest days on the road each, due largely to miles traveled, as well as the nature of the holiday week—barbecues beget beer breaks beget drinking and driving. Tip two is, before you leave on a trip, check your tires. Tires are some of the most neglected parts in regards to maintenance, so check that they have the proper inflation, and check the tread. Fluids are the lifeblood of your car and it’s imperative to check them all. The oil, coolant, washer fluid, power steering, transmission, and brake fluids should all be topped off prior to any trip. Running out of washer fluid in light rain can be dangerous, just as running low on coolant can be while in a traffic jam.Don’t forget the old-school of navigation: Take a map. Even with directions from an online service, it is still good to have a hard copy layout of the highways and byways. Not to mention most online services don’t add pertinent traffic or construction information. Bring a cell phone, with a charger; a dead phone is more useless today than in the past with the extinction of the public payphone.After you’ve taken the proper precautions, here are a few more tips, courtesy of Allstate Motor Club (www.allstatemotorclub.com), to heed while on the road. Double-check that all the exterior and interior lights are turned off during pit stops. With the added heat of the summer, your car battery has to work extra hard. All vehicles should have an emergency kit stored somewhere. The kit should include reflectors, jumper cables, a flashlight and tire gauge, drivers should also have some kind of first aid kit handy, in case of an accident. A working jack and a proper spare are also mandatory.Along with the annual tips the insurance companies give for safe travel, AutoWeek would like to throw a few of it’s own into the pre-vacation frenzy.There will be an estimated 35 million Americans traveling in cars this Fourth, nearly equal to the entire population of Kenya. What does this mean to us? Traffic. But don’t fret. The added congestion on the roads can be combated. Traffic.com is a website dedicated to bringing drivers up to the minute traffic data, which can be sent to your home email, a PDA, or that fancy new iPhone. Visitors can view real time traffic info from cities across the country, set up a route to drive and find a time to leave for maximum driving efficiency.To many of us efficiency is important; trying yet rarely succeeding to leave bright and early, turning a two-day drive into one. Shortening the trip has its consequences. Drivers have been straining to avoid speeding tickets in unfamiliar areas for decades. The truckers have their radios, and we have our radar detectors, but that’s not always enough. The National Motorists Association (www.motorists.org) has a list of the top ten speed traps in the United States, and their website, www.speedtrap.org, has nailed down many of the country’s strict enforcement zones. Drivers log on and input speed traps in their own neighborhood, while others hopefully do the same. The goal is to have an online database of the spots with arbitrarily low speed limits which can be checked prior to leaving state lines.Keeping safe over the summer is something many people talk about but few actually observe. The Fourth of July brings a sense of pride and independence for most Americans and the way many of us take advantage of that independence is to hit the open road. These few precautions are easy to take and can save you headaches, heartaches and wallet aches.
Source http://autoweek.com/
Source http://autoweek.com/
Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. The new C63 cozies up with style and speed
MERCEDES-BENZ C63 AMG
ON SALE: Spring 2008
BASE PRICE: N/A
DRIVETRAIN: 6.2-liter, 457-hp, 442-lb-ft V8;
rwd, seven-speed automaticCURB
WEIGHT: 3650 lb0-60 MPH: 4।3 sec (est)FUEL ECONOMY: N/A
To put it politely, the question is this: Has Mercedes-Benz finally learned that power alone is not enough? For years now, M-B’s celebrated AMG division has been turning out exciting cars with outputs to match their breathtaking price tags. Big, bold and brassy, there is no doubting their sheer firepower. But while they have all boasted incredible straight-line speed, they have tended to lack an intimacy that would set them apart from the competition.The new C63 is meant to change all that. It has been engineered in a program that its director of development, Tobias Moers, promises will challenge BMW’s new M3 for outright driver appeal. “We have left no stone unturned in efforts to provide our new car the necessary qualities to lift it above the competition,” he says, adding that the C63 has more development miles than any other car in AMG’s 40-year history.The wholesale change in philosophy is no better exemplified than by AMG’s decision to equip the C63 with an electronic stability program (ESP) that can be switched off completely. There’s no cop-out like the system employed on the old C55, which intervenes above a predetermined threshold even when it is supposedly disabled. Hold the button down for longer than three seconds and you disengage the electronic safety net. It continues to operate under braking but disappears under load, setting the scene for lurid oversteer as well as an arcane ability to light up the rear tires in first, second and third gears. “It was the one thing I really pushed hard to incorporate into the car from the beginning,” says Moers. “It is essential our customers can choose to use every last bit of their cars’ performance.” The appropriate word here is choose, because as well as being able to turn off the ESP, there is also a special sport mode that sees it continue to operate in the background but at a newly developed threshold that permits you to tease the rear end out without prematurely robbing power from the engine and applying the brakes. So the C63 is unshackled. The question is, does it make any difference? Oh, yeah. With this car, AMG has achieved a tremendous balance between power and poise. As well as being seriously fast, it also responds intuitively to your actions. Modifications to the third-generation C-Class’ rear-wheel-drive chassis deliver the sort of confidence-inspiring feedback over winding roads that soon prompts you to make the most of the switchable ESP. We can’t remember a more entertaining, more dynamically rounded Mercedes model since the original 190 2.5 Evo.It starts, as always, with the engine. Out goes the old 5.4-liter V8, its place taken by AMG’s latest 6.2-liter V8. The engine is mounted a half-inch farther back than the regular C-Class engines. The complete front-end structure has been redesigned around a series of radiators—a total of six crammed in on top of each other behind the front-end bodywork where they compete for air fed through liberal openings. (Note to self: Keep the expensive- looking nose away from guardrails.)The big V8 kicks out 457 hp at 6700 rpm along with a tumultuous 442 lb-ft at 5000 rpm. Central among the chassis changes is the adoption of the front axle from the CLK63 Black Series. Up in length by 1.3 inches over the standard C-Class and boasting redesigned wheel bearings, it adds true precision to the steering, imbuing the C63 with sharper turn-in and greater feedback than any other AMG model. The suspension, a four-link front and five-link rear arrangement, is related in principle to the standard C-Class but uses more aluminum to keep unsprung weight down. It supports 18-inch wheels shod with 245/40 front and 255/35 rear Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tires. It’s all clothed in an aggressive-looking body that turns the C63 into a real head-turner. One thing’s for sure: You’ll never mistake it for an ordinary C-Class. There’s a deep front bumper punctuated with enormous cooling ducts and vertically stacked blades at each side to extract air from the oil cooler. The car also has a twin-slat grille, titanium-colored headlight inserts, a restyled steel hood with a pair of power domes and widened front fenders with bulging wheel arches. It looks menacing but contemporary. Added to all this are chiseled side sills, a trunk-mounted spoiler, darkened tail-lamp lenses and a retroflex rear bumper. The changes continue inside, with contoured sport seats offering electronic cushion adjustments, a terrific flat-bottomed steering wheel with remote shift paddles for the C63’s seven-speed automatic gearbox and new instrument graphics. Fire the ignition, still activated via an electronic key rather than a starter button favored by some rivals. Ba-ba-ba . . . boom! The engine draws breath before erupting to life with a deep bellow through the exhausts, extinguishing any remaining doubts you might have had about AMG’s mission with the C63. Dial in the manual mode for the gearbox via a button on the center console, draw the stubby shift lever back to engage drive and ease away smartly with a determined stab of the throttle and the sound of rubber straining against the pavement.There are no cantankerous theatrics from the driveline, just one linear surge of acceleration. The engine responds with alacrity to every request, igniting power and then dousing it as your right foot demands. For all the apparent athleticism, it is smooth, running up to the 7000-rpm redline without any strain. And it is addictive: We found ourselves dropping back a gear at almost every opportunity, just to experience the sheer explosiveness concentrated in the upper reaches of the rev range. All the while the heavy-metal soundtrack hardens in concert with the V8’s howl. The relentless acceleration is as mind-blowing as the epic exhaust note. Mercedes-Benz claims 0 to 62 mph in just 4.5 seconds. That’s 0.3-second inside the time BMW quotes for the new M3 and becomes all the more impressive when you realize you are hauling 3650 pounds. Top speed is nominally capped at 155 mph, however, customers who specify the C63’s optional performance package receive a remapped ECU that extends it to a rather more fitting 174 mph. “It’s geared to do more . . . much more,” says Moers, “but we’ve got to consider the stresses being placed on the tires.” So it is no lightweight, but it has legs. Having seven gears to divvy up the power helps, of course. Even so, sixth and seventh are heavily overdriven to ensure fuel consumption remains semi-sane. On the early example we drove, however, the C63’s gearbox didn’t do the engine justice. Despite being reworked to provide a satisfying blip of the throttle on downshifts, it was slow to respond to upshift requests. AMG admits it needs work and says a fix is in the pipeline prior to North American sales early next year. While its engine plays a major role in defining the new Mercedes, it is the determined and entertaining way its chassis deploys its substantial reserves that sets it apart from previous AMG models. It is responsive, communicative and adjustable on the limit—hardly how we’d describe its predecessor, whose bold engine dominated proceedings in such a way that it was to the detriment of the overall driving experience. Pushed hard, the C63 reveals a multifaceted purposefulness we can’t wait to measure against the new M3.For all its inherent tautness, the ride is acceptable even on pockmarked pavement, with excellent rebound control helping to quell any nasty vertical movement. The front end is superbly damped, too, allowing the C63 to track faithfully without too much unsettling movement over bumps. Before long, you find yourself making big demands on the chassis, marveling at the directness and body control. It takes a special road to extract its best—better, still, a track where the new AMG’s high limits can be explored in safety. With the new ESP system switched to Sport, oversteer can be dialed up at will. Barrel into a corner hard on the brakes, tap the shift paddle to engage a lower gear and . . . WHAM! A big application of throttle gets the rear swinging out wide. But rather than premature surrender to the commands of the electronics just as the real action commences (as in other AMG models), the C63 follows your instructions. It is terrifically adjustable, the slip angles controlled via the throttle. If all this is not enough, you can switch the ESP off completely, at which point it becomes an even more willing sideways companion.We won’t see the C63 on these shores until next spring, and prices haven’t been set. We can’t emphasize enough just how much more invigorating AMG’s latest performance hero is to drive. It operates on a much higher level than its predecessor, in terms of performance and overall dynamic prowess. With the M3 waiting in the wings, the scene is now set for a battle royal.
Source:http://www।autoweek.com/
ON SALE: Spring 2008
BASE PRICE: N/A
DRIVETRAIN: 6.2-liter, 457-hp, 442-lb-ft V8;
rwd, seven-speed automaticCURB
WEIGHT: 3650 lb0-60 MPH: 4।3 sec (est)FUEL ECONOMY: N/A
To put it politely, the question is this: Has Mercedes-Benz finally learned that power alone is not enough? For years now, M-B’s celebrated AMG division has been turning out exciting cars with outputs to match their breathtaking price tags. Big, bold and brassy, there is no doubting their sheer firepower. But while they have all boasted incredible straight-line speed, they have tended to lack an intimacy that would set them apart from the competition.The new C63 is meant to change all that. It has been engineered in a program that its director of development, Tobias Moers, promises will challenge BMW’s new M3 for outright driver appeal. “We have left no stone unturned in efforts to provide our new car the necessary qualities to lift it above the competition,” he says, adding that the C63 has more development miles than any other car in AMG’s 40-year history.The wholesale change in philosophy is no better exemplified than by AMG’s decision to equip the C63 with an electronic stability program (ESP) that can be switched off completely. There’s no cop-out like the system employed on the old C55, which intervenes above a predetermined threshold even when it is supposedly disabled. Hold the button down for longer than three seconds and you disengage the electronic safety net. It continues to operate under braking but disappears under load, setting the scene for lurid oversteer as well as an arcane ability to light up the rear tires in first, second and third gears. “It was the one thing I really pushed hard to incorporate into the car from the beginning,” says Moers. “It is essential our customers can choose to use every last bit of their cars’ performance.” The appropriate word here is choose, because as well as being able to turn off the ESP, there is also a special sport mode that sees it continue to operate in the background but at a newly developed threshold that permits you to tease the rear end out without prematurely robbing power from the engine and applying the brakes. So the C63 is unshackled. The question is, does it make any difference? Oh, yeah. With this car, AMG has achieved a tremendous balance between power and poise. As well as being seriously fast, it also responds intuitively to your actions. Modifications to the third-generation C-Class’ rear-wheel-drive chassis deliver the sort of confidence-inspiring feedback over winding roads that soon prompts you to make the most of the switchable ESP. We can’t remember a more entertaining, more dynamically rounded Mercedes model since the original 190 2.5 Evo.It starts, as always, with the engine. Out goes the old 5.4-liter V8, its place taken by AMG’s latest 6.2-liter V8. The engine is mounted a half-inch farther back than the regular C-Class engines. The complete front-end structure has been redesigned around a series of radiators—a total of six crammed in on top of each other behind the front-end bodywork where they compete for air fed through liberal openings. (Note to self: Keep the expensive- looking nose away from guardrails.)The big V8 kicks out 457 hp at 6700 rpm along with a tumultuous 442 lb-ft at 5000 rpm. Central among the chassis changes is the adoption of the front axle from the CLK63 Black Series. Up in length by 1.3 inches over the standard C-Class and boasting redesigned wheel bearings, it adds true precision to the steering, imbuing the C63 with sharper turn-in and greater feedback than any other AMG model. The suspension, a four-link front and five-link rear arrangement, is related in principle to the standard C-Class but uses more aluminum to keep unsprung weight down. It supports 18-inch wheels shod with 245/40 front and 255/35 rear Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tires. It’s all clothed in an aggressive-looking body that turns the C63 into a real head-turner. One thing’s for sure: You’ll never mistake it for an ordinary C-Class. There’s a deep front bumper punctuated with enormous cooling ducts and vertically stacked blades at each side to extract air from the oil cooler. The car also has a twin-slat grille, titanium-colored headlight inserts, a restyled steel hood with a pair of power domes and widened front fenders with bulging wheel arches. It looks menacing but contemporary. Added to all this are chiseled side sills, a trunk-mounted spoiler, darkened tail-lamp lenses and a retroflex rear bumper. The changes continue inside, with contoured sport seats offering electronic cushion adjustments, a terrific flat-bottomed steering wheel with remote shift paddles for the C63’s seven-speed automatic gearbox and new instrument graphics. Fire the ignition, still activated via an electronic key rather than a starter button favored by some rivals. Ba-ba-ba . . . boom! The engine draws breath before erupting to life with a deep bellow through the exhausts, extinguishing any remaining doubts you might have had about AMG’s mission with the C63. Dial in the manual mode for the gearbox via a button on the center console, draw the stubby shift lever back to engage drive and ease away smartly with a determined stab of the throttle and the sound of rubber straining against the pavement.There are no cantankerous theatrics from the driveline, just one linear surge of acceleration. The engine responds with alacrity to every request, igniting power and then dousing it as your right foot demands. For all the apparent athleticism, it is smooth, running up to the 7000-rpm redline without any strain. And it is addictive: We found ourselves dropping back a gear at almost every opportunity, just to experience the sheer explosiveness concentrated in the upper reaches of the rev range. All the while the heavy-metal soundtrack hardens in concert with the V8’s howl. The relentless acceleration is as mind-blowing as the epic exhaust note. Mercedes-Benz claims 0 to 62 mph in just 4.5 seconds. That’s 0.3-second inside the time BMW quotes for the new M3 and becomes all the more impressive when you realize you are hauling 3650 pounds. Top speed is nominally capped at 155 mph, however, customers who specify the C63’s optional performance package receive a remapped ECU that extends it to a rather more fitting 174 mph. “It’s geared to do more . . . much more,” says Moers, “but we’ve got to consider the stresses being placed on the tires.” So it is no lightweight, but it has legs. Having seven gears to divvy up the power helps, of course. Even so, sixth and seventh are heavily overdriven to ensure fuel consumption remains semi-sane. On the early example we drove, however, the C63’s gearbox didn’t do the engine justice. Despite being reworked to provide a satisfying blip of the throttle on downshifts, it was slow to respond to upshift requests. AMG admits it needs work and says a fix is in the pipeline prior to North American sales early next year. While its engine plays a major role in defining the new Mercedes, it is the determined and entertaining way its chassis deploys its substantial reserves that sets it apart from previous AMG models. It is responsive, communicative and adjustable on the limit—hardly how we’d describe its predecessor, whose bold engine dominated proceedings in such a way that it was to the detriment of the overall driving experience. Pushed hard, the C63 reveals a multifaceted purposefulness we can’t wait to measure against the new M3.For all its inherent tautness, the ride is acceptable even on pockmarked pavement, with excellent rebound control helping to quell any nasty vertical movement. The front end is superbly damped, too, allowing the C63 to track faithfully without too much unsettling movement over bumps. Before long, you find yourself making big demands on the chassis, marveling at the directness and body control. It takes a special road to extract its best—better, still, a track where the new AMG’s high limits can be explored in safety. With the new ESP system switched to Sport, oversteer can be dialed up at will. Barrel into a corner hard on the brakes, tap the shift paddle to engage a lower gear and . . . WHAM! A big application of throttle gets the rear swinging out wide. But rather than premature surrender to the commands of the electronics just as the real action commences (as in other AMG models), the C63 follows your instructions. It is terrifically adjustable, the slip angles controlled via the throttle. If all this is not enough, you can switch the ESP off completely, at which point it becomes an even more willing sideways companion.We won’t see the C63 on these shores until next spring, and prices haven’t been set. We can’t emphasize enough just how much more invigorating AMG’s latest performance hero is to drive. It operates on a much higher level than its predecessor, in terms of performance and overall dynamic prowess. With the M3 waiting in the wings, the scene is now set for a battle royal.
Source:http://www।autoweek.com/
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