It’s a long time since the likes of AMG’s original 190E 3.2 set the template for generations of compact sports saloons.
In the decades since, the concept has been refined in more ways than one. Luxury and technological sophistication now matter almost as much as anything else, and AMG packages both better than any of its competitors.
The C 63’s key advantage is that it’s a Mercedes-Benz C-Class, so it brings innovations filtered down from bigger Mercedes-Benz models along with a material lavishness that you simply won’t find in any of its rivals.
The SL’s Frontbass audio system comes as standard, as do the Mercedes-Benz S-Class’s latest Collision Prevention Assist Plus crash mitigation and Attention Assist fatigue-monitoring systems.
The C 63’s fixtures and fittings bristle with more matt chrome than any rival sports saloon and almost all feel solid and expensive. The glossy black plastic of the centre console is less attractive and prone to dirty fingermarks and, to us, the silvery plastic on the steering wheel seems slightly low-rent.
But the feathered aluminium trim across the dashboard and door consoles is worn very well indeed, and finding a button or knob that lets the side down on perceived quality is impossible.
