“Performance engines are about the ability to
make the driver smile - I defy anyone not to
grin when this powertrain is on full song”
Graham Johnson, co-chairman, IEOTYA
Press "Play" to view the video of the winner.
Despite stiff competition from BMW and Jaguar, the Mercedes-AMG 6,208cc unit has been crowned winner of the Above 4-litre class.
Arturo de Andrés of Automóvil in Spain commented, “The AMG branch from Mercedes has taken the classic V8 design to the top: outstanding performance, terrific punch in the low-end and it goes up to 7,000rpm without any problems.”
The powerplant is available in various states of tune, ranging from 451bhp in the CLK up to 518bhp in the CL, and is built in the AMG engine shop on the ‘one man, one engine’ principle, with one technician responsible for hand-assembling a complete engine before leaving a signature on the engine plate.
Specification includes variable camshaft adjustment, four-valve technology with bucket-type tappets and a particularly rigid closed-deck aluminium crankcase, and the low-friction TWAS coating on the cylinder contact surfaces. One of the engine’s best features is the noise it makes! Australian motoring writer Bill McKinnon said, “This is big-capacity power and torque with race engine responsiveness, plus a Wagnerian soundtrack. The benchmark V8.”
Fuel pressure is constantly monitored, with an operating range of 3.8-5.0bar. When the ECU receives the signal from the accelerator pedal, mere milliseconds pass before the correct fuel pressure is identified and set, offering responsive performance without major economy penalties. The fuel consumption of the C 63 AMG according to the NEDC is 13.4 litres/100km (21mpg) with CO2 emissions of 319g/km. The estate has slightly worst fuel economy with 13.7 litres/100km (20.6mpg).
To transmit the power, the AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic gearbox offers three driving modes, each with different characteristics. In sport mode, changes are 30% faster than in comfort mode, or 50% faster than in manual mode. To reduce jolting on changing down, an auto throttle-blipping function is employed.
