Pre-facelift W204 C63 AMG…

We saw the W204 C-Class get its mid-life facelift in December last year, and shortly after that Mercedes-Benz pushed off the latest special edition pre-facelifted high performance version of the W204 – the C63 AMG Affalterbach Edition (Affalterbach is AMG’s base in southern Germany), only 30 to be made and to be sold in Canada only.

… and this is the facelift! Which do you prefer?

And just unveiled today is the new W204 C63 AMG facelift. It’s become more toned down and less aggressive compared to the pre-facelift C63 AMG, mainly because the extra bulges on the engine hood is now gone (compare with the pre-facelift W204 in the first image).

The grille that shows off the large silver arrow now has a single horizontal chrome line instead of the double line of the pre-facelift W204 AMG car. And of course those round fogs have been replaced with LED daytime running lights.

The engine bay houses the same 6.2 litre V8 making 451 horsepower in stock form, but the AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS 7G-TRONIC automatic gearbox has now been replaced by the 7-speed MCT version of the gearbox, which is still pretty much constructed like an automatic gearbox but uses a computer actuated clutch instead of a torque converter. It’s no slouch in shift speed, and does little tricks like throttle blipping for downshifts to keep the drive sporty.

The chassis has been revised with new suspension stabilizers and thicker anti-roll bars. Fuel consumption is said to be 10% better than the pre-facelift thanks to the switch to the MCT transmission and a new power steering pump that is more efficient.

Also available is an AMG Performance Package that brings power output up by 30 horsepower, and being a normally aspirated engine it’s not as simple as tweaking the boost on a turbocharged engine. You have to earn that 30 horses via a lighter crankshaft as well as forged pistons and conrods which are included in the AMG Performance Package.

To complete the kit, the AMG upgrade package adds red-painted brake calipers, a carbon fiber bootlid spoiler and an AMG performance steering wheel in a combination nappa leather and Alcantara.

This 6.2L V8 could likely be replaced by the downsized turbocharged 5.5L V8 in the next incarnation of the C-Class so this is going to be the biggest engined C-Class you’re going to get! Look after the jump for a gallery of the new W204 AMG facelift.
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Mercedes-Benz has introduced the new CLS 63 AMG, and the C218 variant of the form takes off where the W219 left off, with more tricks in the bag, of course.

The four-door coupe gets two output variants of the form, centered around the workings of the M157 AMG 5.5 litre V8 biturbo engine, which features spray-guided direct petrol injection with piezo injectors, a full aluminium crankcase, four-valve technology with camshaft adjustment, air/water intercooling, generator management and a stop/start system among its tech leanings.

In its stock guise the pot puts out 525 hp at 5,250 rpm and 700 Nm at 1,750-5,000 rpm; with the AMG Performance package strapped on, output becomes 557 hp at 5,750 rpm and torque goes up to 800 Nm at 2,000-4,500 rpm. The major difference between both power units is the increase in the maximum charge-air pressure from 1.0 to 1.3 bar.

The drivetrain of choice is the AMG Speedshift MCT seven-speed sports transmission, replete with a compact wet start-up clutch in place of the torque converter and a stop/start function, which is permanently active in the transmission’s Controlled Efficiency (“C”) mode, switching the eight-cylinder engine off when the car comes to a stop. The “C” mode also gets a “soft” accelerator response set-up, with early gearshifts.

Going to “S” (Sport), “S+” (Sport plus) and “M” (Manual) modes brings about the engine management system partially suppressing the cylinders, interrupting ignition and injection under full load leads to even faster gearshifts. Also on call are an automatic double-declutching function and RACE START function.

Externally, the CLS 63 AMG bags a more distinctive bonnet, wider mudguards, a specific AMG front apron with black painted cross member and V8 BITURBO badging. Standard fitment includes LED High Performance headlamps. At the back, there’s a diffuser insert, an AMG spoiler lip on the boot lid and – as also featured on the SLS AMG – an integrated rear foglamp.

Elsewhere, there’s an AMG brake system, with the option of going with a ceramic high-performance composite braking system if you choose, as well as an AMG sports exhaust system with dual twin chrome tailpipes. Road contact comes courtesy of titanium grey-painted, high-sheen 19-inch AMG light-alloy wheels in a new triple-spoke design, wearing 255/35 front and 285/30 rear rubbers.

Further efforts in the name of performance sees the fitment of all-aluminium doors, around 24 kg lighter compared to the conventional steel ones, and additionally, the bonnet, front wings, boot lid, parcel shelf, various support sections as well as major parts of the chassis and engine are all made from aluminium too.

The car comes shod with a three-mode AMG Ride Control sports suspension, with steel suspension struts on the front axle and air suspension struts on the rear axle, as well as automatic level control and electronically controlled damping. There’s also a new front axle, with a 24mm wider track width, and a newly developed electromechanical AMG sports parameter steering offering a more direct ratio and variable power assistance that adapts according to the chosen suspension mode.

Inside, among the extensive range of standard appointments are AMG sports seats in nappa leather, a new three-spoke AMG Performance steering wheel with aluminium shift paddles and flattened top and bottom sections and an AMG Drive Unit with compact E-SELECT selector lever.

The AMG Performance package, besides ramping up the juice, also gets you a bag of other stuff – among these, carbon fibre AMG engine cover and spoiler lip on the boot lid, AMG Performance steering wheel with Alcantara inserts in the grip areas and red-painted brake calipers.

Further optional items available are an AMG Exterior Carbon package, trim elements in carbon fibre/black piano lacquer and yes, illuminated AMG door sill panels as well as a lightweight, forged 5-twin-spoke design light-alloy wheels and corresponding 255/35 front and 285/30 rear tyres. Indeed, you could have a seriously sordid season ticking off all the boxes with this one.

Gallery after the jump.
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Mercedes-Benz has come up with a limited-edition C63 variant, and this one is only for the Canadian market. Created by the AMG Performance Centre in Affalterbach, Germany, the AMG Affalterbach Edition is limited to just 30 units, and features unique styling cues and an impressive list of special equipment that have never been offered before on a C63 AMG.

It’s finished in a highly distinctive designo MAGNO Allanite Grey paintwork, and the car’s unique appearance is further distinguished by high-performance AMG brakes with red calipers, 19-inch AMG multi-spoke alloy wheels in black, carbon-fibre mirror housings and a rear lip spoiler.

The 6.2-litre V8 pot remains as is, and with the AMG P31 Development Package strapped on, speed limiter removed and a limited-slip diff thrown in, offers 481 hp and 600Nm of torque here, as well as a 0-100 kph time of 4.4 seconds.

The interior features the Affalterbach logo prominently displayed on the gearshift lever and embossed on the headrests, and red contrast stitching adorns the black AMG Nappa leather sport seats. Also to be found in the Canuck version are AMG carbon-fibre trim, floor mats with red leather piping and a special Affalterbach Edition badge which identifies every car with its unique “1 of 30″ designation.

Plenty else in the way of equipment – the car features each element from the C63 AMG Premium Package, and the list reads like this: a rear view camera, Parktronic, Comand APS with HDD Navigation and DVD Changer, multi-media interface, rear window sunshade, harman/kardon LOGIC7 surround sound system and Keyless-Go.

Gallery after the jump.
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Mercedes-Benz has introduced its new R172 SLK, with three model variants of the third-generation roadster available at launch, all with a BlueEFFICIENCY suffix. Two are 1.8 litre four-cylinder versions, the SLK 200 BlueEFFICIENCY and SLK 250 BlueEFFICIENCY, offering 184 hp and 204 hp respectively – performance figures include a 0-100 kph sprint time of 7.0 sec for the SLK 200 and 6.6 secs for the SLK 250. The seven-speed 7-Gtronic Plus gearbox is standard fitment on the SLK 250, and an option on the SLK 200.

The immediate range is completed by the SLK 350 BlueEFFICIENCY – the V6 block, which features third-generation direct injection, piezo injectors and multi-spark ignition, pumps out 306 hp and manages a 0-100 kph sprint time of 5.6 secs. Mercedes says that despite the level of performance, the trio is up to 25% more economical than their predecessors.

Shape-wise, the front represents quite a bit of change from the previous generation R171 – the upright radiator grille, with its contoured fin, is certainly eye-catching, and together with the clearly defined headlamps (now equipped with LED technology) bring about a look that not only follows on the link with the SLS AMG and new CLS but is also a homage to the hallowed 190 SL of the past.

Other cues also offer a nod to the past – the ventilation grilles in the front wings, with a chromed fin, are reminiscent of the famous Mercedes-Benz roadsters of the 1950s. Not that it’s all just to do with style – the bonnet and wings are now made of aluminium to bring weight down and, despite the larger, more striking frontal area, the R172 SLK is aerodynamically slicker than its precedessor, with a Cd of 0.30 to the R171′s 0.32.

For the interior, there’s plenty of plush, from brushed aluminium trim bits in the base version to the high-gloss dark brown walnut or high-gloss black ash wood as things move up the scale. Other bits of kit include a multifunction sports steering wheel with a flattened bottom section and a thick leather crown as well as optional sun-reflecting leather.

There’s also Airguide, a new draught-stop system consisting of pivoting transparent plastic layers attached to the reverse of the roll-over bars – the driver or passenger can swing them to the centre of the vehicle in a flash to tame turbulent air flow.

It’s on this SLK that Mercedes is offering, for the first time, a choice of three variants of the lightweight-construction vario-roof. The base version is a roof painted in the vehicle colour, and alternatively there’s the option of a panoramic vario-roof with dark-tinted windows.

The third variant is a world premiere item – a panoramic vario-roof with Magic Sky Control, with the glass roof switching to light or dark as you wish at the press of a button. In its light state the roof is virtually transparent, offering an open-air experience without the air, and in its dark state the roof provides, well, welcome shade.

Three is also the number of suspension versions SLK buyers can choose from – a conventional steel suspension comes as standard, with the second being a sports suspension with harder springs and dampers. The third is a Dynamic Handling package, with an electronically controlled fully automatic damping system that includes a Direct-Steer system and Torque Vectoring Brakes as part of the parcel.

Since it’s a brand new SLK, Merc has decided to celebrate its arrival with an “Edition 1” special model, which comes in a special paint finish in glacier grey, and standard spec equipment for this one includes a panoramic vario-roof, the Dynamic Handling package, AMG bodystyling, two-tone designo nappa leather with contrasting top-stitching and Airscarf.

Gallery after the jump.
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