Now it's official: the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupé Black Series is the most powerful C-Class yet.
After weeks of leaked pictures and speculation the new Black Series two-door was seen in public for the first time during the weekend's German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.
The numbers are also official now: 380kW at 6800rpm, 620Nm at 5000rpm, 0-100 in 4.2sec. Respect.
And it looks the part with an arrow-shaped, front end, huge air intakes in the front apron above a black splitter and two ports in the aluminium bonnet to let hot air out.
The front wings have been widened 28mm on each side to make room for a special front axle with wider track, there are “6.3” logos on each just so you don't forget what's responsible for motivation, and more hot-air outlets behind the front wheel-arches, while a black strip on the skirts picks up from the front splitter.
The rear wings have been widened by 42mm a side to accommodate the special AMG rear axle and its 19” forged-alloy rims shod with 285/30 gumballs, and the special rear apron sports a black diffuser.
The 6208cc, naturally aspirated V8 engine shares its forged pistons, connecting rods, crankshaft and oil cooler with the SLS AMG, but the ECU is new, to deal with the greater weight of the C-Class. These measures are flanked by a new engine control unit.
It drives the rear wheels through a seven-speed MCT semi-auto transmission with four transmission modes, a double-declutch function on downshifts and launch control; according to Stuttgart, in Sport Plus and Manual modes gear changes take only 100 milliseconds.
The special AMG coil-over suspension is fully adjustable, with 40mm wider track in front and 79mm at the rear than the standard C-Class, as well as stiffer anti-roll bars for reduced body roll; a limited-slip differential is standard.
The electronic stability programme has three settings: “ESP ON”, “Sport Handling Mode” and “ESP OFF” (recommended for circuit use only!) while ventilated discs all round are clamped by six-piston callipers in front and four-piston callipers at the rear, modulated by a retuned antilock braking system.
The interior is trimmed in black with red highlights, with sports bucket seats trimmed in Dinamica microfibre fabric and no rear seats - although, as an option, it's available with the sports front seats from the “standard” C63 AMG and single rear seats.
The sports steering wheel is trimmed in a mix nappa leather and Dinamaca, with flattened top and bottom sections and aluminium shift paddles. The seat belts are red, and there's red contrasting topstitching on the steering wheel, the seats, door centre panels and armrests, centre console and on the gear-lever gaiter.
A “Black Series” logo adorns the high-gloss black piano-lacquer dashboard and the rotary switch for the C, S, S+ and M transmission modes and launch control is next to the selector lever on the centre console.
Five airbags, seatbelt pre-tensioners and force limiters are standard as auto headlights, tyre pressure monitoring and adaptive cruise control, auto aircon and an eight-speaker radio/CD player with double tuner, colour display, Bluetooth connectivity, hands-free function and a USB port.
The C63 AMG Black Series will go on sale worldwide from January 2012, with South African sales following later in the year. Prices start from €115 430 (R1.13 million); but expect to pay somewhat more in South Africa.