Car Magazine's BMW M3 vs Mercedes-Benz C63-S AMG

[Ghetto2315]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

We head to the Klein Karoo in South Africa to settle one of the most important battles of 2015, BMW’s M3 versus the Mercedes-AMG C63 S. Watch as technical editor Nicol Louw and journalist Wilhelm Lutjeharms put both cars through their paces.

Another good comparison video and the M3 wins again but I can't help but be a fan of that C63-S...

[Powerslide]

Both great cars!!

[rallybull]

Quarter mile in 13.7s and 0-100kmph in 5.87s ?? That is almost 2 seconds more than what the car can do.

They had a very poor launch. How are they into car journalism?

[AM4ZING]

13.7s 1/4 mile is misleading

[OneRib]

It was an accurate review to me even if the drag times seemed off. I still think the C63S will win the majority of straight acceleration runs, while the M3 will take anything with a turn. The times are a little irrelevant since they hit the main strengths and weaknesses of each car.

MB insistence on poor transmission choices (time for a DCT guys) just kills the car for me.

I would have to test drive one to be sure, but the M3 is the more engaging drivers car.

[damnitBobby]

Originally Posted by OneRib

It was an accurate review to me even if the drag times seemed off.

+1

You guys should focus more on the delta between the times.

Review was actually informative and as expected. Thanks for sharing.

[rallybull]

Originally Posted by damnitBobby

+1

You guys should focus more on the delta between the times.

Review was actually informative and as expected. Thanks for sharing.

Unless both cars had an equally bad launch, even the delta is messed up.

[imyopusha]

So glad I decided on the M3 over the C63, but the C63 is the perfect alternative and I will give props to anyone who owns one for having a 100% badass car. Great review. Regardless of who wins any of these comparisons, the M3/4, C63 and ATS-V is as good of a class as it gets.

[raysspl]

[TheBingoBalls]

I know they publications test what they get but I really want to see a comparison between the M3/M4 and base C63. Is the C63 really that good or is it good because Mercedes beefed it up with the S model. It's great that the M3 can still win comparisons even against a beefed up C63 but because of that, I get the feeling that the base C63 isn't all that good and people will have to spend that extra money just to get something that's as good as non-ZCP M3 and which in that case, price should be factor into comparisons.

[rjd598]

Originally Posted by rallybull

Unless both cars had an equally bad launch, even the delta is messed up.

or maybe the f80 is actually that good. everyone look at the deltas between the numbers. the c63 still won, but not by that much. to me that just shows how the weight and transmission really help out. on the flip side the c63 s wasn't that far behind the m3 on the track, but then again with that much more power i hope it wouldn't fall behind by much.

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

I know they publications test what they get but I really want to see a comparison between the M3/M4 and base C63. Is the C63 really that good or is it good because Mercedes beefed it up with the S model. It's great that the M3 can still win comparisons even against a beefed up C63 but because of that, I get the feeling that the base C63 isn't all that good and people will have to spend that extra money just to get something that's as good as non-ZCP M3 and which in that case, price should be factor into comparisons.

bingo. alot of people seem to ignore the fact that technically these comparisons aren't fair. f80 zcp vs. c63 s is what we should see. at this rate it seems like the f80 would easily beat a base c63.

[phoenixbmwlife]

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

I know they publications test what they get but I really want to see a comparison between the M3/M4 and base C63. Is the C63 really that good or is it good because Mercedes beefed it up with the S model. It's great that the M3 can still win comparisons even against a beefed up C63 but because of that, I get the feeling that the base C63 isn't all that good and people will have to spend that extra money just to get something that's as good as non-ZCP M3 and which in that case, price should be factor into comparisons.

I understand your point and it makes much sense if someone were buying the car to track it. I think in real world scenarios most people won't push either car to the limit in which a noticeable gain could be realized.

That being said the psychological perceptual gain, the knowledge that your car is faster might mean a lot to potential buyers of both.

[Anderw]

Originally Posted by rallybull

Quarter mile in 13.7s and 0-100kmph in 5.87s ?? That is almost 2 seconds more than what the car can do.

They had a very poor launch. How are they into car journalism?

I noticed this too, definitely makes there numbers irrelevant 0-100 times are not even close to where they should be. Could be elevation or launch doesn't matter really

[Doctor///M]

Competition is fierce. In the end, we (consumers) win :-)

[M3guy3]

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

I know they publications test what they get but I really want to see a comparison between the M3/M4 and base C63. Is the C63 really that good or is it good because Mercedes beefed it up with the S model. It's great that the M3 can still win comparisons even against a beefed up C63 but because of that, I get the feeling that the base C63 isn't all that good and people will have to spend that extra money just to get something that's as good as non-ZCP M3 and which in that case, price should be factor into comparisons.

So we cant compare the best model AMG has to offer vs the best model M has to offer..... (c63 vs M4)

well i guess someone has to let the producers know that we need to get the right C63 model. because AMG decided to make a good package right off the bat. So we cant compared there best package.

[Raikkonen]

Originally Posted by imyopusha

So glad I decided on the M3 over the C63, but the C63 is the perfect alternative and I will give props to anyone who owns one for having a 100% badass car. Great review. Regardless of who wins any of these comparisons, the M3/4, C63 and ATS-V is as good of a class as it gets.

+1

[vladberca]

So we can see only AMG S against base M3.
I'm curious when ZCP will be released ☺
And a lot more still to come: M4 GTS and AMG BS!

[TheBingoBalls]

Originally Posted by M3guy3

So we cant compare the best model AMG has to offer vs the best model M has to offer..... (c63 vs M4)

well i guess someone has to let the producers know that we need to get the right C63 model. because AMG decided to make a good package right off the bat. So we cant compared there best package.

No one is saying you can't, but lets try to have some perspective and context with these comparisons. Obviously the more money you throw at a car, you expect it to be better so yeah I'd expect the C63 S to be good but what I don't know is if the $63,000 base model is any good. If I have to spend an additional $8,000 to be marginally better than a $62,000 M3 then I think there's something wrong. AMG making a good product off the bat would mean there would be no S variant, but since they have the base model and the S, I have to wonder just how good or bad the base C63 is when compared to the M3 at the same price point when the M3 can clearly hold it's own against the S and when it cost $8,000 less.

[Jashan]

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

No one is saying you can't, but lets try to have some perspective and context with these comparisons. Obviously the more money you throw at a car, you expect it to be better so yeah I'd expect the C63 S to be good but what I don't know is if the $63,000 base model is any good. If I have to spend an additional $8,000 to be marginally better than a $62,000 M3 then I think there's something wrong. AMG making a good product off the bat would mean there would be no S variant, but since they have the base model and the S, I have to wonder just how good or bad the base C63 is when compared to the M3 at the same price point when the M3 can clearly hold it's own against the S and when it cost $8,000 less.

Bingo

[tiefergelegt]

Plus the m3 looks better

[TheBingoBalls]

Originally Posted by Ebolo

Edit: Forget what I said, I tought both cars were equipped with carbon ceramic like the Motortrend comparo.

Even if they were, now we're just price matching with options. I can take a base M3 and load it up with unnecessary options like ConnectedDrive, Driver Assistant Package, Lighting Package and Executive package to make it the same price as the C63 S but it does nothing to improve performance. If the M3 can hold up against the S, there is absolutely no doubt it can hold up or even beat the base C63 which makes the M3 a winner regardless. But of course I can't say that without any real comparisons which no one wants to do.

[r3dbimmer89]

Very accurate review....although, these guys were so robotic in their movement and speech...I walked from the C63S with the same impression. The Mercedes is a lady in the streets and a freak in the sheets...the BMW is an all around crazy fun girl who lets you know she's a freak in everything she does.