Buy A Mercedes C63 With AMG’s Greatest Engine For A Quarter Of A CLE 53

Mercedes’ AMG performance division is at something of a crossroads at the moment. Of its range-topping ‘63’ models, some are still rocking thunderous biturbo V8s, while others have hugely powerful and advanced but rather soulless four-cylinder hybrids.

Below them are the 53 models, which feature silky-smooth straight-sixes and still offer a decent wedge of power. On paper, they can look like the more appealing options, but as we found out with the new CLE 53, they don’t necessarily make brilliant AMGs, and they’re still hugely expensive – £73,075 is the entry point for the CLE 53. You’ll easily push that north of £80k with some light option box-ticking.

Before downsizing and electrification were the norm, things used to be much simpler for AMG: take a regular Mercedes, shoehorn in an enormous engine, and watch as tyre smoke ensues. It’s with those heady days in mind we take a trip to the classifieds this week, for a look at a car that many might consider peak AMG: the W204 C63.

Introduced in 2008, the combination of Merc’s smallest saloon with AMG’s biggest engine was a potent one. The 6.2-litre naturally aspirated M156 V8 offered up 451bhp, which propelled the C63 in Coupe form to 62mph in 4.5 seconds and on to an electronically restricted 155mph.

It was a car well-known for its eagerness to break its tail loose and turn fuel into lots of noise and smoke. It was never going to be as sharp to drive as an E92 BMW M3, or as complete an all-round package as a B7 Audi RS4, but as a machine to provide good, old-fashioned, slightly infantile fun, it was second to none.

The one we’ve found is a 2013 Coupe, the closest thing this generation of C-Class gets to being a direct predecessor to today’s CLE 53. While it’s had three previous owners, it’s covered just 57,000 miles and looks tidy in a restrained grey-over-black spec. It’s also an Edition 125, which means it had some extra kit thrown in as standard.

As usual, there are a couple of caveats to throw in. We don’t have a registration, so can’t check its MOT history. These engines do have some documented issues with both cylinder head bolts and valve lifters, although lots of people seem to think reports of both are a little overblown. There’s also the obvious warning attached to a car like this: if you plan on using the V8 as intended, then good luck getting anywhere near the official 23mpg figure.

But hey, naturally aspirated V8s are disappearing faster than, well, fuel disappears in a naturally aspirated V8, and the M156 is surely one of the greatest of them all. £19,995 is the asking price, or a quarter of a lightly optioned CLE 53. Yes, it’ll be far thirstier and nowhere near as advanced as the new car, and things are a bit more likely to break, but when you turn the key and awaken that absolute unit of an engine, will you really care?