Some cars are all about adrenalin rush. Your heart sort of races out of control when you press the pedal in a V8 engine car, which has the capacity of over 5,400 cc. Your heart might even skip a beat. It’s difficult to explain the feeling that is as fleeting as the time required to accelerate from zero to 100 kmph. (Because you, unfortunately, have to apply brakes due to some obstacle.) But this feeling has the power to make you forget everything else. In case, you are wondering: It takes just 4.4 seconds to get to 100 kmph.

The 6.3 litre V8 C63 AMG from Mercedes-Benz cruises with all guns blazing, giving you a guaranteed high. Even at Rs 70 lakh, it seems to be a steal, considering what it does to the heart and mind. For, all you need to do to de-stress and unwind is just take your seven-speed automatic C63 AMG for a spin; hit the accelerator and come back smiling.

Recently, Mercedes-Benz had invited a group of journalists to take C63 AMG’s for a ride at the F1 circuit in Noida. This was done under the supervision of top engineers from the AMG team that flew in from Germany. No, we didn’t get to fly the C63. With constant instructions from the AMG team, asking us to hone our driving skills, we drove through a self-made circuit that had a few twists and turns in the beginning. Later we were allowed to get C63 going at real good speed but the stretch was way too small forcing us to hit the brakes after reaching high speed in no time. So I cannot tell what happens beyond 250 kmph simply because we were not allowed to drive beyond that. A pity indeed.

First off, we were asked to test drive the entry-level C Class saloon to get a fair idea. It, of course, is no contender: The C Class has a 2.5 litre diesel engine, for crying out loud. When it was time to hit the polymer surface of the F1 Circuit in C63, I got the adrenalin rush even before we began. Then I had to turn thrice to be in the earmarked paths and race again and then finally brake. Every time that I hit the accelerator, I got the ‘rush’.

Braking is unlike any other Mercedes-Benz, which tends to be soft. The steering feels tight, but this helps at high speeds. Steering is compact and it is easier to make a full circle. The car looks extremely sporty and is sure to give rivals Audi RS5 and BMW M3 a run for their money. It has four exhaust pipes. It has huge five-spoke chrome and aluminium alloy wheels. The interiors look different from regular Mercs. Ferrari red seats scream for attention. The car has a special electronic stability feature that could activate it into ‘sport’ mode at the press of a button. Sport mode allows you to maneuver the car without the intervention of automatic electronic safety.

The C63 looks like an elegant sedan but under the hood you know what it could unleash.

(Mercedes-Benz hosted a special test drive for journalists at Buddh International Circuit)

saahilanant@mydigitalfc.com