Oh Those Germans!

There is a game that I like to play with my friends where we ask one another, “If you could have any car in the world, what would it be?” Ever play this game? We start with our list of million dollar cars such as the Bugatti Veyron, the newly released Lamborghini Reventon, or the McLaren F1. Maybe a little out of our price range so we blurt out cars that would be more affordable like the Enzo Ferrari, Pagani Zonda, or maybe a Porsche Carrera GT? Well unless you’re playing this game with someone named Bill Gates, who could literally own all of them, the chances of actually getting behind the wheel of any of these Supercars is right about slim to none.


So you continue to narrow your selections down even further. This game continues until we are thinking something somewhat affordable and slightly practical around the $100,000 mark. Realistically, one could purchase a nicely used Ferrari or even a 911 Turbo for this price but leave some money in the budget or forget that college education fund you were saving for the kids because maintenance is going to cost you an arm, leg, or other valuable appendage to keep your toy running in tip top condition.


You want something fast and somewhat exclusive (let’s face it, who want to pull up to the same car while stopped at a light) but can’t think of anything worthy enough to be blessed by your driving skills. Well my friend, I have some options that just might surprise you. In this day and age, classes of highly tuned car drivers are becoming younger and younger. I personally know a few business professionals that have forgone the idea of high rent living to instead purchase a vehicle that they will later go on and spend thousands to modify.


These options I’m referring to won’t need much tuning and are just as fast as some of the exotics, right out of the box. Oh, and did I mention the practicality? It’s no surprise that cars such as the Mercedes C63 find their way to the top of my list. With four doors and a 6.3L 32-valve V-8 pumping out an impressive 451HP stock, this miniature rocket ship can propel a family to the grocery store in 4.3 seconds, everyday. Try that in a Ferrari (warning, they are not daily driver friendly)! And in this day in age of increased fuel cost, the gas mileage will most definitely save you a few more bucks.


Belligerently styled, 18” AMG wheels, flared fenders, and the AMG High-Performance braking system consisting of 360 x 36mm, 6-piston-brake calipers, this is the Mercedes you wish your Grandfather had! In the cockpit, the driver is not overwhelmed by too many gizmos, gauges, and buttons as Mercedes tried to give the driver a more aggressive racecar-like driving feel. To round out this racecar experience, Mercedes also includes bolstered sports seats that keep you planted by hugging you tighter than Grandma while still offering overall quality and comfort.


Now, I won’t bore you with all the technical details of engine specifications and suspension components but I will tell you that the lateral acceleration is enough to satisfy even the hungriest of HP junkies. Besides, since we live in the age of entitlement, most drivers don’t really care about lateral G’s through a corner or optimal gear ratios but instead, want to know that their vehicle is fast enough to take on the worthiest of sports cars and beat them on the street versus on a track. Not that we would contribute to such delinquent behavior because it’s illegal, right?


Moderately priced in the mid $50K’s, this makes for one of the fastest, most affordable, and in my opinion most stylish 4 door sedan on the market. Don’t expect to be manually shifting through the gears on your way out of the dealership though as Mercedes still hasn’t answered the call to offer a 6 speed manual transmission. No worries. While I wait, I will continue to appreciate what AMG has done to revitalize the Mercedes brand and appreciate how they are meeting the needs of a growing but younger demographic of buyer.