As tightening emission regulations continue to change the automotive landscape, we thought it would be appropriate to put together an homage to some of our favourite naturally aspirated engines;starting with one of our favourite luxury sedans- the Mercedes Benz C63.
The Mercedes C63 (W204) is widely recognized as one of the most heedless, brutal and entertaining V8 engines in the world. The high revving V8 paired with Mercedes pint-sized C Class sedan was a tailsliding, oversteering fun factory. The C63 was not about setting the fastest lap time, it was more about smiles-per-mile- it is the attention to driver enjoyment that made the W204 C63 a naturally aspirated hero.
In 2013, Mercedes declared the end of an era as they unveiled a completely new V8 that would appear in the revised W205 C63. The new engine was downgraded in size and displacement from a naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 to a 4.0L twin-turbo V8. There is no denying how capable and blisteringly fast the new C63 is, but we’ll always have a soft spot for the big brute that is the 6.2L aspirated V8.
Old vs. New Specs
C63 (W204) |
C63s (W205) | |
Engine |
6.2L Aspirated V8 |
4.0L Twin-Turbo V8 |
Engine Output |
336kW/600Nm |
375kW/700Nm |
Fuel Consumption |
13.5 (L/100km) |
8.6 (L/100km) |
0-100km/h |
4.5sec |
4.0sec |