Mercedes-AMG C 63 Cabriolet unveiled in New York

Not content with one, two or three new models, Mercedes has pulled the wraps off its fourth new car at the New York Motor Show. The AMG C 63 Cabriolet will join the less potent C 43 later this year as the range-topping C-Class drop-top.

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Available in two states of tune, the C 63 and C 63 S both use the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 from the C-Class saloon. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox. The standard C 63 gets 469bhp and 650Nm of torque, while the more powerful C 63 S uses the same engine tuned to 503bhp and 700Nm.

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All cars feature adaptive damping with AMG Ride Control suspension, as well as a rear-axle limited slip differential and dynamic engine mounts. The exhaust system has been tuned specifically for the C 63, and uses flat technology for a ‘sonorous bass tone’. There’s an optional Performance exhaust, which allows an amplified sound to be modulated at the push of a button, and carbon ceramic brakes can be specified on the higher-powered S variant. 

The standard C 63 car will sprint from 0-62mph in just 4.2 seconds, while the C 63 S shaves off another tenth of a second. Both cars are limited to 155mph.

Standard kit includes 18-inch AMG wheels, flared wheelarches and a suitably sporty bodykit. There’s a front splitter to help reduce front axle lift, as well as a spoiler that serves as a deflector for the air intakes. A single crease runs down the side front to rear, while at the rear you’ll find a pair of inlets either side of the number plate. Chrome-plated exhausts sit within the rear diffuser, and a narrow boot spoiler complete the look. Think baby S-Class Cabriolet, and you wouldn’t be too far off.

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Mercedes has used a folding fabric roof rather than a multi-piece metal variant like the one you’ll find on the facelifted SL and new SLC. Buyers can choose from black, brown, blue or red, as well a quieter fully automatic acoustic soft top.

Inside, the cabin has been lifted from the C-Class Coupe in its entirety, with the same dash-mounted screen and column-mounted gear lever. Artico man-made leather seats should offer suitable support, while behind the steering wheel there’s specific carbon-fibre look dials

As with other Mercedes cabrios, buyers will get the chance to specify the brand’s Airscarf neck-level heating system, allowing comfortable roof-down motoring all year round. The C-Class Cabriolet gets a 355-litre boot, which shrinks to 260 litres with the roof lowered.

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As with the Coupe, Mercedes will launch a fully-loaded Edition 1 model with 19-inch wheels at the front and 20-inch at the rear. It gets special white paint that has been specially graded front to rear, as well as a nappa leather interior.

Prices will be announced in May, with first customer cars arriving in October. With a C 63 Coupe costing from £61,160, it’s likely the Cabrio will cost around £4,000 more. This considered, a top-spec C 63 S Cabriolet should be priced from around £72,000.

Get all the latest from the New York Motor Show here...