2010 Mercedes C63 Review Politically and environmentally correct, it isnt. And were glad for that. For as much as were chafed that we'll never see gas under three dollars per gallon again, we are encouraged that manufacturers still have tuning departments that are passionate about performance. This, in turn, inspires them to push the envelope further. So, of course we were ecstatic when Mercedes dropped off a 2010 C63 AMG sport sedan. Walkaround The C63s 6.3-liter V8 is a work of art. And it is also the work of one pair of hands. Hand-built in the AMG works in Affalterbach, it prominently displays a build plate with the engine builders signature in the area over the intake manifold. The rest of the engine room is sublime, as is its performance. Throttle up, and the power from the V8 pushes you back in the seat like a 757 at takeoff. The sound from under the power-bulged hood is throaty and deep. Its power you can hear and feel. Speed is artificially limited to 155 mph. The drivetrain throws down with the AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic with blipping function for immediate response. The side-to-side manual function of the shift lever is one we have never warmed to, and much rather prefer the aluminum paddle shift levers mounted on the steering wheel. Below the gear indicator is a preference selector, which allows choices in the C-comfort, S-sport, or M-manual modes to determine engine mapping for fast or comfortable gear changes. A distinctly faster shift occurs when the sport mode is selected over the comfort mode. The throttle blipping is basically rev matchingwhich we found to settle the car while downshifting before executing a challenging turn. Summary The AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic automatic transmission with paddle shift levers on the flat-bottomed AMG steering wheel offers a hands-on way to shift through the cogs with both mitts on the wheel. At the same time, it incorporates a rev-matching feature which powers up or down to the logical RPM for the gear selected. Another breakthrough is AMGs speed-sensitive sports steering. Recently seen in the newly introduced SL 63 and SL 65 roadsters, it also shows up in the C63, and enables quicker turns in tighter radius while giving more subtle feedback on wider radius turns.

2010 Mercedes E-Class Review
As Mercedes-Benz expanded its lineup to some 15 separate nameplates, not counting the AMG models, it resulted in mass confusion on the showroom floor and significant marketing challenges in promoting individual models. Things needed to get simpler, and now they have. The replacements for Mercedes mid-sized CLK-class coupe and cabriolet models will henceforth be identified as part of the E-class family. (The CL coupes will also become part of the S-class lineup.) The new E coupe has more suspension and powertrain bits in common with the E than the C, according to Mercedes-Benz USA product manager Bernhard Glaser. Dimensionally, however, the E coupe is much closer to the compact C than the mid-sized E, sharing the 108.7-inch wheelbase of the C-class, and the exterior dimensions remain within an inch or two of the C even given the wider, longer, and lower bodywork. Compared with the E-class sedan, however, the E coupe has a three-inch-lower roof and five fewer inches of wheelbase, and is about 200 pounds lighter, seven inches shorter, and a whopping five-and-a-half inches narrower.

Walkaround
Mercedes clearly wants the E coupe to be seen as an E, and so it adopts the sedans design cues, including quad headlamps and the Ponton-inspired rear quarters. Few pieces are actually shared, however; look closer and you'll notice that the fender contours are ever-so-slightly exaggerated compared with those of the sedan and that the low-beam headlamps are unique, which also describes the grille treatment, featuring two bars bracketing the three-pointed star, whereas the sedan has three or four grille slats with a vertical hood ornament. Most distinct, however, is the roof line, which like that of the CLK, remains pillar-less (that is, if you don't count the mullion that forms the little rear quarter window). Wheels start out at 17 inches in diameter, with 18s optional on the E350 and standard on the E550. All E coupes get a full-length, partially retractable moon roof as standard equipment, the light from which is particularly appreciable from the snug rear bucket seats. In the front row, the low-mounted seats ensure a sporty driving position, and settling in is made easier as the seat belts are presented upon start-up by motorized arms. The driver faces a dashboard that recalls the sedans retro-inspired, angular cabinetry without copying it outright; differences include a subtle V-shape that helps reduce the designs imposing squareness, while a conventional console-mounted transmission shifters found on the C-class stands in for the sedans column-mounted electronic gear stalk.

Summary
The driver faces arguably one of Mercedes best-ever gauge clusters, which combines five Porsche-like intersecting circles with clear, crisp displays. All E-classes feature Mercedes COMAND infotainment system that bundles secondary controls into a reasonably sensible screen-based interface, and E550 coupes add navigation as standard. Other options include front seat ventilation, pneumatically adjustable seat bolsters, and a five-channel surround sound stereo.