
A powerful V-8 engine and a smart seven-speed automatic transmission make up the 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG's power train. High points in the cabin electronics include excellent sound from a Harmon Kardon stereo, hard-drive music storage, and a full-featured Bluetooth phone system. The C63 AMG's engine produced a vicious bark when fired up, the kind of sound that sends small dogs running, makes any ninjas in the vicinity go into a fighting crouch, and puts even the most macho gearheads into a swoon. At the same time, our ears were delighted by the silky purr of an Italian in our garage. We decided to enlist Wayne Cunningham, Antuan Goodwin, and Mike Markovich as judges to determine which had the best engine sound, the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG or the Maserati GranTurismo. Our judges gathered around each car and listened to the engine note as we turned on the ignition, then revved it up. Because the Mercedes-Benz limited the revs to 4000 in Neutral and Park, we set that as the upper limit for both cars. The GranTurismo was first up. It uses a 4.2-liter V-8 with variable valve timing and four valves per cylinder, producing 405 horsepower at 7100rpm and 339 foot-pounds of torque at 4750rpm. Its redline is 7500rpm. The engine started with a little cough, and then whirred as the revs built up. We built up engine speed to 4000rpm, let it drop, then revved it up again. Markovich said of the GranTurismo's engine, "It doesn't have that sort of rasp I would expect from an Italian <b>...</b>
Valley
Imports
Fargo
ND
Wallwork
Trucks
Mercedes
Benz
C63
AMG
Sports
Cars
Fast
Performance