Mercedes unveils new C63 Coupe DTM racer

This is our first look at the racer that Mercedes AMG will field in next year’s DTM season. And, boy oh boy, it’s a looker.

Set to compete in Germany’s top-flight touring car series – and taking over duties from the soon-to-be defunct current C63 racer – Merc’s new car steals the silhouette of the new C63 Coupe, while taking aesthetic inspiration from its bigger, beastlier race car brother: the terrifying 500bhp AMG GT3.

That means a wonderfully bloated body, menacing matte grey paint offset with a thick yellow stripe as well as many, many aerodynamic appendages. Big aerodynamic appendages.

Over 500kg has been stripped out of the road car to bring the racer down to the 1,120kg minimum weight limit, and there’s a hearty 4.0-litre naturally aspirated AMG V8 under the bonnet instead of a twin-turbo. Power stands at 483bhp and 369lb ft of torque, with a sequential six-speed gearbox and rear-wheel-drive. There's a mechanical diff, a carbon fibre driveshaft and a distinct absence of traction control. Ditto the ABS. 

Underneath however, the new C63 DTM is very similar – if not the same – to the current racer, thanks to the DTM’s thick book of rules and regulations. It's similar to every other car on the grid, for that matter.

So other than the beefy steel roll cage and new coupe body, the brakes, gearbox, massive DRS rear wing and many other components are the same as the current car. Yet it's this unparalleled similarity between all the cars on the grid that makes the racing in DTM so close and competitive.

In order to celebrate its new toy, Mercedes didn’t bust out the kazoo and have an office party. Instead, it’s spun out a race car-inspired road car special of the C63 Coupe called the ‘Edition 1’.

Available in both normal C63 and ‘S’ trim, the Edition 1 doesn’t add any more power (that still stands at 476 bhp or 510 bhp), just aesthetic fripperies for DTM-loving fans.  

The package garners that funky matte paint and yellow stripe, plus an extended and more purposeful aero package (bigger chin spoiler, fatter rear diffuser and wider side skirts), lightweight matt-black and yellow forged alloys, plus new racy bucket seats inside.

Both cars will be unveiled to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show. If you’re going, please be careful not to cut yourself on the DTM car’s samurai-sharp exterior…