In this episode we are in Malibu, California, driving the 2025 Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E PERFORMANCE with engineer Damian Hampen, who explains the latest incorporation of Formula 1 technology into this production car.
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S5E51: 2025 Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E PERFORMANCE with engineer Damian Hampen
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Going back to school is a big step, but having support at every step of your academic journey can make a big difference. Imagine your future differently at Capella.edu. Welcome to the Total Car Score podcast, bringing you the world of cars from inside the car, and now your hosts, Carl Brower, Lauren Vicks, and Javier Mota. In today's episode, I'm going to share the audio part of the video that I did last week in Malibu, California driving the 2025 Mercedes AMG C63 SE Performance. That's a very long name for a very special car. And since this is a very technical car, there's a lot of technology coming up from the Formula One team. I drove with engineer Damien Hampen. It's the smallest, most famous, but we're curious in the moment that you're going to be able to experience the most. We're going to be able to make all of the things that we're going to be doing next week. Adidas, Crocs, Converse, New Balance, Birkenstock, and Mass. In contrast, we're going to be able to experience the most of the things that we're going to be doing next week. Famous for what we're interested in, is what we're interested in, and what we're interested in, and what we're interested in, and what we're interested in. As you can see, we're going to be a little bit more famous. And as you can see, we're going to be able to increase our confidence in the future. And as you can see, we're going to be able to help you. Earning your degree online doesn't mean you have to go about it alone. At Capelli University, we're here to support you when you're ready. From enrollment counselors who get to know you and your goals, to academic coaches who can help you form a plan to stay on track. We care about your success, and are dedicated to helping you pursue your goals. Going back to school is a big step, but having support at every step of your academic journey can make a big difference. Imagine your future differently at Capelli.edu. One of the members of the team that put together this amazing car. Hi, how are you? How are you? Damian Hampton. Hampton. You are one of the AMG engineers for this fantastic car we chase. But let me read the whole thing because it's real. No name, right? What is it? Mercedes AMG C63 SE Performance. SE Performance. Which you are saying we take longer to say the full name that the time it takes to accelerate from zero to sixty. Yeah, we haven't actually tested it, but I think so. So anyway, we're going to go for a drive here in the Malibu Canyon, so turn off the car if you want. And I wanted to do this because this is very advanced car. I mean, during the technical presentation you were telling us about how this car, I mean, you have done it in the past, obviously. But this car has taken the Formula One technology into a production car a step further, right? Yes, exactly. It is a combination of different F1 technologies actually starting with the electrified turbocharger. That is the technology directly derived from the Mercedes AMG F1 team in combination with our P3 hybrid system. So the battery that features direct cell cooling, it's all derived from the Formula One team. So for people who watch Formula One sometimes, I'm not experts like myself, so we hear DRS. So is that similar to that a little bit, one of the functions of it, or we don't really have DRS. DRS stands for draft resistance system, right? Exactly, I think so. So DRS includes aerodynamic measures, which we don't have on the car. But on this car you have the electric motor on the rear exit, and you can basically have an electric boost in addition to the combustion engine. So if you put down your foot on the accelerator, it feels a bit like you're in a Formula One car using DRS. OK, let's go out here, the canyons, and we test a little bit, not fair enough, because I don't think the roads, I mean they're fun roads. I mean like twisties here, have you driven it here? Yes, I've done the short loop yesterday. OK, we're going to do a part of it now, and it's really fun. But again, the car is super advanced, I mean like this is what the most powerful four cylinder car that you have ever put. Exactly, it's the most powerful production four cylinder ever built, and then we combined it with the electric motor to have even more power. So the power to weight ratio is unmatched in a segment. And it's 492 horsepower, it is 469 from the engine, and then another 201 from the electric motor on the rear exit. So that's a combination that probably for most people would be the ideal combination, right? Because you still have the gas engine that everybody loves. Yeah, because there's a lot of discussion of people like electric cars or not, there's politics and all that. But this is the perfect combination, not only for a sports car, but in general I would say, combining the hybrid power systems with what you have already in the gas engine. I totally agree, so even though the vehicle isn't built for all electric driving, or the idea behind it isn't electric driving, but you still can. So when I got up in the morning and everybody is still asleep, I can drive away all electric, and then as soon as I'm out of the city, have all the power available that only race cars have basically. Yeah, so that's because it has also, I mean it has an electric motor in the rear, right? That's where it is. And that allows you, I think the EPA numbers in the states are like 3 miles or something like that, which is not a lot, but like a lot of that kind of thing, right? Exactly, and you can do more than the EPA numbers. Yeah, I think Merced is basically always very conservative also in their estimate for electric cars, I've noticed that in the past. So tell us more about what other technologies or ideas at least from the Formula One team are in this car now. Yeah, so I mean there's a couple of advantages coming from that P3 layout, having the combustion engine in the front and then the electric motor in the rear, starting with the weight distribution of the car. So obviously the four-cylinder is larger than the eight-cylinder of the predecessor, and then we also almost have a perfect weight distribution. So it's like 49% in the front and 51 in the rear, which is also usually only race cars have, then because the two motors act independent from each other, when the transmission does gear changes, we can do something that is called torque-filling. So you basically, even though you change gears, you feel no lag in the acceleration whatsoever. Okay. And it can also boost in addition to the combustion engine, and that all adds up to this, how we say it. Basically you're completely new driving experience. And because of that electric system that is in the car, you also added new driving modes that weren't exactly another AMG, right? Yes, so we have eight driving modes in total now. We have the standard ones like comfort, sport, sport plus race modes, but we also, for example, have an all-electric drive mode. Or when you were explaining before, for a few bucks, or a battery-hold drive mode. And when you're going in electric mode, obviously the driver doesn't feel anything. You get all the systems work together, exactly make the transition. And the other thing, interesting in this car, I mean, it's not new. I mean, Mercedes-Benz had been no other cars, but you have rear steering to that helps a lot. Exactly. Yeah, so you have rear steering as a standard, which is beneficial for both. It makes the car more agile as well as more stable, depending on which speed you're at and what you want to do with the car. And that angle changes with the speed. Exactly. So in this situation we're going downhill in a little turn, not very sharp, but it helps to get more. Yeah, so up until 62 miles an hour, the rear wheels deal in the opposite direction as a front wheels, making the car more agile, and then once you're above 62 miles, they steer in the same direction, which it feels like having a longer wheelbase, and that has a positive effect on the stability of the vehicle. I hear also that the car is a little bit wider and longer than the regular, yes, that is true. So the car in total is longer, and the reason for that this time was that we have a longer wheelbase than the standard Mercedes in order to be able to drive bigger wheels, basically, which is then, again, beneficial for traction and ride and handling. Yeah. So now looking at the new screens and all the technology, that's obviously inherit from all the other regular Mercedes-Benz, but these have special things too, right? Because it's an AMG. Yes, there are special screens, actually everywhere, like in the instrument cluster. The head-up display has AMG-specific screens, and then obviously the head unit does as well. So you have the AMG performance media. This is super interesting in the P3 hybrid, because you see the energy flow. Currently, we're driving down the hood, so it's recuperating. So the battery at this moment is going at 100%. So in theory, we could drive electric for a little while, right? Yes, we are actually driving all electric. Oh, really? Without even changing anything, it does get out of... so it's that smart, the car. Yes, so in comfort mode, the operating strategy balances the usage of the combustion engine and the electric motor in order to have a very smooth, efficient drive experience. So then we have drive, what do we see here? You basically see all the information on the belt driven starter generator on the electric motor and on the electric exhaust gas. At this point, we're reducing the gas engine. Exactly. Yeah, so that's why it's zero everywhere. And you see a negative number here, which means that we're recuperating. Then you have vehicle where you see the steering wheel anchor of both front and rear wheels. Oh, yeah, you see it here. Well, at least not very pronounced, turn. You don't want it to go exactly. You don't want it exaggerated. But in theory, you can see them. Then what I found really interesting in order to get a bit more information about the operating strategy is the engine. Oh, I see. Now only in the electric, the blue is electric, obviously. Exactly. So you see how much power comes from the power and torque, actually. It comes from the combustion engine and the electric motor. And if you're recuperating or boosting, it gives you all that information. Also, the pressure of the boost pressure of the turbo. Then, which I think is also really cool is the IWC watch. You can also do a star stop. Oh, yeah. Like a stopwatch? Yes. Yes, they have all kinds of different screens available. I mean, as you said, some of them are AMG specific. And I think it helps understanding the operating strategy. So this is a great demonstration on how this electrification era can be beneficial from both sides. Because again, you can drive a little bit electric. But then you have the help, the technology, to make a sports car even better with that. Right? So that would be the argument for people who think, oh, I want a pure IC car. This is much better. Yes, I think so. Like the main advantage that everyone can feel right away is its responsiveness. Like the electric engine is right there. And then the electric turbo eliminates the turbo lag. So you have like plenty of power all the time, which is definitely an advantage of the P3 hybrid layout. In comparison to a conventional competition. Yeah. Well, thank you very much for your time on explaining all these amazing technology because I don't think I'm smart enough to. I mean, I understand the basics, but like nothing better to get it from the man or one of the people who developed these teams. The team is big. I bet like right that the whole team that developed is how many people work on these. It's hard to say, but I mean, I am just grown and lots of it is because we're on our way from being a common manufacturer to a technology company or software-driven engineering company. And yeah, so there's been a lot of people working on it definitely. Excellent. Well, thank you very much. Let's keep driving here and hopefully we don't exceed the speed limit or at least nobody sees us doing it. (Laughter) Thank you very much. It was a pleasure. Well, there you have it. And again, if you're a more visual person, go to my YouTube channel at Javier Motor, where you can see the whole video with my drive with Demi and Hampen in Malibu with this amazing car. Thank you for listening. 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