More powerful than a new C63 S and rarer than an SLS Black – here’s why a DR520 could well be worth your £30k
The W204 generation of C63 will always be remembered as hugely important in the history of AMG. Not only was this the car that finally presented a valid alternative to the M3 as a driver’s car, it was also one of the last Merc models to feature the incredible M156 6.2-litre V8. The combination of the two made for a formidable package, a car that was a legend in its own lifetime and which AMG will surely never match the impact of.
Now, all of them were special, but some a little more so than others. The C63 cognoscenti will always look out for Performance Pack cars, bringing extra power and a locking rear differential, while the later 507 editions represented an epic swansong for the model: lighter internals, even more power again and a fearsome attitude. That’s all before the devilishly good Black Series is even mentioned…
There’s one C63, however, that stands above them all in terms of power, rarity and curio appeal: the DR520. Remember? Released in 2010, it was built by the Specialist Products division at Brooklands Mercedes Benz World; engine work that included new rods, pistons and crank meant power jumped to 520hp, accompanied by 479lb ft of torque. As a result it was the most powerful C63 of that generation, Black Series included, and more powerful in fact than any current W205 ’63. Which is pretty cool.
Buyers were required to spend an extra £10k on top of a C63 for a DR; at the time it seemed nice but maybe not quite worth the extra, given what a fine base product the normal car was. Nearly a decade later, though, and the 520hp C63 deserves special attention. Why? Because of its rarity: just 20 were sold in the UK, of which just five were estates like this one. Five! As seemingly every third Mercedes on the road now features AMG branding of one description or another, to discover something of genuine rarity is more notable than ever.
When a DR520 last featured on PH – this is now 40 per cent of the estates covered off – it was a low mileage minter that had barely depreciated. This example could hardly be more different; its quintet of previous owners have deferred little to its special status (or deemed it too awesome not to drive), and piled on 74,000 miles since the start of the decade. As a result it’s for sale at £27,995, broadly comparable with regular C63s of the era – see this Performance Pack estate with 60,000 miles, on offer at exactly the same money.
So that’s a little bit of AMG history, well used so you can carry on using it yourself, on offer for the same money as its far more common (and slower) brethren. For some it will look like a chunky sum of cash, given it’s an old C-Class wagon with iffy matt paint, but for those who care about such things, this is one of the coolest recent creations of Mercedes and AMG. That just so happens to be a C-Class wagon. You won’t see another for a while, that’s for certain!
SPECIFICATION – MERCEDES-BENZ C63 AMG DR520
Engine: 6,208cc V8
Transmission: 7-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 520@6,800rpm
Torque (lb ft): 479@5,000rpm
MPG: 23.5 (standard car)
CO2: 285g/km (standard car)
First registered: 2010
Recorded mileage: 25,000
Price new: £63,680
Yours for: £59,999
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