10 Used V8-Powered Performance Sedans For Half The Price Of Mercedes-AMG’s New Four-Pot C63

Mercedes-Benz has revealed the pricing for the highly contentious AMG C63 S E Performance. It’s one of the most controversial cars ever made, purely because AMG did the unthinkable and replaced the glorious 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with a turbocharged four-pot. The previous-generation model cost $76,200 when new in 2021, which means AMG now wants us to pay nearly $8,000 more for 50% fewer cylinders. The new model starts at $83,900, but we’ll be using the top-spec Pinnacle trim as the basis for this article. It starts at $85,950, which we’ll round up to $86,000. But before we dive in, it’s only right to see how the old and the new compare.

As you can see, the new car has way more power and torque, but it’s missing a critical ingredient, which is the V8 soundtrack. The sound of a rude V8 used to be synonymous with AMG, but the new C-Class sounds like a tuned Golf R. We’re not entirely sure if we’d be willing to pay that much for a turbocharged four-cylinder sedan, even if it does borrow technology from Mercedes’ Formula 1 car. While we have no doubt the new C63 will be rapid, refined, and luxurious, not everyone will be happy with that compromise, so that’s why we decided to see what used V8-powered cars we could buy for half the price of the new C63. With a budget of $43,000, we went shopping.

1

2014 Mercedes-AMG E63 Wagon – Keep It In The Family

With a budget of $43,000, there are a variety of E-Class AMG models available. You can get a 2013 pre-facelift model with 23,000 miles on the clock, but the biggest supply is a selection of 2014 to 2016 models with between 60,000 to 70,000 miles on the clock. Out of all of these, one model stands out. The 2014 Mercedes-AMG E63 Wagon is a symphony of evil and practicality. This generation predates the 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8, but you do still get 4Matic as standard. It’s not the more advanced version that allows you to deactivate the front axle, but even with AWD, it’s not hard to unstick the rear end.

Also, wagons are crazy cool. Why else would BMW send its new M5 Wagon to the States?

2

2016 BMW M5 – Rear-Wheel Drive FTW

The F10 BMW M5 lost value much quicker than its main rival. This is good news for used buyers, as you can get a final year 2016 model with 50,000 miles on the clock for roughly $40,000. That leaves $3,000 for a proper service to get it in optimal working condition. This was the last of the RWD-only M5s, and rightly so. With that much torque hitting the tarmac at 1,750 rpm, it provided quite a wild ride on a wet road. Because it didn’t have AWD traction, it wasn’t as fast to 60 mph, but once this thing got going, it felt like it was never going to stop. It’s also worth mentioning that this was a proper Jekyll and Hyde kind of car. You could idle along at 5 mph in traffic and never know that it was a supercar disguised as a luxury sedan.

3

2016 Lexus GS F – Naturally Aspirated Goodness

The Lexus GS F has to be one of the most underrated cars ever sold in America, mostly because it was misunderstood. It would be unfair to put all the blame on the consumer because Lexus tried to sell it for the same price as an M5 and E63, and on paper, it just didn’t add up. If you look at the specs above, you’ll note that the GS F was outgunned in every department. But as we’ve said many times before, power isn’t everything. With the GS F, Lexus went for balance. It had just the right amount of power for a RWD car, and you never got the sense that the rear was trying to overtake the front. And let’s not forget that it loved to be revved, which provided the driver and everyone within 500 yards of the car with the kind of noise that makes gearheads all emotional.

Lexus didn’t sell many, so they’re quite hard to find. We found a 2016 model with 118,000 miles on the clock for $36,000. However, it does have a reliable engine, and you can spend the rest of the budget on a proper bumper-to-bumper service.

4

2015 Porsche Panamera GTS – An Epic All Rounder

You can get a 2015 Porsche Panamera Turbo for similar money, but we’ve always thought of the GTS as being the best in the range despite the power deficit. This is mostly true of all of Porsche’s GTS models. Like the Lexus GS F, it has just the right amount of power to have fun without being scary. The 4.8-liter naturally aspirated V8 also revved to 7,000 rpm, while the Turbo was all done at 6,000 rpm.

The GTS also received a few model-specific design upgrades that made the first-generation Panamera’s styling slightly more palatable. A 2015 Panamera GTS with 40,000 miles on the clock costs roughly $42,000, but if you must, a 2014 Panamera Turbo with 70,000 miles costs almost the same.

5

2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 – Flawed, But Lovable

Now that the Ford Mustang is arguably the only V8-powered muscle car left, prices of good old-fashioned used American muscle have gone up. Prices are even higher if you want a pristine low-mileage example, because they’re exceedingly rare. We found a 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 with less than 30,000 miles on the clock. On the downside, it costs $35,000, which is a lot of money for a car that’s easily the least refined on this list. At least you’ll have money left over to supercharge the heck out of it.

It’s based on the same platform as the Charger but is way more aesthetically pleasing in this author’s opinion. It’s not especially sporty, and even a basic hot hatch would run circles around it, but the SRT8 is extremely charming and more than quick and loud enough to bring a smile to your face.

6

2014 Cadillac CTS-V – Big Power, Great Handling

Cadillac introduced the V Series to take the fight to BMW’s M and Mercedes-Benz’s AMG. The first-generation V models sucked and included the XLR-V, which nearly ended up in our automotive hall of shame. Every V Series that has come after has been much better, and from 2009 onward, they’ve been brilliant.

The CTS-V made the rest of the world sit up and take notice, and you can buy a low-mileage 2014 model for $42k. Here was an American super sedan (and wagon) that could stand toe-to-toe with the BMW M5 and the E63. And you can tell that it was built for enthusiasts because Caddy did the unthinkable and equipped it with a manual gearbox, Brembo brakes, and adaptive suspension. And while the Germans chickened out and started including all-wheel drive as an option, Caddy sent all the power produced by the supercharged V8 to the rear wheels only. This car was the start of Cadillac V becoming the new AMG.

7

2007 Audi RS4 – A V8-Powered Investment

Did you know that a 2007 B7 RS4 sedan with 50,000 miles is more valuable than a 2019 Audi RS5 with similar mileage? A little over 12 years separate these cars, and yet the older car costs roughly $1,000 more at $50 shy of $43,000. The newer car is more powerful thanks to a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 producing 444 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. It also gets to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, thanks to the quattro AWD system and a super quick eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox.

But ask any card-carrying gearhead which one they’d want, and 99% would opt for the older car. Why? The B7 RS4 is easily the best RS4 ever made and one of the greatest Audi’s ever made. It gave the M3 of the time a thorough ass-kicking because Audi finally understood the brief.

Almost all of this car’s success boils down to the engine. It’s a naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V8 that spins all the way to 8,000 rpm, and it could only be mated to a six-speed manual as the car gods intended. It was so good Audi even used it to power the first-gen R8. This engine was mounted as far back as possible to get rid of the dreaded understeer that had haunted all fast Audis up to that point, and a standard 60:40 rear torque bias added that extra little bit of spice to the mix.

Now that it’s nearly 20 years old, all of its major flaws are known. The big one is the timing chain, which requires the engine to come out. But once you’ve sorted that, you’ve got the second-best car on this list.

8

2018 Maserati Quattroporte GTS GranSport – Depreciation Is Your Friend

The 2018 Maserati Quattroporte GTS GranSport cost $140,000 when it was new, perfectly showcasing how devastating depreciation can be. A 2018 GTS GranSport with 29,000 miles on the clock now costs $42,000. To be blunt, we prefer the Quattroporte V because it’s one of the most beautiful and best-sounding cars ever made, but you can ignore this much car at such a low price. Yes, it has a touchscreen borrowed from lesser cars like the Jeep Renegade, and you can spot cheaper parts from within the Stellantis Group all over the car, which is annoying when you’re paying $140,000. It’s way more palatable when it costs less than a new Honda Civic Type R, which it does now that depreciation has done its business.

9

2003 Bentley Arnage R – A Wild Choice For People Who Live On The Edge

Just before we get to the ultimate answer, we might as well include the ultimate wildcard. If you’re looking for a sedan that will make you look like a baller, the 2003 Arnage R is the ultimate solution. Unfortunately, you’ll mostly be balling at the side of the road, as these things don’t have the best reputation for reliability. Still, it gives off serious Guy Ritchie vibes, and people will think you’re way richer than you actually are. Just be aware that this car will make you a lot poorer than you are because the maintenance is terrifying. It also consumes rear tires thanks to all that torque. That’s the biggest reason why you can get this Bentley for $43k.

10

2001 BMW M5 – Saving The Best For Last

The E39 M5 is the best M5 ever made and is, therefore, one of the best sedans ever made. It’s the least powerful car on this list, and the Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG from the same era was more powerful and faster in a straight line, but it just doesn’t matter. The E39 M5 is a combination of everything that used to make BMW M great. It’s luxurious but sporty, and it has a naturally aspirated engine, which sends all its power to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.

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It also looks restrained, with only a model-specific front bumper and the now-famous quad exhausts revealing its performance potential. The E39 loved to rev, and its handling was as perfect as it gets in the performance sedan segment. It was a neutral car with almost zero understeer, and the oversteer came in progressively. You never felt like you were battling with an E39. It was man and car working in perfect harmony to create the ultimate driving experience.