Running costs are as high as you’d expect on a high performance car of this ilk. Fuel economy is low, insurance is high (group 19) and it’s expensive to tax. Dealer servicing prices are also among the highest around. And if you’re liberal with the throttle you can expect to go through tyres at a rapid rate – the standard Pirelli rubber is not cheap either.

The C63 AMG is certainly not a friend of the environment. It emits 319g/km of CO2 (326g/km on the estate) which means it sits in the highest tax bracket. The official fuel economy is 21mpg but you’ll be lucky to achieve this in everyday driving with a figure in the mid to late teens more likely.

Mercedes-Benz admits that its standards have fallen in recent years and reliability hasn’t lived up to the company’s reputation. This C-Class is designed to address that and the C63 AMG has been in development for three years, testing it in 20 different locations around the world, from the Arctic Circle to Death Valley in California. The engine is well proven in other AMG models and so should prove reliable and durable.