Meet the most powerful C-Class we've ever created.

We began with the C63 AMG Coupe -- a handcrafted asphalt-tamer delivering 451 horsepower and 443 ft-lb of torque in its own right. And then we made it sharper, better, faster, stronger. The result is a flare-fendered beast barely removed from the racetrack: the C63 AMG Coupe Black Series.

Under the Black Series' hood beats a heart familiar to those who know AMG: the 6.3-liter V-8. But now the big eight has gained the pistons, crankshaft, and connecting rods from the SLS AMG, and it breathes easier, too. The result: horsepower swells to 510 and torque reaches a full-blooded 457 lb-ft. When this newfound power reaches the rear wheels via the seven-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT transmission, 60 mph follows in a scant 4.2 seconds.

But power like that needs a suspension with the moves to match the might. Adjustable coil-overs do the job and the Black Series reacts to changes in the road with lightning-quick reflexes. Meanwhile, the widened track (1.6 inches at the front and an incredible 3.1 at the rear) maintains a tenacious grip on the pavement under the Black Series' lightweight 19-inch wheels. And when it's time to stop, six piston calipers come down on 15.4-inch disc brakes up front and four pistons put the clamp on 14.2-inch rotors in the rear.

Inside, it's plainly evident that the Black Series has one foot firmly planted on Germany's great racing circuits. The steering wheel is compact, thick rimmed and wrapped in DINAMICA, the shift paddles are placed for easy access by racing gloved hands, the AMG sport seats are aggressively bolstered and highlighted with red contrast stitching. But what does remain of the stock car is upholstered in DINAMICA microfiber: grippy enough to provide lateral support in high-G maneuvers and supple enough to coddle the driver between hot laps.

The power and appointments alone make the C63 AMG Coupe Black Series one in a million. But it's the limited production run that makes it truly one for the ages. And while that degree of exclusivity comes at a price, those fortunate enough to call the Black Series their own will hold the reins to one of the great V-8 engines in automotive history, paired with a chassis worthy of any racetrack in the world. It's a combination that can take you to the razor's edge of performance and back. And it's precisely what you'd expect from the most powerful C-Class of all time.