Not all stories about auto transportation begin with a luxurious supercar being carefully packed in protective bubble foam and placed in an enclosed transport truck. There have been instances where clean and hassle-free auto transportation involved fast cars moving from one state to another on open trailers without any incidents. This particular instance is one such case.
On May 4th, a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG was scheduled for pick-up from Sandy Springs, Georgia. Its destination was Champaign, Illinois. The earliest possible pick-up date was on May 12th. However, by the end of the same day, the car had been successfully loaded onto the trailer. By the next day, it reached its destination.
Why the C63 AMG Deserves Attention
This 2009 C63 AMG is not your average car. The manufacturer outfitted it with a 6.2-liter V8 engine with 451 horsepower. It was stuffed inside the shell of a small sedan, which would hardly catch anyone’s eye if parked on a residential street. The Mercedes-Benz AMG model line produced this V8 engine in-house. Moreover, every single engine carried the signature of the person who installed it.
Back when it was released, the C63 AMG became one of the most assertive sport sedans. Its acceleration from 0 to 60 mph took less than 4 seconds, and its top speed was limited at 155 mph. Competitors included the BMW M3 and the Cadillac CTS-V models. More than 15 years later, this car remains an asset for collectors and performance drivers.
As you can imagine, the condition in which the car is delivered is important if it needs to be transported. This is why the pick-up inspection is not a mere formality but a record.
The Route
Sandy Springs sits just north of Atlanta along Georgia 400. Champaign is in east-central Illinois, roughly two hours south of Chicago on I-57. The drive between them covers approximately 616 miles. It goes through Atlanta’s northern suburbs and up through Tennessee on I-24, connecting to I-65 through Kentucky and cutting northwest into Illinois.
This is a well-traveled corridor in auto transport since carriers regularly run freight between the Southeast and the Midwest on this interstate network. Finding available capacity on this lane isn’t hard when pickup timing is flexible. In this case the first available date gave dispatch enough time to find the right match.
Open Trailer for a Performance Vehicle
Some owners will immediately opt for closed auto transport when getting their exotic vehicles transported. This makes sense in some cases, such as when transporting low-slung vehicles and those with custom painted exteriors. Cross-country transportation during harsh weather conditions is another scenario when closed carriers would be an option. However, in the case of the C63 AMG, open transport was not a bad idea.
The most frequent form of automobile transport is the use of open transport. It accounts for most of the newly manufactured automobiles being transported. Open transporters are used to transport cars like Ferrari and Porsche from the port of entry to the dealer. The risks are quite high, considering road debris and the possibility of exposure to the elements.
Nevertheless, the carriers have cargo insurance in place, which helps compensate for any damages that might occur. In this case, the 616 mile drive from the south-east to the Midwest was a sound decision at an affordable price.
Transport Summary
- Pickup: Sandy Springs, GA, 30328
- Delivery: Champaign, IL, 61822
- Vehicle: 2009 Mercedes -Benz AMG C 63
- Trailer type: Open
- Distance: 616 miles
- Price : $940 ($1.5 per mile)
- The route: Georgia 400 north out of Atlanta, up through Tennessee on I-24, connecting to I-65 through Kentucky, then northwest into Illinois on I-57.
