Mercedes-Benz refreshed the W203 lineup in 2004 and, along with that upgrade, it also introduced the C 55 AMG lineup, which, besides the sedan, was also available as a station wagon.
The car was built on top of the W203 range, a model that was already on thee market for several year already. Thanks to AMG's input and the station wagon shape, the S203 could threaten BMW's market-share.
The car's exterior showed the same refreshed version of the C-Class but featured standard Xenon headlights covered with clear lenses. In its longroof version, the C 55 AMG featured the same A-shaped lower apron at the front and a set of aerodynamically-profiled side sills. In addition, at the back, the V8 breathed out through four exhausts that peaked out under the bumper.
Inside, there were new features available for the C55 AMG. The new steering wheel featured a new button design and layout. A new instrument cluster, with two big dials for the tachometer and speedometer, was fitted instead of the older big speedometer in the middle. The onboard computer display was placed between the big two analog dials. The bench seat was too narrow at the back to host three people on long travels.
Under the hood, AMG installed a hand-built 5.5-liter V8 gasoline engine that sent its power to the rear wheels via a five-speed AMG Speedshift.