It suits a couple, or a driver who wants a V8 without a supercar's low entry and one-bag boot. In the Masons car hire line-up it sits between the straight-six BMW M4 and the large V8 grand tourers: a V8 in a size you can still drive through Prague without stress and park in a hotel garage.

What the C63 Coupé is good for

A weekend for two. The car is handed over to you on Friday afternoon at your hotel or the airport; you put two bags in the boot and leave Prague on Saturday morning. The plan is usually simple: country roads, lunch at a château or by a river, back in the evening. The front seats adjust electrically, so each of you can set yours up properly.

South Moravia with an overnight stay. A couple drives to Znojmo or Vranov nad Dyjí, checks into a guesthouse below the castle and spends the next day on châteaux, viewpoints and vineyards. One rule has no exceptions: the driver does not drink, as the Czech Republic has zero tolerance for alcohol at the wheel. Save the wine tasting for the evening, once the car is parked.

An old-school V8. Some customers simply want a day or two with a classic V8. The W205 is the last C63 with this engine; its successor switched to a four-cylinder hybrid. If you want to enjoy this kind of car while you still can, there is no need to hire a big GT or an SUV.

In practice: seats, luggage and drive

Two adults sit comfortably in the front. The interior has leather with yellow contrast stitching and an AMG Performance steering wheel; your phone connects via Apple CarPlay. The two rear seats are reached past a folded front seat; they are fine for an adult across town or to dinner, but not for three hours on the motorway. The boot takes luggage for two for a weekend, ideally soft bags or two cabin-size cases. Only the rear wheels are driven. In dry, everyday traffic you will not notice it, but on wet cobbles, a muddy lane or snow, go gently on the throttle.

Under the bonnet is a four-litre twin-turbo V8 with 476 hp, running on petrol; on longer trips, expect more frequent fuel stops than in an ordinary car. The coupé is wide, has long doors and sits lower than a saloon. In underground car parks, pick a space where you can open the doors fully, and take high kerbs and steep ramps slowly and at an angle. Prague's blue zones allow limited paid visitor parking; check the sign and time limit and pay online. For longer stays, choose a suitable garage or P+R car park.

Where to take the C63 Coupé from Prague

Head for South Moravia: Znojmo, Vranov nad Dyjí and Bítov, about 3 hours away. Take the D1 motorway towards Jihlava, then continue via Moravské Budějovice to Znojmo. There, stop at the rotunda in the castle grounds and at the viewpoint over the Dyje valley. A half-hour road through the woods leads on to Vranov, where the château sits on a rock above the river and the Vranov reservoir begins a little way upstream. The road on to Bítov Castle above the reservoir is quiet and full of bends; in a V8 coupé you can take it slowly with the window down and still hear the engine. Stay overnight in Znojmo or at a guesthouse by the reservoir, and book ahead in summer.

C63 Coupé or BMW M4 Competition?

Both are black four-seat coupés, and both work for a weekend for two. Take the C63 Coupé if the V8 and classic rear-wheel drive are the point, you are travelling on dry roads in the warmer months and nobody sits in the back for more than a few minutes. The BMW M4 Competition has a straight-six and all-wheel drive, which makes it the calmer choice for autumn, winter, rain and mountain roads. If your dates are not fixed and the weather is unknown, take the M4. If you know it will be summer and dry and you want a V8, take the C63.