Benz S 63 AMG Coupe jumps $400K barrier

Mercedes-Benz has released pricing and specification data for its S 63 AMG Coupe upon its release to the Australian market this week.

The mighty 430kW/900Nm 5.5-litre twin-turbocharged V8 Coupe arrives with a base manufacturer’s retail list price of $298,997.

That might sound like a bargain… until you slap on an additional $29,900 for GST and a whopping $80,103 in luxury car tax, which brings the official MRLP to $409,000 plus on-road costs.

The S 63 AMG Coupe is the first S-Class Coupe variant to arrive. It will be followed by the 335kW/700Nm twin-turbocharged 4.7-litre V8-powered, nine-speed auto S 500 (priced from $319,000 plus ORCs) in the second quarter of 2015.

The headline-act, V12-powered S 65 AMG (priced at a cool $499,000 plus ORCs) will also join the ranks, powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre 463kW/1000Nm engine driving through an established seven-speed automatic.

As you would expect, the S 63 AMG Coupe’s specification is expansive, though it eschews the S 500’s new nine-speed auto in favour of the familiar AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT seven-speeder. Employing idle-stop technology, the S 63 AMG Coupe slurps 10.2L/100km on the combined cycle.

Safety is cutting-edge, as you’d expect with Mercedes’ finest. A 360-degree surround-view camera allows you to place the car into the tightest spots and the full suite of safety acronyms is present and correct.

There’s also active blind-spot assist and lane-keeping assist, eight airbags, cross traffic alert, cross-wind and drowsiness detection, DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control with steering assist and the full Mercedes PRE-SAFE system including brake, impulse and PLUS; an anticipatory system that includes pedestrian recognition. COLLISION PREVENTION PLUS offers automatic braking at speeds over 100km/h, should the driver not react to a pending hazard.

The Keyless Entry and Go system reveals an interior draped in fine Nappa leather upholstery, with heated multi-contour front seats providing ultimate comfort. An AMG-specific three-spoke steering wheel is also finished in Nappa leather and carries 12 buttons to assist functionality.

A 312mm colour TFT interface provides access to a suite of applications including advanced sat-nav and camera systems. Voice activation is also included, along with a WLAN hotspot, Bluetooth connectivity and audio stream, digital radio access and DVD video capability.

Dual-zone climate-control keeps occupants comfortable as they interact with the machine. AMG-specific touches, such as the seat badging, floor mats and illuminated sill panels let you know just what you’re driving.

Outside, the muscular opulence continues with standard 20-inch five-spoke alloys and specific AMG body styling including front and rear aprons and side sill panels. The alloys cover a mammoth composite brake package, with discs measuring 390mm up front and 360mm at the rear. Quad exhaust outlets with automatic flaps give the V8 its voice.

Of course, being an AMG, plenty of attention has been lavished on the S 63 Coupe’s dynamics. The suspension uses MAGIC BODY CONTROL as a basis and uses an enhanced version of Mercedes’ curve tilting function. This system allows the S 63 AMG Coupe to effectively ‘lean’ into corners, using the ROAD SURFACE SCAN to register the road’s curvature up to 15 metres ahead of the vehicle.

The Mercedes-Benz S 63 AMG Coupe is a technological tour de force, but what’s it like to drive? Stay tuned for our full launch review.