GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: New Mercedes-AMG E63 S leaked

The 2021 Mercedes-AMG E63 S has been leaked online a whole month before its official unveiling at the 2020 Geneva motor show in March.

The singe rear image of the facelifted E63 S, posted overnight by Instagram user Cochespias, shows how the white-hot performance sedan will gain a pair of wider, thinner new tail-lights, a classy chrome finisher strip and a reprofiled rear bumper that incorporates yet more chrome, quad-pipes and a new diffuser.

Finally, look closer and you'll spot a new small rear boot spoiler and what looks like a full glass panoramic roof.

Little is known about what has happened under the bonnet of the fastest E-Class but it's likely Euro emission regulations might have forced AMG engineers to adapt Daimler's latest EQ 48-volt mild-hybrid tech to its twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8.

If the rumours are true, thanks to a small lithium-ion battery, an integrated starter-generator mounted between the engine and transmission and an electric compressor, both power and torque could be boosted alongside reduced emissions and fuel consumption.

Since the bent eight in the current E63 S dishes up a stonking 450kW and 800Nm, the upgraded all-wheel drive sedan and wagon may raise the benchmark even further with a 0-100km/h time of close to three seconds.

As part of the E-Class update, Mercedes is also likely to introduce an AMG E 53 -- as it did with the AMG CLS 53 -- that will sit below the mighty E63 S and produce around 320kW and 520Nm.

Inside, the latest AMG will benefit from the rest of the E-Class updates, including a new multi-function steering wheel that gains touch-pad controls, a new air quality indicator, plus the car-maker's most recent 10.25-inch MBUX infotainment system that features natural-speak voice control and a Siri-style on-board assistant.

Finally, safety will improve as part of the E-Class range facelift, which benefits from active steering assist, active brake assist, a 360-degree parking camera and a more advanced semi-autonomous cruise control.

Set to go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2020, the updated E-Class is expected Down Under in early 2021, but stay tuned for details as all will be revealed at the Geneva motor show in early March.