Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+ 2021 Review

Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific says it’s a bit too early to talk pricing for the 2021 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S, with details to be announced soon ahead of launch in late October.

Unless it brings a major price cut, which is not expected, the E 63 S – currently priced at $248,235 plus on-road costs for the outgoing model – will remain one of the most expensive in its class, undercut by both the Audi RS 6 Avant (from $216,000) and the BMW M5 Competition (from $244,900).

That said, next to the facelifted Porsche Panamera Turbo S ($409,500), the E 63 S is a bargain – especially when you consider it’s at the top of the class for power and torque, pumping out 450kW and 850Nm from its twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8.

The flagship E-Class sedan also gets Mercedes-AMG’s 4MATIC all-wheel drive system, a nine-speed automatic transmission, a locking rear differential and air suspension as standard.

Like the current E 63 S, there’s nothing to suggest the facelifted AMG Benz won’t come with a long list of standard equipment that will include its twin 12.3-inch Widescreen Cockpit display that now runs the latest MBUX software, is touch-screen capable and operates with the latest natural voice control.

Another valuable edition is the new multi-function twin-spoke steering wheel that features capacitive buttons that are intuitive and easy to use and provide shortcuts to vehicle functions, such as the sports exhaust, damper settings and engine modes.

Nappa leather with new yellow stitching has also been introduced, along with redesigned 19-inch and 20-inch rims. The latter is expected to be standard for Australia.

Other new kit worth mentioning is the panoramic roof and wireless phone charging pads, while the punchy Burmester premium sound system should remain standard.

A new AMG Night Pack has also been developed as a no-cost option, swapping out the chrome mirror caps, window frames, trim and grille for gloss black.

A new option, that won’t be cheap, is being able to specify the front splitter, side sill finisher, diffuser finisher, mirror caps and boot-lid spoiler all in carbon-fibre.

The E 63 S is backed by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, while servicing for the high-performance Benz is spaced across 12-month/20,000km intervals.

Three years on and the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S still leads its performance sedan class for on-board tech.

Whether we’re talking its state-of-the-art infotainment that incorporates the car-maker’s latest MBUX operating system, or the incredible chassis wizardry that ensures the near-two-tonne four-door sedan can go harder around a track then you’d ever believe, the E 63 S has it all.

New tech as part of the 2021 model-year updates include a pair of brighter multi-beam LED headlights that incorporate Mercedes’ very useful adaptive high beam assist. Meet an oncoming car on a bend on a dark country road and the system avoids blinding the other driver by ‘cutting’ a hole in its high beam, giving the perfect view ahead.

Like the outgoing model, the E 63 S comes brimming with driver assist tech that now includes stop-and-go semi-autonomous cruise control and active steering assist, the latter able to auto-steer the car away to avoid a collision.

There’s also a 360-degree camera view and new self-parking system that steers, brakes and accelerates into a space like a pro. We also like the new feature that automatically applies the brakes if you take your hands off the wheel for a long, extended period – but only after warning alarms have sounded.

What’s missing is Mercedes could have retro-fitted its 48-volt mild-hybrid tech to its performance flagship that, in the E 53 AMG, cuts fuel use, allows a rapid stop-start and provides a useful 16kW and 250Nm under hard acceleration.

Which brings us to power and performance – two areas in which the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+ is already a stand-out.

As part of the latest updates, the Benz super-sedan’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 has undergone open-heart surgery to fit petrol particulate filters for cleaner emissions.

This can sap power and suppress the sound the V8 makes on full song – two big drawcards of the E 63 S – but engineers have managed to regain the full 450kW and 850Nm that we had before.

As far as the soundtrack, don’t worry, the hard-edged V8’s roar (mostly) lives on. In the lower portion of the rev range the AMG sedan is much quieter, but instead of a sudden wall of sound, there’s more of a building crescendo to its sonorous peak.

We think some might even prefer the more mature approach.

As for acceleration, the E 63 S still has the power to transform full-grown adults into giggling school children after a full-bore start.

As before, 0-100km/h is devoured in 3.4 seconds, with the 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive more than up to the task of transmitting every ounce of torque to the road without any drama.

Another honourable mention must go to the nine-speed automatic transmission that smoothly shuffles gears through town and does an admirable job of coping with more enthusiastic driving (at least, on road). With short shifts and enthusiastic down-changing, the gearbox is both fast and smooth.

We didn’t get the chance to try the standard drift mode on the E 63 S, which decouples the front axle when in Race mode with ESP off.

And if you’re wondering what’s happened to the less powerful 420kW E 63, it’s been dropped from Mercedes-Benz Australia’s line-up.

The biggest drawback of the outgoing Mercedes-AMG E 63 S is its uncompromising ride, and Mercedes-AMG has admitted that some potential buyers were put off after even the briefest of test drives.

For 2021 there’s been some significant changes, although engineers refuse to admit the E 63 S has gone soft.

Instead, Mercedes-AMG says in the suspension’s ‘comfort’ mode the E 63 S is, well, more comfortable.

Like before, the suspension system centres around the manufacturer’s clever three-chamber air springs which are designed to reduce roll or pitching during hard cornering, braking or acceleration.

The spring rates, or ‘stiffness’ of the air springs, remain the same, says AMG, but there’s been some subtle changes that add suppleness.

These include replacing all the subframe bearings and bushings, recalibrating the active engine mounts, replacing the tie-rod bearings and retuning the software responsible for the active dampers.

This last point was key – and the fact that engineers racked up hundreds of thousands of kilometres testing and developing, making subtle changes.

The result is a car that does feel calmer over a roughly surfaced road that in the past would have irritated. The set-up is still firm but perfectly liveable, although we’d still like to try it on our poor Australian roads for a more serious test.

From then on, it’s essentially business as usual for the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S, with the driver still able to exploit its huge traction, decent body control and amusing V8 soundtrack.

Despite packing in extra tech, the new steering wheel’s rim is too thick for our liking.

What’s also missing is the level of steering precision of the recently tested Panamera Turbo S and Porsche’s illusion that it weighs at least 300kg less than it actually does.

But the big Mercedes remains an utterly beguiling performance car, regardless of its weight, four doors and family pretensions.

It remains a thirsty beast though; after 250km/h-plus runs on the autobahn where it feels born to meet its 300km/h limiter, we saw fuel use hover the wrong side of 18L/100km.

The changes wrought on the 2021 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S are comprehensive and clearly worthwhile, leaving anyone in the market for a 400kW-plus super-sedan with ever-fewer excuses not to buy one.

Thanks to its revisions, charismatic powertrain, explosive acceleration and class-leading cabin, we’d choose the E 63 S over BMW’s M5 in a heartbeat.

The equivalent Porsche Panamera, meanwhile, is a wonderful thing with the dynamic and style edge, but its hefty premium makes it tricky to justify.

The last obstacle to E 63 S ownership is perhaps the most difficult: buying it over the achingly desirable Audi RS 6 Avant. The Audi’s wagon shape alone makes it my choice, even before its keener pricing is considered.

Of course, Mercedes-AMG already has the antidote to the RS 6 – the Estate version it sells in Europe but has thus far been cruelly denied to Australian buyers.

How much does the 2021 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+ cost?
Price: $250,000 (estimated)
Available: Late October
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol
Output: 450kW/850Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel: 11.6L/100km (NEDC)
CO2: 267g/km (NEDC)
Safety Rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2016)