Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe 2018 Review

The S63 Coupe represents arguably the best interpretation of the Mercedes-AMG partnership.

On the Mercedes-Benz side of the ledger, the $370,500 flagship is pure class, with the looks, comfort, safety and technology expected from the car-maker’s fabled S-Class halo range.

On the AMG tuner side, there is a true feral streak to the two-door sledgehammer. A new 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 makes rapid progress when required, but equally offers the kind of effortless and refined performance you’d expect – all in spite of a hefty two-tonne kerb weight.

In all, the S63 is a car that manages that juggling act commendably, as we recently discovered during a week-long loan.

Updated for 2018, the S63 is now $44,000 cheaper than the model is replaces at that aforementioned $370,500.

That’s despite considerable change under the bonnet and a comprehensive technology turnover since the current C217 model arrived locally in 2015.

The key change is Mercedes’ ubiquitous 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 engine –replacing the outgoing 5.5-litre V8 turbo unit – hooking up the rear wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission. Outputs are up to 450kW and 900Nm, endowing the 2.0-tonne coupe with a nought to 100km/h time of 4.2 seconds and a claimed fuel consumption rating of 9.0L/100km combined.

Elsewhere, the S63 gets a host of new functions detailed in our separate pricing story.

The most innovative technical marvel is to be found in the car’s route-based speed adaptation, which uses the GPS and active cruise control to independently adjust speed for curves and intersections.

The technology isn’t online now, but is equipped to the S-Class Coupe and Cabriolet in a stand-by mode and will be activated when the time is right.

Standard fare on the S63 is impressive: multi-contour seats with inflating and deflating chambers, an updated dual screen display, wireless phone charging, 64-setting ambient lighting, and heated seats, armrests, front centre console and steering wheel.

Performance goodies are equally generous: The S 63 incorporates the AMG Driver’s Package, which lifts the governed top seed to 300km/h, an AMG performance steering wheel, illuminated floor sill panels, 20-inch AMG forged wheels, a high-performance composite braking system including red brake calipers and a sports exhaust.

The AMG version foregoes Benz’s much-vaunted ‘Magic Body Control’ for sportier air suspension. Why? Because performance.

The S63 Coupe would satisfy the urges of most performance enthusiasts. But perhaps not all, which is why Mercedes-AMG also offers the V12-powered S65 Coupe. It starts at $508,900 (plus on-road costs).

The S63 doesn’t particularly align with the purchasing logic of most new car buyers. Nor does it really need to.

Regardless, it is a hugely satisfying vehicle to drive and to be seen in. It somehow balances intimate driving feedback and superlative performance with the softness and refinement of a first-class tourer.

First, the engine. It is susceptible to some low-speed sensitivity, really felt at the pedal, but then segues into a rich and creamy power curve that moves the S63’s heft very swiftly indeed. Exploring the higher end of the S63’s 7000rpm rev cut out brings a lightness to the car that belies the fact it’s 5.0 metres long and 1.9 metres wide.

The matching nine-speed automatic is equally up to the task, providing razor-sharp shifts in perfect harmony, allowing the engine to shuffle just the right amount of torque to the rear Continental rubber.

Body control from the AMG is admirable given its sporty premise. It does tend to thud over sharper imperfections, even in Comfort mode, but with little crashing through the cabin.

The S63 grips tenaciously through corners, in spite of its size. On long, flowing bends, it is an easy car in which to build speed, and its stability control suite is well suited to heady driving, especially when making use of its Sport+ and Race settings.

The AMG’s steering isn’t quite as organic as some key rivals – the Aston Martin DB11 springs to mind here – but offers adequate feel and feedback (with an inherent lightness) nonetheless.

Overall, the S63 is an easy car with which to live despite the uber-performance tag. Niceties that are not compromised include an accessible and refined infotainment system, comfortable ingress and egress and a broad spectrum of road abilities.

The internals are dressed in quality leather materials broken up by carbon fibre inlays and quality metal highlights. It is a riot of sophisticated colours, highlighted by ambient lighting in the evenings. The one let-down on our test example was a loose plastic panel in the driver’s side door.

Downsides? Servicing will set you back about $2500 over the first three years, and the S63’s coupe shape doesn’t really afford rear seat passengers the legroom its 5.0-metre long dimensions might suggest.

A select demographic, in a nutshell. According to Mercedes-Benz, its two-door S-Class Coupe range garners about 100 sales annually.

The prerequisites for S63 ownership are that you’re well-heeled, enjoy the finer things in life and don’t plan on ferrying around too many children in child seats (the S63 sedan is much more accommodating in this respect).

Despite its incredible semi-autonomous technology, the S63 is still made for those who enjoy driving. As such, it would be the perfect accomplice for weekends away for reasons other than prodigious power and performance, with a sizeable 400-litre boot and ample incidental storage.

The Mercedes-AMG S63 is a veritable velvet sledgehammer. Unlike ageing rivals, it offers the technology, comfort and refinement to match its surfeit of performance.

Go-fast, luxury limousines are what Mercedes-AMG traditionally specialises in. Amid a glut of new performance SUVs and a push to electrification, it’s nice to see some things never change.

At least, not yet.

How much is a 2018 Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe?
Price: $370,500 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol
Output: 450kW/900Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 205g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: TBC