Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG 2013 Review - International

We could give you a heavily detailed overview on the smoothness of the new dashboard layout, the adoption of new switchgear and infotainment screens or whatever new anti-crash gubbins Benz is using these days, but most AMG buyers won’t care.

They just want to know that the baseline power output for the new E63's twin-turbo 5.5-litre V8 has risen from the not insubstantial 386kW to 410kW.

And that Benz's premier bahnstormer now gets variant that's even faster. AMG has stopped calling it the Performance Pack (presumably because Volkswagen has squatted on that name for its more humble Golf range) and the faster version is now called the S. Not creative, granted, but if it’s thumping out 430kW, who’s going to care what it’s called?

It’s with this version of the E63’s V8 that it becomes the fastest accelerating four-door going, exploding to 100km/h in just 3.6 seconds thanks to launch control and (in Europe at least) all-paw grip. The Aussie' spec rear-drive S should knock over the sprint in an M5 beating 4.2sec.

You’re not going to be inundated with a dazzling array of options for your new E63. That doesn’t mean there’s not more on offer just, that like the rest of the facelifted E-Class range, many of the big steps forward are safety related and won’t be noticed unless things turn really ugly for somebody.

One thing you can enjoy more frequently is a new look. Up front there's a bespoke grille, new air intakes for the bi-turbo engine's twin intercoolers and a distinct front splitter. There is also now a visual distinction with between the 'stock' E63 and the S (all-wheel drive) versions.

As before, the E63 comes in sedan and wagon form and, as before, all Australian models will be limited to 250km/h. Zee Chermans will be able to have that lifted to 300km/h, when the E63 finds itself bumping into another limiter even though it has, according to insiders, at least 10km/h more running left in it.

Inside, there is a leather and Alcantara combination on the flat-bottomed steering wheel, full Nappa leather and a pair of front seats that include adjustable bolstering on both cushions, plus lumbar control (but to the chagrin of one of my American colleagues, no massage feature).

But the key drawcard remains the twin-turbo 5.5-litre V8 engine. The standard E63 AMG now has 410kW at 5500rpm (around 560hp in the old money) – pretty much the same as the superceded Performance Pack E63 used to offer. It also delivers a smaller rise in torque up to 720Nm. That torque peak arrives as soon as 1750rpm and stays on station until 5250rpm, so there’s really no slack points in the V8’s rev range.

Tweaks haven’t hurt the fuel economy, either, and by posting an NEDC combined figure of 9.8/100km, the 63 squeaks inside the M5’s economy number by just 0.1. And that’s probably no coincidence.

Both the rear and all-wheel-drive E63s use Benz's multi-plate clutch equipped seven-speed auto.

The all-wheel drive (4MATIC) versions have an in-built transfer case and a power take-off sprouting from the right-hand side of the gearbox. And that’s where the problem lies, because while it was a cheap and efficient way to get drive to the front axle, it basically arrives at the same real estate right-hook steering columns go through.

The whole exercise adds 70kg to the E63’s not-insubstantial 1845kg, but when you consider that the Golf 4Motion adds 100kg to the standard front-drive Golf, it’s not that bad. There is a price to pay, with that extra weight and friction adding 0.5L/100km, but the flip side is that the extra bite off the line cuts half a second from the 0-100km/h time.

It also helps out on the road, with 67 per cent of the drive going to the rear axle, where another trick lies in wait, at least on the S versions. Instead of a limited-slip differential, the E63 S gets a mechanical diff lock to increase the bite it gets at the back end.

All E63s benefit from refined suspension with the rear end getting air suspension and the front end getting a steel spring back. A three-mode adjuster on the console governs the damping for both ends.

The 63s track is 48mm wider than the standard E-Class at the front end, which helps it harvest more grip from the standard 255/40 R18 front boots while the diff is dragging traction out of the 285/35 R18 rears.

The all-wheel-drive versions get larger 19-inch rubber, which is likely to be part of the rear-drive S pack for Australia. Expect 255/35 R19 fronts and 285/30 R19s at the back.

While the standard E-Class is a superbly competent handler that only shows its true abilities when it absolutely needs to, the E63 is a very different animal.

Where the old E63 could feel a bit like a squat-tailed sled at times, this iteration has had its chassis tuned to something approaching perfection. It feels to carry its weight more evenly across its four feet and its damper settings have been exquisitely chosen.

This car now feels like it has the poise, progression and involvement that the M5 has had in its best generations (eg: not the current one). It’s probably no surprise that M has just poached AMG’s head of chassis development…

There’s no major alteration in the feel of the engine, though. Not even at idle. It still fires up with an angry blip before settling down into something that’s not exactly smooth, but not unrefined either. And it’s deep. Deep and rich in a way that so many makers of turbocharged engines seem unable to deliver.

It’s also a disturbingly cheerful place to be. Cars this fast are supposed to be uncomfortable places to spend anything more than about half an hour in. That’s not the case here. You could comfortably drive from Melbourne to Brisbane in it and still get out without bothering to stretch.

The seats are ludicrously comfortable and ludicrously adjustable. You can adjust the front seats for length, as well as the usual setups, and you can move the lumbar adjustment for both height and pressure.

They also have the ability to move the side bolsters in on both cushions, which is just as well because the E63 S is capable of stupendous feats of cornering that physical laws suggest shouldn’t be possible when you’re trying to make this much weight change direction.

It’s not just how much grip it has, but how much at ease it puts its driver while delivering it all. The stability control system works well, especially with its Sport and Sport+ modes allowing a little wheel spin and small drifts, and the suspension has been so well developed that everything feels like it’s happening very slowly. It’s easy to catch, it’s hard to confuse and yet still entertaining.

Unfortunately, the latest gearbox upgrade hasn’t really stepped up the E63’s game and it remains the car’s only fusible link – the only notable weak point. Sadly, the rest of the car’s improvements have made it ever more visible.

It’s slow to shift down when you ask it and it’s so slow to shift up in Manual mode that if you pull it at 4500rpm in second gear, the engine will hit the limiter before it gives you third.

Fortunately, the engine is so torque-laden that you can short-shift all day long and not be any slower.

The brakes, too, feel a little soft. Presumably, this is because the pad is chosen to provide cold-start comfort but after some hard driving the pedal can sink a touch, though actual stopping power doesn’t diminish. Still, there is always a carbon ceramic option for anybody who wants to go that bit harder.

For everyone else, the E63 AMG S has become a superb sports sedan.

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