2014 Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG S First Drive Review
2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS REVIEW
What’s Hot: Colossal thrust, wonderful steering, outstanding brakes
What’s Not: More expensive than its competitors
X-FACTOR: For luxury, speed and engagement factor, it’s difficult to look past the E 63 AMG S
Vehicle Style: High performance large luxury sedan
Engine/trans: 430kW/800Nm 5.5 turbo petrol 8cyl / 7sp twin-clutch auto
Price: $249,900 (plus on-roads)
Fuel Economy claimed: 10.0 l/100km
OVERVIEW
When the local arm of Mercedes-Benz began reviewing the specs of the updated E-Class range, they had a problem.
Their two AMG models, the E 63 AMG and E 63 AMG 'with Performance Pack', could 'only' muster power outputs of 386kW and 410kW respectively.
Those numbers, while bone-crushing in almost any company, were not considered enough to really take on the might and power of the latest crop of large luxury performance cars like the BMW M5, Audi RS6 and even the HSV GTS.
But then came their replacement, the E 63 AMG S. With huge outputs of 430kW and 800Nm, it was "problem solved".
Although all-wheel-drive in Europe, here, RWD would have to do. But no matter; AMG’s local sales figures suggest that not having AWD is not necessarily a black mark.
Making the E 63 AMG S the only E 63 offering in Australia also helps streamline the range; with the majority of E 63 owners optioning their car up to a higher standard than that of the base model, it also made sense for the "S" to become the default.
So what does the E 63 AMG S have to offer us? A lot.
A hell of a lot.
THE INTERIOR
The E 63 AMG S might be brutish under the bonnet, but it’s incredibly civilised everywhere else.
Cabin comfort is superb. The active seats are snug but adjustable enough for a wide range of body types, and when put in Dynamic mode they inflate individual bolsters to help keep you in place.
Turning hard right? The left side bolster will pump up instantly. It’s an eerie sensation, but it adds greatly to the experience.
There’s more AMG-specific features, of course. Things like the black headliner, the alcantara-clad and flat-bottomed steering wheel, silver seatbelts and of course the E 63-specific centre console shifter and array of buttons for the AMG Drive Unit controls.
Refreshingly, the default trim choice is dark polished wood rather than the typical strips of carbon fibre.
And there’s no shortage of toys. Seat heaters, seat ventilators, rear sunshade, auto-park feature, dual-panel sunroof… they’re all there.
Added to that list are full LED headlamps and tail lamps, Distronic radar-assisted cruise control, a 360-degree camera system, navigation, tri-zone climate control and a digital audio tuner - as well as the usual luxuries like keyless entry and ignition, USB inputs, sat nav and the like.