Hang on! Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG gets more power and AWD
By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos
We knew that Mercedes-Benz would be showing off its latest E-Class at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and we figured the high-performance E63 AMG model would receive a similarly subtle makeover. The current car's only been in its current configuration for a couple model years, so why mess with it when you have a dozen other models to worry about?
Apparently, we were wrong.
News broke this morning that just about everything has been tweaked or replaced, and that Audi no longer holds the killer-app of all-wheel drive when it comes to high-powered German sleeper sedans. Yes, that's right: The 2014 E63 AMG will come to North America exclusively with 4MATIC all-wheel drive. The system is rear-biased, sending only 33 percent of power to the front wheels in normal conditions, however we're sure that ratio can be altered at will. The system also delivers torque-vectoring, which means more power to the outside wheel in a corner to fight understeer.
The reason for the 4MATIC system is that the twin-turbocharged 5.5-litre received a modest power boost, meaning regular E63s now produce 550 horsepower and 531 lb-ft of torque. However, there's an optional package that can up those to 571 horses and an amazing 590 lb-ft. S models also bring a real limited-slip differential, along with a 0-100 km/h time in about three and a half seconds, just one-tenth faster than normal.
Visually, the car's get-the-hell-outta-my-way front visage automatically disqualifies the E63 AMG as an understated Q car, but it does look pretty stunning. The overall body shape hasn't changed since this is technically a mid-cycle refresh, and the station wagon version should be available too.
The cabin will certainly be the cosseting, leather-lined executive club as before...
What do you think? Does all-wheel-drive go against everything AMG stands for or is this a case of better late than never? Would you choose the E63 AMG over the BMW M5 or Audi RS6? Let us know in the comments!
Justin Couture
Mark Atkinson
John LeBlanc
Posted by: kirk | 2013-01-10 12:12:22 PM
Finally...I will be buying!
Posted by: 655Hemi | 2013-01-11 1:01:39 PM
Cadillac CTS-V Henessey (coupe or sedan) = 700 h.p & better handling /stopping for the same price as an AMG E63
Posted by: JD | 2013-01-12 2:38:49 AM
Hmmm, Hennessey V700 upgrade gets to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds....on a prepped track with drag radial tires. Car and Driver tested it with street tires and made 60 in 3.8 seconds. Other publications testing it did 60 in anywhere from 3.7 to 4.2 seconds. The E63 goes to 62 mph in 3.5 to 3.6 seconds consistently with various publications. Evidently with street tires. With 129-136 less hp. Hennessey v700 CTS V costs $20000 over and above buying a CTS-V, which would make it about $95000 plus taxes. $103000 with optional handling package and upgraded brakes to make it competiitve with the E63. The E63 is about $106000 + taxes. Skid pad numbers are .91 and .90, no big differences n handling. Then there's depreciation. According to my Black Book, the 2012 E63 lost 16% to depreciation, while the 2012 CTS-V lost 26%. Going further back, the CTS-V loses even higher percentages over the E63. One can argue that the Hennessey may have less depreciation because of all the tuning. Generally this isn't the case. People rarely if ever pay more (and dealerships even more so) for a tuned car over stock, in fact some will pay less if it's tuned. Long story short, even though I'm not a big fan of Mercedes, I can see which is the better value. And it's not the CTS-V.
Posted by: 655Hemi | 2013-01-22 11:41:39 AM
JD - those stats and $1.50 will get you a coffee.
You can add: Profits of 10 to 15% of the purchase price are hustled back to the Fatherland to be used for future development instead of being spent here on domestic vehicle development.
You foreign car lovers break me up.
Posted by: JD | 2013-01-28 8:38:15 PM
Yeah, because facts mean nothing when you`re wrong, you dismiss them. The last resort when you have no argument is to try to belittle the truth.
When domestic manufacturers can compete with imports I`ll worry about where research and development money goes to. I`d rather have my dollar going to further research and development regardless of who builds the car than to continue paying retired assembly line workers and their dependents in perpetuity.