Skip advert
Advertisement

Mercedes-AMG E63 S review – performance and 0-60 time

Be prepared for supercar-rivalling acceleration, even in the estate version

Evo rating
Price
from £79,930
  • Incredible acceleration and pace, a strong engine, and really involving handling
  • E63 S ride is firm, expensive rear tyres won’t last long if you use Drift Mode

Purists and connoisseurs of sports saloons of old were appalled by the introduction of four-wheel drive on the E63 – cynics would argue the Drift Mode (the rear-wheel-drive-only setting) on the S is just a gimmick to placate fans of the old-style oversteering powerful saloon cars.

But the results of the all-wheel drive are clear when you look at the acceleration times. Officially, the 1880kg saloon accelerates from 0 to 62mph in 3.4sec. When we timed the E63 S with our own gear, we recorded a 0-60mph time of 3.4sec. That’s 0.1sec faster than the 0-60mph time we logged in a Ferrari 599 GTB or a F430 Scuderia. And that’s in a big saloon car.

Estates are 0.1sec slower than the saloon, which makes little to no discernible difference on the road, and all cars have a limited top speed of 155mph. What on-paper numbers don’t tell you is the unending punch that the E63 S’s 627lb ft of torque gives it at any speed and at any revs. This AMG twin-turbo has always been impressive at minimising turbo lag and in the E63 S is no different, hitting its plateau of torque with almost no delay.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8
Mercedes-AMG G63
News

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8

Some of Affalterbach’s range-toppers are swapping eight cylinders for four, but the AMG G-class retains its V8 for 2024
26 Mar 2024
The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?
Toyota GR Yaris Gen 2 – front
News

The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?

Our early impressions of the Gen 2 GR Yaris suggest that it’s an improvement in every area that counts, but can it be worth £18k more than an i20 N?
27 Mar 2024
Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader
Land Rover Defender OCTA – front
News

Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader

The OCTA promises to be the fastest, toughest and most capable Defender yet when it launches later this year
26 Mar 2024