2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG: The perfect sedan?

The E-Class is the undisputed star at Mercedes this year. After a test drive of the new generation sedan a few weeks ago a test drive of the coupe by my colleague Denis Duquet more recently, I had the pleasure of finishing off the trifecta by taking the first ride behind the wheel of the E63 AMG, the latest rocket to bear the famous AMG label. 23 years have passed since 1987 when the first E-Class AMG, the E300 5.6 AMG, was introduced so the manufacturer is hardly a newcomer when it comes to high-performance cars.

What would you say to having a spacious and comfortable sedan, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and able to leave most of the vehicles on the road in the dust with a simple touch of the accelerator? That’s exactly what you get with the new 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG 2010.

All Mercedes-Benz high performance products come from the AMG workshops, an independent complex found in the Stuttgart area. AMG’s mission is to offer a range of products that take certain Mercedes-Benz production models and make them sportier and give them more character. It’s no easy task trying to compete with BMW M, Cadillac V-Series and Audi’s S and RS models, but Mercedes-Benz has more than one trick up its sleep and, more importantly, it has an impressive team and impressive means. 

Sporty and refined

While BMW M is turning toward uncompromising sport capabilities, AMG claims, in the case of the E63 AMG, to want to offer a luxurious and comfortable sedan that still offers excellent performance. Basically, they want to improve the model’s performance without sacrificing any comfort. To achieve this, AMG used the E-Class sedan as a base and modified it somewhat in order to create a proper high performance car. First of all, the E63 has a 6.3-litre V8 under the hood, which features no less than 518 horses for a surprising 465 lbs-ft of torque. Thanks to these numbers, this beast goes from 0-100 km/hr in 4.5 seconds to reach an electronically limited speed of 250 km/hr, or 300 km/hr is you have the AMG Exclusive package. The manufacturer has no plans to introduce an E63 coupe for the time being, preferring instead to concentrate on the sedan.

To master these “few” supplementary horses, the 2010 E63 AMG sedan’s wheelbase has been widened by 56 mm, which gives it better traction and improves its precision in turns. A lower suspension and an adaptive electronic damping system that gives you the choice between various modes also helps in this regard. The beauty of this system is that it adapts to different driving conditions and always optimizes the vehicle’s performances. Lastly, there are new high performance brakes, and an option package that will include ceramic composite brakes, the ultimate braking system in terms of performance and stamina. The bad news is that these brakes aren’t offered in Canada for the moment, but having put them through the test, there is a big difference. 

A plain-looking car

On the outside, the E63 AMG is unique without being too showy. The front fascia the new E-Class’ trademark grille and there’s a more prominent air intake at the bottom. The wheels are more evidence of the car’s high performance ambitions, thanks to exclusive 18- or 19-inch rims. The 6.3 AMG logo is also proudly displayed on the fenders. The tail end is easily the car’s most aggressive feature, primarily because of its sport quad exhaust. I must admit that this AMG is very nice, but I find it a little too plain. Some will like it, but it could stand to be a little flashier for my liking, as is the C63 AMG. As for colour schemes, you can forget about flashiness…this car is all about discretion.

The interior also has several unique features, like sport seats that are easily identified by their AMG logo. They offer improved lateral support thanks to prominent bolsters, a feature that you can adjust with a control. The instrument panel and the steering wheel have also been given the AMG treatment and the dashboard features carbon fibre accents. Basically, the manufacturer once again emphasizes sport capabilities, but not in an extravagant way.

Glued to the road

Although the E63 AMG captures the imagination at first sight, you’ll really see its brilliance behind the wheel. Like a race car, you can adjust different settings based on your whims, such as the firmness of the suspension and the response times of the accelerator and of the seven-speed gearbox. You feel like you are truly in control of every aspect of the car and can adapt its performances to your preferences.

There’s no question that the heart of this car is its 518-hp, naturally-aspirated V8 engine. It’s hard to keep from smiling when you push down the accelerator and you hit 7,200 rpm, and hear that rich and powerful sound. AMG is a master when it comes to the sound of its engines, and this latest version is no exception. All of its power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a seven-speed gearbox, which helps fully utilize the engine’s potential. Controlled using paddles behind the steering wheel, its manual mode adds to the fun by allowing you to control the gears yourself. It’ll even be able to match the engine speed when downshifting, the famous “blip”, thereby mimicking what a race car driver does.

With its weight and size – it’s an E-Class, after all – of course I expected it to be powerful, but not terribly agile in turns. I could not have been more wrong. In more dynamic conditions, it made turn after turn without with ease while its suspension completely took care of any weight transfer. The car is literally stuck to the ground and it seemed as solid as a rock. Basically, its driving dynamics are a lot like those of a more compact sedan.

AMG has definitely done quite the job. In my opinion, the E63 AMG is very close to the perfect car: it features the best of all worlds, with very little compromise.