Mercedes’ S-Class has been a symbol of excellence since the first one officially debuted with the W116 chassis in 1972. They are often the first cars on the market to debut new and exciting technology. Features such as adaptive cruise control (Distronic), seat belt pre-tensioners and even anti-lock brakes, debuted in 1978. Mercedes-AMG S63 E-Performance 2024 didn’t launch anything groundbreaking, but oh my god, will it ever carry that tradition of excellence forward.
Full disclosure: Mercedes-AMG wanted me to drive an S63 E Performance so much that they put me overnight in a luxury hotel in Santa Monica and teased me with a 300SEL 6.3 that I wasn’t allowed to drive in a ostentatious Malibu. villa. 6.3 is brown.
The S63 E-Performance is remarkable for several reasons. First off, it’s the most powerful production Mercedes ever, with a whopping 791 hp and 1,055 lb-ft of torque coming from a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 and electric motor. combine. Next, it weighs one Ford F-150 Raptor, at nearly 6,000 lbs. It was also the first plug-in hybrid S-Class and the first S-Class without the upright hood emblem. Big changes are clearly taking place in Affalterbach.
The S63 E Performance has a 13.1 kWh direct-cooling battery pack that, in addition to eating up trunk space, allows you to drive the S63 on pure electric power for around 20 miles (based on Euro estimates, data from the S63). EPA will likely be lower and come out late 2023) and at speeds up to 87 mph. AMG claims the car will hit 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds and reach an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.
The S63 also gets a lot of AMG-specific tweaks, such as a two-speed rear axle that maximizes both acceleration and top speed, air suspension and AMG-tuned driving modes. and a host of AMG-specific styling tweaks like the large Panamericana grille that does a great job of hiding all the ADAS sensors placed at the front of the car. The nine-speed MCT transmission is also tuned by AMG and performs well in general.
Here’s the thing, though. All that performance is actually pretty pointless. Don’t get me wrong, it’s pretty tough to launch such a big and heavy vehicle, but all that weight makes those huge power and torque numbers feel “as fast as a normal S63”. ” at the expense of more complexity. I like that there is always power available for fast overtaking, but the cool thing about this car is the ability to drive on electric power alone.
Why is that interesting? Well, first, the EVs rule. Second – and this makes more sense for our friends in Europe at the moment – a lot of cities like London, for example, are starting to charge angry people with large internal combustion engines. go into the city center. Some other cities are banning internal combustion altogether. The S63 E Performance could be a game changer for the wealthy businessman. Here, we’ll appreciate the extra cruise range the hybrid system is likely to offer us from the S63’s 20.1-gallon gas tank, and of course, some people will choose it over a car. The S-Class isn’t an AMG just because of the badge.
While I’m still warm with the power, I’m completely on top of the chassis. The S63 can do things a car of the same size can’t. I thought the AMG was bananas when it came to taking me on Malibu’s tight and narrow canyon roads, but this massive car boat has agility that can make some cars half its size right. shy. This is largely due to the AMG-tuned air suspension and the four-wheel steering, neither of which is revolutionary, but both done perfectly here.
I also appreciate how flexible the traction and stability control programs are, even when not in Sport Plus mode. It allows the car to move around – even breaking rear traction – but intervenes smoothly and quickly to keep things from spiraling out of control. I suspect that the Performance S63 E will be a blast around the track, though that’s certainly not its intended use case.
Aside from the insane powertrain, the rest of the car is largely just an S-Class, which means it’s absolutely breathtaking. Everything looks and feels expensive. The seats are adjustable and unbelievably comfortable, and at the same time they have the ability to turn on the heating and cooling at the same time, which is silly, but I love it. The interior is well insulated from the road, and while the AMG manages to make some sound, it doesn’t sound as good or even like the V8 that lives under the hood. There’s a weird, raucous five-cylinder note to it in the Sport Plus, and not in a nice way, though this could be tweaked as the car goes on sale.
In addition, as an S-Class, the S63 is equipped with safety technology. This thing has everything you’d expect on a modern six-figure car, and it all works great. This includes adaptive cruise control, driver attention monitoring, active lane keeping assist, active lane centering, steer assist, brake intervention, blind spot assist and the list goes on. When you shell out for an S-Class, you expect the best and you won’t be disappointed here.
Interior downsides are small and few in number, but include Mercedes’ weird 3-D effects on the gauges and head-up display, but this is easy to turn off. Also, the hybrid package eats into trunk space (10.8 cubic feet versus 18 cubic feet), so while it’s not exactly a sports car-small, the trunk of the S63 PHEV isn’t what you’d call it. pit.
Mercedes is playing a little too close when it says that the S63 E-Performance will hit the market sometime later this year. We predict that will end in December. Mercedes is even more cautious about pricing for its latest technological terror. A normal S63 sans hybrid will cost you around $153,000 before you can add options. We’d be shocked if this new one didn’t run close to the $170,000 mark, given its advertised performance and increased cost to manufacture it.
So with all that, what’s my takeaway?
The S63 E-Performance isn’t really enhanced by the extra power and technology, at least not in a way that the US market will appreciate. Sure, it’s as fast as hell for something as heavy as a fishing boat, and despite some minor pre-production hiccups I’ve had in my limited time with the car, when it ready for show time, it will be ruthlessly engineered to be the best it can be, as is custom by Mercedes, especially with the S-Class. The point is, the hybrid system looks like a solution to a problem that exists only because of regulations and brand image, not a remedy for something the S-Class lacked before.
I really love the Performance S63 E 2024, but for my money, I will buy an S580e and pocket the difference. If badges, aggressive styling or bragging rights about bench racing are important to you, then you’ll love the S63 and there’s nothing wrong with that.
