The AMG suffix ensures blistering performance, something which the Mercedes E63 AMG offers in abundance
The Mercedes E63 AMG is one of the few cars available in India that come very close to perfecting the fine balancing between the Yin and Yang of automobiles – comfort of a luxury saloon and performance of a sports car. Being based on the grand E-Class, the E63 retains most of its richness and driving aids, and, at the same time, is mightily capable of catapulting you into the horizon at a blistering speed, taking just half the time.
Following the remaining line-up of the E-Class, the E63 AMG also went under the knife and has been given a facelift. Even after the updates the differences between it and the mere mortal E-Class are rather subtle, but the sharp eye of an enthusiast will easily pick up the AMG traits. The big visual change in the E63 is a chunkier grille, sharper bumpers and new sporty alloy wheels. Although the 18-inch low-profile tyres (255/40 R 18 at the front and 285/35 R 18 at the rear) look nice, bigger wheels would have made it look meaner still. The sporty side skirts and body kit announce that this is an AMG, but it also brings the car closer to the ground and you end up scraping the belly on most speed-breakers. Its classic lines and sober design disguise the asphalt-ripping ability the AMG has. However, the sharply styled quad-exhausts with the ‘AMG’ embossing and the ‘V8 BITURBO’ badge distinguish its more robust bloodline.
The interior retains the classy design, with the dashboard similar to other E-Class models, albeit with sporty highlights maintaining the Yin and Yang. Here the all-black finish, brush metal inserts and great looking carbon-fibre highlights infuse sportiness into the cabin. The richness of the cabin is retained with peerless finish and quality Mercedes-Benz are known for. In pure sports car style it features a flat-bottomed steering, which is covered in fine leather. You get a well-crafted gear on the centre console instead of the Mercedes’ usual location, on the right side of the steering column. The centre console also holds a stack of buttons that adjust the driving mode, stability programme, suspension setting, the diabolic ‘AMG’ mode and a dial to toggle through the infotainment system. Then it has numerous safety features, including 11 airbags, crash-activated NECK-PRO headrests, ATTENTION ASSIST to overcome driver fatigue, PRE-SAFE features and Brake Assist PLUS.
Adding to the exciting experience are the new-age front seats. They perform the mundane function of being adjustable in multiple ways via the uniquely located buttons near the front centre armrest, and can be cooled or heated as required. But more interestingly, when the car corners it offers extra lateral support by automatically firming up the side cushion so that the driver and the passenger don’t get thrown around. This is especially useful during enthusiastic driving. For instance, when I took a sharp right-hander, the left side of the bucket-type seats offered additional support to counter the inertia and held Car India ace lensman, Sanjay, and me in place. For me sports cars are not only about straight-line performance, but these smaller features that make the entire driving experience really special.
With the practicality of a saloon, it can seat five people, the rear seats being fairly comfortable and spacious. So, if you prefer, you can be chauffeured in your AMG in comfort with all the back-seat luxuries you could desire, like a set of LCDs, separate air-conditioning vents, reading lights and window blinds. The big issue here is the firm set-up of the front struts with rear AMG-exclusive air springs suspension, with electronically controlled damping along with the skinny tyres. These are designed for dynamic driving. However, at slower speeds over the far from perfect Indian road the E63 rattles the bones of its occupants. But deep down you expect that, as the AMG badge promises soul-lifting performance more than anything else. And that it does to the hilt.
What raises the E63 to the top rung of the E-Class pecking order is AMG’s 5.5-litre, twin-turbo V8 motor under the hood, which churns out rear-wheel shredding 557 PS and 720 Nm of torque. The goosebumps-inducing soundtrack of the V8 is so addictive that I couldn’t resist taking the tacho needle close to its 6,500-RPM redline over and over again to hear the roar from the quad-exhausts. Driving on the Expressway, the hand-made V8’s throaty roar was enough to frighten off the uninitiated (and seemingly slow-moving) traffic, as the E63 paved its way ahead. This petrol motor is paired with an AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT seven-speed double clutch sports transmission borrowed by the SL63 AMG roadster, which responded instantly to my throttle inputs and shifted up with great zest. With every shift the AMG lets out bewitching soundtrack, which I can still feel resonating in my ears as I write this.
