2020 Mercedes-AMG E63 and E63S unveiled – new looks, same performance



Right after the launch of the BMW M5 and M5 Competition, Mercedes-AMG immediately hit back with its own big daddy E 63 4MATIC+ models, continuing the long-standing German rivalry.

The new E 63 twins are now refreshed following the introduction of the extensively updated Mercedes-Benz E-Class facelift, and subsequently the Mercedes-AMG E 53 performance variant, completing the E-Class AMG performance line-up.

On the exterior styling, Mercedes-AMG took the very pretty E-Class facelift, and turned the aggressive knob all the way up to 11. Up front, the big boy E 63 twins gets the full AMG jet wing treatment on the front bumper intakes, along with the AMG-specific Panamericana grille.

Aside from making the supersedan (or wagon) look really cool, the elaborate front fascia details also serve important aerodynamic and cooling purposes – the front splitter for example “significantly reduces lift at the front axle”.

Over at the rear, the 63 twins get a more elaborate rear lip spoiler and bumper design compared to the AMG E 53 which, you guessed it, also helps with the overall aerodynamic performance of the car. The E 63 is shod in 19-inch 10-spoke light-alloy wheels, while the S model gets 20-inch five-spoke units – both of which are “aerodynamically optimised”.

Exclusively on the 63 models, the exterior trim pieces can be optioned in two levels of carbon fibre-ness. The AMG Exterior Carbon-Fibre Package I includes the front splitter, trim insert in the longitudinal member, and the rear apron trim element. Upgrade to the Package II, and you’ll get additional carbon fibre on the mirror caps, and the boot-lid spoiler on the sedan.

Underneath the hood, the powertrain in the E 63 and E 63 S remains unchanged – both still powered by the M178 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 engine, rated for the same power output as before: 571 hp and 750 Nm on the base E 63; 612 hp and 850 Nm of twist on the E 63 S.

The V8 mill is paired to an AMG Speedshift MCT nine-speed automatic transmission, with power sent to all four wheels via the AMG 4MATIC+ constantly variable all-wheel drive system, with Drift Mode of course.

Performance figures are also unchanged from before – the E 63 S sedan does the century sprint in a scarily-fast 3.4 seconds, while the E 63 does it just 0.1 second slower at 3.5 seconds. The wagons take 0.1 second longer on both S and non-S configurations.

On the E 63, top speed is electronically-capped at 250 km/h, though you can raise it to 290 km/h if you tick the optional AMG Driver’s Package. The E 63 S reaches 300 km/h on full whack.

The E 63 twins rides on the AMG Ride Control+ suspension with multi-chamber air suspension system, paired with the adaptive adjustable Adaptive Damping System+ to deliver high levels of camber stability, driving dynamics, and steering precision, along with improved ride comfort.

Inside, the updated E 63 comes equipped with the marque’s latest MBUX system, displayed across two 10.25-inch screens on the base model, while the S models get the larger 12.25-inch units as standard.

The MBUX system comes with an additional AMG-specific display mode (Supersport), along with other vital performance data such as engine output, gear speed indicator, G-meter and Racetimer.

The rest of the interior is pretty much identical to its younger E 53 sibling, with standard kit including the new two twin-spoke design AMG Performance steering wheel with on-wheel integrated buttons and knob, and AMG seats upgradeable to the AMG Performance Seats with integrated head restraints and better lateral support.


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