These last several weeks we’ve been stringing you along with details of the 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, talking about the looks, the all-wheel drive, and other niggling details. Now, however, we’ve got the real deal: the official press release from Mercedes-Benz itself.
Let’s focus on the E63 AMG S-Model 4MATIC, which has enough acronyms and brand jargon to confuse most non-native speakers. What won’t confuse, however, are the E63 AMG’s impressive power figures. Mercedes has shoehorned a 5.5-liter AMG Biturbo V8 under the hood of the E63, which produces 557 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. The E63 AMG S-Model will go 0-60 in 3.5 seconds and onto an electronically limited top speed of 186 MPH.
Bolted to the prodigious powerplant is a seven-speed sports automatic transmission, which has been fiddled with by AMG for quicker shifts an sportier characteristics.
Mercedes claims that no other vehicle in its class can create such uproarious power while also being so miserly on fuel. Cunningly, Mercedes has not released those fuel economy numbers, so there’s no way of knowing whether that’s true or not.
Powerful Mercedes’ of old that sent power to the rear wheels only had to fight the overreaching traction control, which would reign in power in order to maintain traction. Mercedes has partially solved its self-created power-squelching problem by fitting the new E63 AMG with a specially developed 4MATIC all-wheel drive system as standard. That means power is sent to all four wheels and not just the rear two, keeping traction and power up.
On the exterior, Mercedes has made the E63 AMG that much more dynamic looking. Separating it from the rest of the lineup – and from E63s of old – the new 2014 model has the new “twin blade” radiator grille and a new “A-wing” in the AMG front fascia.
Mercedes also offers the E63 AMG in a wagon, which, although 0.1 seconds slower to 60 MPH, is perhaps the pinnacle of the design. It not only screams “Look at me!” it also screams, “Look at me, I’ve got 557 horsepower and room for my Labrador in the back!”
