Yes, the E63 is expensive, and it barely reaches the 20 mpg mark on the highway. But with enough horsepower (518 hp) and torque (465 lb-ft) to provide a huge adrenaline rush and a luxurious interior to cosset you when you come down from that rush, the E63 is has just about everything you can ask from a luxo-sport sedan. Everything you see and touch on the E63 is well executed, from the understated Mercedes badge on the hood to the carbon fiber interior accents to the perfectly symmetrical layout of the five round gauges on the instrument panel. This is a car I could happily drive every day.
- Amy Skogstrom, Managing Editor
AMG is known the world over for dropping massively powerful engines into luxury cars. If you've got the means, I highly recommend any of the AMG sedans as a daily driver. The E63 AMG is particularly enticing because it's the perfect size for transporting four adults in comfort, and the 6.2-liter V-8 offers a much more usable power band for daily driving than a BMW M5's high-revving V-10.
Even with the slightly sinister AMG touches, the E63 still looks upscale and wouldn't be out of place at a formal event. Leave the transmission in comfort mode and the shifts are as smooth as you'd expect in a traditional Benz. Twisting the transmission dial to S+ provides much more aggressive programming that begs for more spirited driving. I didn't have a chance to do much spirited driving during my time with the E63, but I was impressed by how well the car handled more menial tasks like transporting four people to dinner.
This might be the last brutish AMG product I drive. The next "63" cars are going to downsize and add turbochargers and direct injection, in order to meet upcoming emissions regulations. I've no doubt the future AMG powerplants will do the division justice, but they won't quite be the same as this 6.2-liter normally aspirated V-8. Technology tends to tame high-performance engines by reducing NVH and smoothing out the power delivery. Those are admirable qualities, but there's still something special about the sound of a hot cam in a big V-8 at idle, that direct injection can't match.
- Phil Floraday, Senior Web Editor
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