For 2012, the über E Class massaged by the folks at AMG has gone turbocharged. Bi turbo , no less, and while the displacement has shrunk from 6.3L to 5.5L, the shrinkage of its engine displacement has been well compensated by the forced induction.
2012 Mercedes Benz E63 AMG Review by CarbonOctane.com
Going smaller doesn’t necessarily mean going down on power in today’s world. It’s all down to managing the power better and efficiently while being kind to the environment. But then, we are talking about the AMG brute and we want it to howl and lay miles of black rubber on the road each time we step on the accelerator pedal. Don’t you folks worry at all, the 2012 E63 AMG does just that and more thanks to our test vehicle which came with the AMG Performance package, an option for AED 31,105. With this trick kit on, the E63 produces even more ponies, touching the scale now at an insane 557hp and 590lb-ft of torque at 2000rpm and the 0 to 100kmph drops down to 4.2 seconds from 4.5 seconds from last year when the E63 was powered by the naturally aspirated 6.3L engine.
The E63 is a showcase of Mercedes’ technical prowess; they need to be, since they have to battle it out with its contemporaries such as the BMW M5 and the Audi RS6. These are luxury gateway cars which are at ease doing 70 on the beach road as it is tearing down the famed Sheikh Zayed road. Yet they are all different in feel and comfort and thus they cater to individual needs.
The E63 AMG is for those whose primary concern is comfort while on occasion, have the urge to engage in road kills. It’s more akin to being the “Hulk” 24/7. Step on the gas with Sport+ mode on and suspension on the hardest for agility in bends, it just cries out “HULK SMASH!!!”. That’s what the rumbling baritone note of the quad AMG exhaust screams out. Music to our ears, oh yes and it makes most of the cars out there wet their pants. The Sport+ mode keeps the rpm on its power band and rev matches on hard braking. There are many benefits on rev matching, one is that the engine is in its power band and ready to kick off without the slightest hesitation but it’s the aural excitement that got us salivating. The downshift results in the exhaust releasing a deep note that is best summarized as “you have to hear it to believe it”.
Our test vehicle was equipped with the Exclusive Package option (AED 17,300), AMG carbon trim (AED 13,000) and the very exclusive Carbon Ceramic Brakes (AED 42,500). The advantages of the Ceramic brake option is that if and when the car is enjoyed around the track then where regular AMG brakes would fail upon constant heat cycles, these would keep on going, providing for fade free and excellent stopping capabilities over an extended period of time. In our opinion, for the regular E63 buyers these brakes are an overkill and best reserved only for its bragging rights. The regular, if you could call it that, AMG brakes are more than capable to tame the power of the AMG into road situations.
The steering wheel is draped with leather and suede, quite useful for sweaty palms as one would experience in the car as it decimates the legal speed limit within seconds. The carbon fiber trim long the dashboard resonates the marques racing pedigree. The seat even inflates the lateral support when the car gets into a corner and hugs the driver and the front passenger. These are the small details which makes the driving so much special and memorable.
This is a heavy car and at almost 2400kgs there is a lot of mass to tackle when the car is flung in tight corners. The rear end gets loose but the electronics quickly and subtly brings the car back on track. But take it to larger bends and there is no drama, it just eats the curve up. The E63 even recognizes the yellow lines along the side of the highway and if one tries to cross the lines it would brake slightly and come back on the track without alarming its driver. Such small and important safety details which are working in the back office of the E63 are admired and appreciated for not only keeping its occupants safe but it’s the manner in which the whole process is executed. The passengers are not going to experience a sudden abrupt braking and computerized lane corrections. The system becomes the sixth sense of the driver and works seamlessly.
Harman Kardon provides the audio and has integrated an iPod and usb connection under the arm rest for ease of access.
Our time with the E63 was too short, a weekend was just not enough and the hardest part of it was to hand over the keys back to the regional Mercedes headquarters. Looking back at the E63 one has to admire. At a base price of AED 451,000 and price as tested of AED 581,340, the E63 AMG would be providing thrill for the lucky few.
Photos By Brian Donegan
