MBWorld Reviews the 2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG 4MATIC

By Jonathon Klein - October 21, 2014

The Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG is a big, heavy, and above all else, hugely powerful sedan meant for blasting down the autobahn at near-impossible speeds. However, with the new Hellcat contending for the same spot as the E63, can the seasoned veteran still compete on the same level as the new kid on the block for a king’s title among powerful sedans?

(Full disclosure: When people know you love cars and write about them, cars tend to come your way. I just happen to have a friend at the Hoffman Estates Motorwerks dealership who said I could come over and play with a couple of their cars so long as I mention them.)

The new E63 is all luxury. Between the crystal headlights, wonderfully plush seats, and the immaculate way this car is put together, the Hellcat never stood a chance. The E63 is meant to soak up every bump and every pothole, doing away with them as you would toss out an old candy wrapper. Within five minutes of driving it, I felt like I could easily drive to the West Coast and back with minimal fatigue.

Immediately you can feel the car is eager to soak up thousands of miles of road trips. Even with it having the natural habitat of long stretches of the German Autobahn, this car is great around town. I was testing it around rush hour, so getting to a place where I could stretch its legs meant driving through loads of traffic. Not once did I feel as if the car was jerky or wanted to stab me. It just acted like a normal car.

That’s what surprised me the most. Somehow Mercedes made a terrifyingly quick car — one that is faster to 60 than a Lamborghini Gallardo — but still worked driving at low speeds. Some of these new sports and supercars just can’t handle that type of usage, but this car can. I mentioned this to my friend who was with me and he just stated, “Well, it’s still a Mercedes.”

That principle was the one I was feeling. No matter what engine this car had, it still had to be a plush luxury car deserving of the Mercedes nameplate.

Unlike the Hellcat, the new E63 has received an Eco-friendly makeover to satisfy all the new environmental regulations. Gone is the lovely sounding naturally aspirated 6.2L V8, and in its place a smaller V8 with a pair of turbochargers to increase the engine’s efficiency without decreasing overall horsepower.

And after what seemed like forever, we finally made it to a secret testing area where long country roads and the odd industrial park were calling my name. I looked over and asked how far I could push it. Straight-faced he just said, “Whatever, just don’t shunt it.” I threw all the settings into AMG dynamic “kill yourself” mode (that’s the technical name for it) and throttled past the dealership. That meant the car’s suspension stiffened and lowered, it increased the throttle response, and the adaptive lumbar bolstering tucked in tighter to hold me better.

When I say this car hooks, it hooks. It’s not just fast — it’s “hold on to something” fast. That 550-hp twin-turbo engine digs and digs for more power and more torque. It rips to 60 entirely faster than you could believe. This is still a monumentally heavy car, but somehow it keeps building speed until impossible numbers are staring at you from the gauges.

Side bolstering is a must in any car that has this much power. Without it, you are definitely going to slip right out of the seat if you over-cook a corner. At that point, you lack the control needed to safely get yourself out of the situation. However, side bolstering can become a bit exhausting on long stretches. Mercedes alleviated both problems by developing active and adaptive side bolstering that is remarkable.

When the system first comes on, you’re almost spooked as if someone or something is touching you. To make things even weirder, each side doesn’t hug you at the same time. Rather, the system individually changes each bolster depending on the corner you enter. The car’s sensors detect where the car is leaning and adaptively changes either side to increase the bolstering when needed.

While the seats give you the confidence that you’ll be OK through a turn, I can’t say the same about the steering. Most manufacturers are now using electric power steering systems. They’re cheaper, easier to run, and they don’t have the same potential for breaking as easily. That said, electric power steering doesn’t offer the same feel as a hydraulic system.

The E63’s steering isn’t as numb as, say, the Tesla Model S, but it’s close. You can feel the variable steering slightly load up while taking corners quickly, but it never seems to be enough to inspire real confidence. Granted, this isn’t a sports car that wants to be tossed around, but I still would have liked more road feel.

I absolutely adore fast four doors. They’re a combination of all the best things that make up automotive enthusiasm. They are blisteringly quick, and you can haul your friends as well.

The 2014 E63 is the latest generation in a long line of fast four doors from Mercedes, and this model definitely lives up to its lineage. Between the brilliant new engine and those tiny details Mercedes does so well, the new E63 is still the king of fast sedans.