Engine upgrade package and an Akrapovic exhaust system make this E63 S Wagon an even faster grocery-getter.
Crossovers and SUVs may be all the rage these days, but there are still people out there who prefer wagons. They do have their appeal. They’re low to the ground like a sedan and offer even more usable space. Some of them, such as the Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon, pack performance-car levels of power. Instagrammer Craig Dobrin, who goes by the screenname craigdobs, wanted even more out of his AMG estate, so he turned to Mercedes-Benz tuner RENNtech.
In stock form, the E63 S Wagon can haul just as much ass as cargo. Thanks to its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, which cranks out 603 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque, and AMG-tuned 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive, it can absolutely blast to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds – perfect for getting away from long, boring PTA meetings.
RENNtech has a variety of packages that will turn the E63 S Wagon into the world’s fastest road-trip vehicle. They range from ECU upgrades to bundles that include a tuned ECU, sport mufflers, and more aggressive turbos. According to Carscoops, Dobrin went with a setup that added “updated turbochargers and intake, [and an] ECU tune,” as well as an Akrapovic exhaust system. Output is up to a face-flattening 813 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque, which takes the wagon’s 0-60 mph time below the three second mark. After watching the video below, we have no problem believing that claim.
A set of 21-inch wheels with a copper finish perfectly fill in the wheel wells of the lowered body and add the finishing touch to this roomy rocketship. Dobrin’s AMG wagon makes a hell of a statement here on MB World. We can only imagine how much it stands out in the drop-off zone at his son’s school.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
