S560 upgrading?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 88
Likes: 16
From: Charlotte
2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 4MATIC, 2021 GLC300 4MATIC Coupe and 2006 S500 RWD
S560 upgrading?
I was wondering can I just buy a 2018 s560 and upgrade the engine to a s63. Is it possible? If so what do you change and what are the engine names like m278 or something?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 88
Likes: 16
From: Charlotte
2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 4MATIC, 2021 GLC300 4MATIC Coupe and 2006 S500 RWD
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 88
Likes: 16
From: Charlotte
2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 4MATIC, 2021 GLC300 4MATIC Coupe and 2006 S500 RWD
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 833
From: Newcastle, WA
2019 S63 4Matic+, 2018 E400 Cabrio, wardens car.
Not as simple as it sounds. The S63 has hundreds of parts that are specific to the AMG model. All you have to do is crawl around underneath one and look under the hood. Lots of carbon fiber bracing different suspension and brake components etc. Throwing a tune on a 560 will give you comparable acceleration but the car is not built or designed for that. Just save up a few more pennies and buy what you want.
Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 160
Likes: 82
From: Sandy Springs, GA
'15 E350, '20 S560
Ok, I’ll admit to being a bit long in the tooth but I honestly can’t think of an occasion when I’ve needed more power than my stock S560 gives me. I’ve owned faster cars, but for a 2 1/2 ton vehicle it’s plenty.
Trending Topics
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
8 Oddball Mercedes Ideas That Actually Made it to Production
Verdad Gallardo
Dubai Tuner Gives the Mercedes G-Class An Entirely New Look
Verdad Gallardo
Six Gift Ideas Your AMG Loving Dad or Grad Will Cherish
7 Craziest Things AMG Gas Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
New Electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe Unveiled: 10 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 88
Likes: 16
From: Charlotte
2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 4MATIC, 2021 GLC300 4MATIC Coupe and 2006 S500 RWD
Not as simple as it sounds. The S63 has hundreds of parts that are specific to the AMG model. All you have to do is crawl around underneath one and look under the hood. Lots of carbon fiber bracing different suspension and brake components etc. Throwing a tune on a 560 will give you comparable acceleration but the car is not built or designed for that. Just save up a few more pennies and buy what you want.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 88
Likes: 16
From: Charlotte
2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 4MATIC, 2021 GLC300 4MATIC Coupe and 2006 S500 RWD
I think I’m buying this car for the wrong reason. I might need to get its sportier cousin… the E-class. But I love the S-class features and looks better.
Member
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 79
Likes: 36
From: California, near Santa Cruz
S550
Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 160
Likes: 82
From: Sandy Springs, GA
'15 E350, '20 S560
Better to be seen than viewed. I had an uncle that made it to 105, he called at 102 pissed that California had only renewed his license for a year. Next year he called excited that he at, now 103, had been given a four year renewal. I asked him to please stop driving, he assured me that he would let his 76 year old girlfriend drive from now on. His last car was a Swept Wing Look Desoto with a Hemi. Cool dude, real estate investor, wine connoisseur, fluent in five languages, retired when he was 50 and traveled the world. Secret of longevity? Massage once a week, chiropractor once a month, one or two glasses of red wine a day and … no debt.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 3,142
Likes: 1,205
GLE 580
Better to be seen than viewed. I had an uncle that made it to 105, he called at 102 pissed that California had only renewed his license for a year. Next year he called excited that he at, now 103, had been given a four year renewal. I asked him to please stop driving, he assured me that he would let his 76 year old girlfriend drive from now on. His last car was a Swept Wing Look Desoto with a Hemi. Cool dude, real estate investor, wine connoisseur, fluent in five languages, retired when he was 50 and traveled the world. Secret of longevity? Massage once a week, chiropractor once a month, one or two glasses of red wine a day and … no debt.
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 825
Likes: 263
From: NE KY, on the Ohio River
2018 S560; 2022 EQS450+
Better to be seen than viewed. I had an uncle that made it to 105, he called at 102 pissed that California had only renewed his license for a year. Next year he called excited that he at, now 103, had been given a four year renewal. I asked him to please stop driving, he assured me that he would let his 76 year old girlfriend drive from now on. His last car was a Swept Wing Look Desoto with a Hemi. Cool dude, real estate investor, wine connoisseur, fluent in five languages, retired when he was 50 and traveled the world. Secret of longevity? Massage once a week, chiropractor once a month, one or two glasses of red wine a day and … no debt.
Rightly or wrongly, I believe quitting smoking at 14 and a single beer/Scotch, wine glass consumer over the past 70 years has been a major contribution.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 344
Likes: 160
From: Maysville, KY , est'd 1767
Mercedes S560
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 460
Likes: 254
From: SD
Various
Geez… longevity. Hope I keep ticking but with taking care of my mom in her 80s, getting old sucks.
Back to the original question, a RENNtech tune does wonders when needed. I rarely tap into it. Good to have at the ready.
Back to the original question, a RENNtech tune does wonders when needed. I rarely tap into it. Good to have at the ready.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,882
Likes: 813
From: Pacific Northwest
2001 S600 V12 Sold, 2011 Jaguar XFR Sold, 2017 S550 4-Matic, 2018 S63 AMG Sedan
You can't turn an S560 into an S63. But you can tune the engine. Funny thing is I think the powertrain is the strongest feature of the S560.
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 51
Likes: 20
w222 550
This absolutely works and is the most cost effective way to get the power. I would add though make sure to get really good brake pads and swap them out when they wear past 3/4, if you have happy feet. I had a tuned CLS 550, I did not do this and now the CLS is no longer with us.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,882
Likes: 813
From: Pacific Northwest
2001 S600 V12 Sold, 2011 Jaguar XFR Sold, 2017 S550 4-Matic, 2018 S63 AMG Sedan
I'll say it again...you can't turn an S560 into an S63. Totally different transmission, totally different rear subframe, different driveline and suspension components. Like he said, it would be cheaper to buy an S63 than to try to replicate an S63. But it's your dime and yout time so you can do whatever you want.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 9,346
Likes: 4,734
From: Maryland
2024 S580
I'll say it again...you can't turn an S560 into an S63. Totally different transmission, totally different rear subframe, different driveline and suspension components. Like he said, it would be cheaper to buy an S63 than to try to replicate an S63. But it's your dime and yout time so you can do whatever you want.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,882
Likes: 813
From: Pacific Northwest
2001 S600 V12 Sold, 2011 Jaguar XFR Sold, 2017 S550 4-Matic, 2018 S63 AMG Sedan
You can also put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig...LOL
Point being is that this isn't 1982 where you can just plop a large engine in a car and get what you would have got in the "sport" version. There really are far too many differences between an S63 and non AMG car to make it even happen. Question is where do you stop? If just the engine, maybe you coould do that, but then you'd also have to have the head unit programmed. What if the car came with basic seats, would you then upgrade the leather to what is base in the S63? What about the cost and complexity of the subframe? What about the electronic rear diff? Oh, then the transmission, drive shaft, etc. The struts are the same, but the suspension components aren't. In the end, you can spend $40K on new parts to change it over, and all you'll have is a Frankenstein, not an S63. For every machination of all practicality, easier and cheaper to just buy an S63.
Point being is that this isn't 1982 where you can just plop a large engine in a car and get what you would have got in the "sport" version. There really are far too many differences between an S63 and non AMG car to make it even happen. Question is where do you stop? If just the engine, maybe you coould do that, but then you'd also have to have the head unit programmed. What if the car came with basic seats, would you then upgrade the leather to what is base in the S63? What about the cost and complexity of the subframe? What about the electronic rear diff? Oh, then the transmission, drive shaft, etc. The struts are the same, but the suspension components aren't. In the end, you can spend $40K on new parts to change it over, and all you'll have is a Frankenstein, not an S63. For every machination of all practicality, easier and cheaper to just buy an S63.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 9,346
Likes: 4,734
From: Maryland
2024 S580
You can also put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig...LOL
Point being is that this isn't 1982 where you can just plop a large engine in a car and get what you would have got in the "sport" version. There really are far too many differences between an S63 and non AMG car to make it even happen. Question is where do you stop? If just the engine, maybe you coould do that, but then you'd also have to have the head unit programmed. What if the car came with basic seats, would you then upgrade the leather to what is base in the S63? What about the cost and complexity of the subframe? What about the electronic rear diff? Oh, then the transmission, drive shaft, etc. The struts are the same, but the suspension components aren't. In the end, you can spend $40K on new parts to change it over, and all you'll have is a Frankenstein, not an S63. For every machination of all practicality, easier and cheaper to just buy an S63.
Point being is that this isn't 1982 where you can just plop a large engine in a car and get what you would have got in the "sport" version. There really are far too many differences between an S63 and non AMG car to make it even happen. Question is where do you stop? If just the engine, maybe you coould do that, but then you'd also have to have the head unit programmed. What if the car came with basic seats, would you then upgrade the leather to what is base in the S63? What about the cost and complexity of the subframe? What about the electronic rear diff? Oh, then the transmission, drive shaft, etc. The struts are the same, but the suspension components aren't. In the end, you can spend $40K on new parts to change it over, and all you'll have is a Frankenstein, not an S63. For every machination of all practicality, easier and cheaper to just buy an S63.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 3,314
Likes: 1,620
From: U.S.
Current/Last 5-years:GLS;G70;Alpina B8;X7;Accord. Sold:X7,TeslaS;S560;S550,X5;530e;L.Navigator;LS460
Wait... I can't even believe that someone would think about buying an S560 first, so he can then convert it to S63. I can understand that if the person already owns the S560, but can't see any value in (buying the S560) with the intention to (then convert it) to an S63. You could probably buy TWO S63 cars for the cost of buying an S560 and then fully convert it to S63, which is certainly doable and reasonable if printing money is an option : )
Unless you are buying brand-new or leasing, I would only buy the S560/S580. The S63 is too much hassle once it ages. And if you buy it pre-owned, there is a 99% chance that the car was tracked like a sport car (rightfully so) for 10s of thousands of miles. I'd rather drive a B7 or M760 from that era (model year 2020 specifically), at least the engines are known to be a bit more reliable with similar power levels. But, I know, this is a Mbenz fans forum, and there is a room for all options and opinions :- )
Unless you are buying brand-new or leasing, I would only buy the S560/S580. The S63 is too much hassle once it ages. And if you buy it pre-owned, there is a 99% chance that the car was tracked like a sport car (rightfully so) for 10s of thousands of miles. I'd rather drive a B7 or M760 from that era (model year 2020 specifically), at least the engines are known to be a bit more reliable with similar power levels. But, I know, this is a Mbenz fans forum, and there is a room for all options and opinions :- )
