The ride on 2024 AMG S63
#1
The ride on 2024 AMG S63
Interested to hear how everyone who owns the new 2024 AMG S63 feels about the ride. Even on (C) comfort setting, I think it's not very smooth. In fact, I'd say it was fairly rough.
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JB-HTX (09-17-2024)
#3
Guess we all have opinions! In my 35 years of owning S Class cars, my 2019 S63 has been the best riding car of all my S classes--bar none (IMHO)!
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#4
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Last edited by S_W222; 09-17-2024 at 01:18 PM.
#6
I was one of the first to have Benz Ninja code mine, but after some time (and research) I have come to the conclusion that the coding alone is not enough. You need the actual S560 struts/shocks to really relax things. Moving to 19" wheels (from 20) is also a big help with sharp impacts.
#7
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2001 S600 V12 Sold, 2011 Jaguar XFR Sold, 2017 S550 4-Matic, 2018 S63 AMG Sedan
My 2018 S63 is glass smooth. The motor is super quiet and the cabin noise insulation is sublime. Going over bumps is a different story, the suspension is tuned to provide a more agile feel and isn't nearly as compliant as the non-AMG S-class cars. I run my car with relatively high tire pressures, which probably makes things even worse. But regardless of what you do, the car is not going to soak up the bumps an/or provide that nice isolated floaty feeling like in a non-AMG car. I will however, push back on somebody sayng the motor is anything less than whisper quiet and glass smooth. My motor never sends any vibrations into the car. In comfort mode and normal driving, the ONLY time you hear the motor is at 70% or more throttle input. The exhaust notes go ballistic in S+ mode, but still ZERO vibration in the car.
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#8
Not sure what you are expecting, but it's still an AMG. A very heavy one at that with a nearly 6000 lbs curb weight. That takes a firm suspension to manage all that weight during spirited cornering. You are not gonna get a subtle ride from a car like this while still being able to haul it around fast corners or drive at nearly 200 mph w/o flying off the road. It's a different tool for a different purpose. The bushings etc. are all firmer to cope with the mission of the car. Want a subtle ride, stick to the S580, but don't try to win any races.
Last edited by superswiss; 09-17-2024 at 05:04 PM.
#10
Yeah, just a figure of speech. The S63 never made much sense to me outside of as a fast travel rocket on the smooth German Autobahn. Otherwise it's neither here nor there. It's too big and too heavy to be anything approaching a sports car, and the compromises take away from the luxury ride an S Class is supposed to offer. The S63 kinda makes sense for somebody who wants a big S Class but for whom the regular S Class is just too floaty and aloof, and instead prefers at least some road feel even from their luxury barge.
Last edited by superswiss; 09-17-2024 at 07:19 PM.
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crabman (09-18-2024)
#11
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Yeah,....... The S63 never made much sense to me outside of as a fast travel rocket on the smooth German Autobahn. .....................The S63 kinda makes sense for somebody who wants a big S Class but for whom the regular S Class is just too floaty and aloof, and instead prefers at least some road feel even from their luxury barge.
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ArcticSilver (09-18-2024)
#12
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Not sure I fully agree with generalization here.... I can tell, and from experience, that the BMW B7 (Alpina) has it ALL... with absolutely ZERO compromises on the comfort side unlike what you all are experiencing with the AMG. In fact one thing about the Alpina is that the suspension is not only tuned for sportiness, but also for comfort.
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QuadBenz (09-19-2024)
#13
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2019 S560, 2022 Audi S8
#15
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Not sure I fully agree with generalization here.... I can tell, and from experience, that the BMW B7 (Alpina) has it ALL... with absolutely ZERO compromises on the comfort side unlike what you all are experiencing with the AMG. In fact one thing about the Alpina is that the suspension is not only tuned for sportiness, but also for comfort.
As already stated, AMG buyers will expect a different driving experience than a regular floaty S-class. So a firmer suspension is a desired feature, not a disadvantage.
I personally prefer the drive of the S63 over the S580 (or S560 before).
Last edited by Wolfman; 09-18-2024 at 02:41 AM.
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#16
I had a 2018 E63S before I traded for my 2022 S580. In comfort mode, it rode hard. In Sport +, it was intolerable. But, having attended the AMG Driving Academy, we drove E63s around the track, and I appreciated Sport + (and even Race mode) in that scenario - but only in that scenario. When my E63 went in for service, I would often get a non-AMG E-Class loaner car; it drove like you would expect an E-Class to drive. But everything else about my E63 I loved - its acceleration, the way it looked, the way it sounded, the looks it would get from people alongside me in traffic, and on and on and on. In hindsight, I miss my E63. I should have never traded, but it was out of warranty and was beginning to become more and more expensive to own.
If I could rewrite history, I would have waited and bought the S63. The S580 and S63 are different animals, but they are close enough to fuel my midlife crisis, but still have the class or being an S-Class. Having had an E63, I would expect the ride quality in an S63 to be harsher than my S580, but I would gladly forgo the ride quality for the all the other benefits an AMG would bring.
Final thoughts: My S580 is just a car, a nice car and all that, but it's just a car. It gets me from point A to B, but it's not an AMG. My E63 was special, and I do honestly really miss driving it.
If I could rewrite history, I would have waited and bought the S63. The S580 and S63 are different animals, but they are close enough to fuel my midlife crisis, but still have the class or being an S-Class. Having had an E63, I would expect the ride quality in an S63 to be harsher than my S580, but I would gladly forgo the ride quality for the all the other benefits an AMG would bring.
Final thoughts: My S580 is just a car, a nice car and all that, but it's just a car. It gets me from point A to B, but it's not an AMG. My E63 was special, and I do honestly really miss driving it.
Last edited by Mem30306; 09-18-2024 at 07:38 AM.
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#17
I will say this and I have said this before. AMG as a performance brand is quite different from the base cars they are based on. Going from a regular Mercedes-Benz to an AMG is quite a change and I suspect that comes as a surprise to many who are used to cushy Mercedes-Benz. The change is not as big with BMW, because regular BMWs are already fairly sporty compared to a Mercedes-Benz. Similarly with Audi, the RS models are on the softer side and closer to the easier to live with regular Audi models.
Last edited by superswiss; 09-18-2024 at 08:15 AM.
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Mem30306 (09-18-2024)
#18
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Exactly! Some people act like this is a bad thing. It's intentional. If you don't like the firm suspension of an AMG, then the car isn't for you. Among other things the firm sporty suspension even in Comfort mode is one of the reasons I drive an AMG. I hate floaty, soft suspensions. Comfort is subjective, too. I find my AMG more comfortable in general than many regular MBs because the body stays flat over bumps and settles quickly. In a regular S Class etc. the body of the car sways, bobbles and nose dives around like a ship in the open sea. I find that uncomfortable and disconnected from the road. First thing I do whenever I find myself in a regular MB is putting it in Sport+ right away, and even then it tends to be still too soft.
I will say this and I have said this before. AMG as a performance brand is quite different from the base cars they are based on. Going from a regular Mercedes-Benz to an AMG is quite a change and I suspect that comes as a surprise to many who are used to cushy Mercedes-Benz. The change is not as big with BMW, because regular BMWs are already fairly sporty compared to a Mercedes-Benz. Similarly with Audi, the RS models are on the softer side and closer to the easier to live with regular Audi models.
I will say this and I have said this before. AMG as a performance brand is quite different from the base cars they are based on. Going from a regular Mercedes-Benz to an AMG is quite a change and I suspect that comes as a surprise to many who are used to cushy Mercedes-Benz. The change is not as big with BMW, because regular BMWs are already fairly sporty compared to a Mercedes-Benz. Similarly with Audi, the RS models are on the softer side and closer to the easier to live with regular Audi models.
#19
Most of us have been around the block more than a few times, and in many different cars. The bottom line here is that there are limits to practical suspension stiffness for road cars before you get into constant pothole flat tires and endless squeaks and rattles. IMHO AMG made a car (S63) that would seem to only work for people who live near perfect roads. It's too large and heavy for any kind of track use, so why make it ridiculously stiff riding ? There are many high-performance cars that can somehow marry a decent ride with excellent handling. I have driven and ridden in many BMW, Audi and Porsche models that somehow do both, so why did AMG create a car with such limited suspension compliance?
Where I live, the roads vary from perfect (just paved) to "OMG I think I just blew another tire". The S63 is a poor choice imho for our roads and the suspension needs a "chill out" button that it does not have. Let's not make excuses where none are needed. This car just does not have an expertly designed and tuned suspension the way the other German makes do. It's track-focused for a car that will most likely never see a track and only serves to irritate the drive and passengers.
AMG aimed too high here, and hit a bullseye that no one was looking at except them.
I will close by saying I have been slowly working up to the cornering limits of this thing and I have yet to find them (on public roads, mostly off ramps). It DOES corner with authority and stays very neutral for such a huge tank. It's fun until I remember the physics involved and tire costs. The other 99.9% of the time I just wish it rode better....
Where I live, the roads vary from perfect (just paved) to "OMG I think I just blew another tire". The S63 is a poor choice imho for our roads and the suspension needs a "chill out" button that it does not have. Let's not make excuses where none are needed. This car just does not have an expertly designed and tuned suspension the way the other German makes do. It's track-focused for a car that will most likely never see a track and only serves to irritate the drive and passengers.
AMG aimed too high here, and hit a bullseye that no one was looking at except them.
I will close by saying I have been slowly working up to the cornering limits of this thing and I have yet to find them (on public roads, mostly off ramps). It DOES corner with authority and stays very neutral for such a huge tank. It's fun until I remember the physics involved and tire costs. The other 99.9% of the time I just wish it rode better....
#20
Yeah, just a figure of speech. The S63 never made much sense to me outside of as a fast travel rocket on the smooth German Autobahn. Otherwise it's neither here nor there. It's too big and too heavy to be anything approaching a sports car, and the compromises take away from the luxury ride an S Class is supposed to offer. The S63 kinda makes sense for somebody who wants a big S Class but for whom the regular S Class is just too floaty and aloof, and instead prefers at least some road feel even from their luxury barge.
Also with the Wolfster, I spaced quoting him, and I'm too lazy to go back and click him in a multi-quote. But yeah, also agree there as well.
#21
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Most of us have been around the block more than a few times, and in many different cars. The bottom line here is that there are limits to practical suspension stiffness for road cars before you get into constant pothole flat tires and endless squeaks and rattles. IMHO AMG made a car (S63) that would seem to only work for people who live near perfect roads. It's too large and heavy for any kind of track use, so why make it ridiculously stiff riding ? There are many high-performance cars that can somehow marry a decent ride with excellent handling. I have driven and ridden in many BMW, Audi and Porsche models that somehow do both, so why did AMG create a car with such limited suspension compliance?
Where I live, the roads vary from perfect (just paved) to "OMG I think I just blew another tire". The S63 is a poor choice imho for our roads and the suspension needs a "chill out" button that it does not have. Let's not make excuses where none are needed. This car just does not have an expertly designed and tuned suspension the way the other German makes do. It's track-focused for a car that will most likely never see a track and only serves to irritate the drive and passengers.
AMG aimed too high here, and hit a bullseye that no one was looking at except them.
I will close by saying I have been slowly working up to the cornering limits of this thing and I have yet to find them (on public roads, mostly off ramps). It DOES corner with authority and stays very neutral for such a huge tank. It's fun until I remember the physics involved and tire costs. The other 99.9% of the time I just wish it rode better....
Where I live, the roads vary from perfect (just paved) to "OMG I think I just blew another tire". The S63 is a poor choice imho for our roads and the suspension needs a "chill out" button that it does not have. Let's not make excuses where none are needed. This car just does not have an expertly designed and tuned suspension the way the other German makes do. It's track-focused for a car that will most likely never see a track and only serves to irritate the drive and passengers.
AMG aimed too high here, and hit a bullseye that no one was looking at except them.
I will close by saying I have been slowly working up to the cornering limits of this thing and I have yet to find them (on public roads, mostly off ramps). It DOES corner with authority and stays very neutral for such a huge tank. It's fun until I remember the physics involved and tire costs. The other 99.9% of the time I just wish it rode better....
#22
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Keep in mind that Alpina never had the same mission as AMG. Quicker but not as sporty as an actual M-model. The 7 series never had a M-version (not counting the i7 M70). ..//.. As already stated, AMG buyers will expect a different driving experience than a regular floaty S-class. So a firmer suspension is a desired feature, not a disadvantage. ..//..
Last edited by S_W222; 09-18-2024 at 11:16 AM.
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TripleDown (09-18-2024)
#23
Some people would prefer one compromise versus others, and in some respect, there must be a compromise between comfort and sport. You like the balanced approach, others might lean more toward sport or comfort, and are willing to make a different set of compromises.
In my mind, as long as someone is offering the product you want, all is good in the world.
In my mind, as long as someone is offering the product you want, all is good in the world.
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#24
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..//.. there are limits to practical suspension stiffness for road cars before you get into constant pothole flat tires and endless squeaks and rattles. IMHO AMG made a car (S63) that would seem to only work for people who live near perfect roads. …The S63 is a poor choice imho for our roads and the suspension needs a "chill out" button that it does not have. Let's not make excuses where none are needed…//... It DOES corner with authority and stays very neutral for such a huge tank. It's fun until I remember the physics involved and tire costs. The other 99.9% of the time I just wish it rode better....
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Mem30306 (09-18-2024)
#25
All depends on what you are looking for. I look forward to driving my S580 every day, and I enjoyed driving my S560 at 3.5 years old just as much as when it was brand new. I have zero interest in any AMG model, its just not my thing.