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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.
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.
Originally Posted by TripleDown
Sad to hear this has not been fixed. Been like that since the early days of the W222 S63 IMHO. The W221 S63 did not ride this badly.
I share the same view; I always felt that the S63 was very rough and not as comfortable as S550/S560/S580. The S63 is tuned as a sport car, hence comfort is not as dialed as it should. Of course the car IS comfortable compared to most other cars, but certainly rough compared to the S560/S580. The other issue is that the engine itself isn't smooth; for a car like S, I'd be looking for a buttery smooth sedan.... It depends on what you are looking for..
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.
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.
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; Sep 17, 2024 at 05:04 PM.
I wouldn't choose either if I was interested in racing. Despite that, I agree, it's added sport to the mission, and compromises are inevitable.
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; Sep 17, 2024 at 07:19 PM.
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.
You hit the nail on the headon why it makes sense. I bought my first S-Class, a 2001 S600 because the S-Class at that time was the only car I could find wher I could be comfortable in the front and my clients could be comfortable in the back seats. I'm 6'4 and my clients were professional athletes, mostly NBA players back then. SUV's weren't as popular 20+ years ago as they are today, and I still don't like them. I really wanted an E55AMG, but it didn't have enough leg room. I'd love an E63 now, but at 300+ lbs it just doesn't fit my body. An S63 makes sense for a big guy who likes a smooth and comfortable fide, but alsoa wants to "feel" like he's driving a sports car. Nobody is thinking about a track, mainly just punching the accelerator when entering the freeway and/or passing someone on a 2 lane highway, that's where it excels. Every dya I drive my car it reminds me why it makes sense, perfect sense. When it comes to comfort, class, elegance, sophistication, and exhiliration...nothing does it better. Hope the OP gets his new AMG S63 E-Performance.
..//.. 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...//.. .
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.
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.
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). Best way is to compare an 8 series to a M8 to a B8 for the intended drive experiences.
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).
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.
Last edited by Mem30306; Sep 18, 2024 at 07:38 AM.
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.
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.
Last edited by superswiss; Sep 18, 2024 at 08:15 AM.
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.
Agree, even amg-lite models like the E 53 and GLE 53 have a very stiff suspension even with adaptive dampers, unless you option ARC (on the GLE 53) for example, it is no where close to the comfort of the E 450 or GLE 450. In the case of the GLE, at least you can choose to have a V8 with the GLE 580.
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....
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.
100% agree on all of that.
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.
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....
I guess part of it has to do with the weight the S 63 E Performance is compared to the other examples you mentioned, just guessing.
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. ..//..
Yes - but that's also what I was referring to. The B7 (Alpina) gets you the best experience possible to combine both worlds (comfort and sportiness) without too many compromises. The S580 is built around extreme comfort and luxury, where the S63 tries to take a massive comfort-oriented sedan to become a sport car, which will force you by nature to compromise (I think they did a good job btw, but just as good as that heavy chassis allows). The Alpina mission you referenced is more achievable and hence the overall experience is delivered with very few compromises (not to forget anyway that BMW chassis dynamics are naturally easier to adopt to sportiness with fewer changes).
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.
..//.. 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....
Originally Posted by crabman
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.
Very well stated - both of you. That was my point, that, if you expect ultimate comfort luxury drive, the S63 won’t deliver that, but it delivers and excels in other areas. It’s all about what you want. The OP was referring to ride stiffness and comfort, hence why I emphasized on that. Where I live, the roads are not ideal, and at the same time I prefer a comfort luxury ride if am buying an S-class.
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.
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.
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