Yesterday i drove an E63 for the first time on loan from a dealer. Following are my 1st impressions:
1. E63's suspension feels tighter yet smoother.
2. Brakes feel really good, far more positive and reponsive than the 55.
3. Steering feel improved, also more responsive, thicker as well.
4. The 7spd feels smooth in sport mode.
5. Seats suede and leather combo, excellent, no dynamic seats though.
6. The engine feels really good, not much low down torque but enough, made me feel that the 55 has too much low down, top end feels good and quite deceptive being so smooth and linear in its delivery. Never fades at high rpm, hardly picks up tempreture.
7. The whole package feels good, lighter and more nimble on the road. It feels as if its just waiting to be stabbed and reacts really quick.

Today i picked up an M5 just to compare:
1. Suspension similar feel to the 63.
2. Brakes also similar.
3. Smg not as good as the 7spd 63. Although manual in the right mode felt excellent in hard driving with the heads up guideing you through the changes.
4. The steering feels better than the 63's.
5. Seats feel better, has dynamic seats similar to the 55 but more supportive.
6. The engine shows the lower torque level but once past 5000rpm feels good and is also similar to the 63's feel although the exhaust note in the 63 is far better.
7. This package feels more similar to the e63 than a 55, still the 63 feels more torquey than the m5 and the 55 feels more than both.

Between these 2 the e63 is my choice.

Now for the crunch. Zangerbenz who's on this forum as well, picked the same e63 and met me earlier today. First we ran the 63 on the dyno and on the same dyno that showed +-450whp on both our 55's, the 63 made 410whp. Could be some limiter holding the engine back on the dyno as all our runs were not in dyno made. Took the cars onto the freeway looking for any gaps in the traffic and sometimes standing still before launching. The cars driven and tested today by the 2 of us shows clearly that the e63 is faster. We had about 6 proper pulls, some from the dig and some rolling. With less torque on the 63 it puts its power down quicker and more consistently and in street trim with normal tyre pressures its quicker of the mark. I will say though that on a good strip with bfg drag and the right pressure that the 55 could be quicker through the 1/4 mile but thats my speculation. We ran from zero to about 220km 3 times and rolling from low down and high up and in all cases the e63 is just plain quicker. I find this so hard to grasp as the 63 feels slower when driven. I believe that the low down torque on the 55 can be fooling us into making the car feel faster. I have 2 turbo cars and 2 supercharged cars all over 400whp so i know how torque can decieve sometimes. Even when i floored first with about a 1/4 car jump the e63 makes the pass and in all the races it felt like the 63 pulls stronger toward the top which you can visibily see. We have about 4 videos made which Zangerbenz will post soon. The gap in the vids sometime look bigger than it was but it will give you an idea. The gap at most was 2-3 cars but the 63 was always pulling on top. It will also give you an idea as to how silly we were to have tested this in midday traffic.

Having owned an m3 and m5 before the 55 is a revalation and i still love its power delivery and thrilling drive and the ability to smoke for a 100m. the e63 hardly breaks traction or battles with traction control, just the right torque and hp for the chassis and suspension setup is how it feels.

My choice has been made, i will sell my 55 for the 63. Sure the 55 stock might do the better 1/4 mile in ideal conditions but thats not what we face at a robot right? Maybe 1% of our cars life might be raced with, for the other 99% the the e63 is better. All just my and Zangerbenz's opinion though after today. We both are trying to get 1 now for January 07.

This is a step forward for mb, do not doubt this. After testing the car yesterday i thought that mb built such a good all round drivers car in the 63 and if only if it was faster than a 55 i will be sold on it. Today i see that it is faster and my case is now closed.

Blue Arrow

 

I think that is what this is all coming down to. Salesman at my dealer had the best line.

"E63 is FAST, but different kinda fast" talking bout brute force torque vs Ferrari type high rev rolling hp.

 

Great writeup, I agree with your conclusions, E63 is superior over E55, even though the E55 problably is the winner when running 1/4 mile. After all, driving experience is not only about drag racing, it's about other things as well (sorry for my bad english)

 

Wow, really? That bites because how often are you really punching it when you're below 5k rpms?

Maybe I'm just too used to having a 6-7k redline and being at 5k most of the time just feels 'stressed'

 

Fellow South African steps in to translate for Blue Arrow

ROBOT = Traffic Light (just in case there is some confusion)

Bye the way Blue Arrow - nice report - let us know how they compare once you have had the 63 for a while

Also I think you are on to something - there has to be a loadlimiter in the tranny ECU or engine ECU that is killing the 63 dyno pulls - I have run the CLS55 and CLS63 back to back at the strip and from 40mph rolls on the road. We backed off at 100mph (160kph) so we never got to test the 63 engine where it should be better than the 55k, but there was absolutely no difference in the two motors - whoever got he jump, held that lead all the way to 100

At the 1/4 mile drag it was no contest - the 55k walked the 63

https://mbworld.org/forums/c219/165085-amg-cls55-vs-amg-cls63-moroso-drag-strip-results-sept-29th-2006-a.html

 

Around town driving???
Traffic lights from a standstill in an auto or smg????

 

I'm not sure if I understand you.

Yes, around town driving and lots of highway driving.
Traffic lights sometimes. Auto mode only, I don't have a car with SMG

 

I mean that the m5 v10 in comparison to the 55k and the 63 does not feel torquey enough below 5000rpm. I enjoy torque below that rpm for town driving and launching from a 1000rpm just to spook the guys around me at a "Traffic light" perhaps. Try launching any M motor from a 1000rpm compared to these 2 and you will understand what i am getting at.

 

Does the M3 E46 count?
I always felt it had enough torque for it's size.
I don't think any car will ever be at the level of the E55 (stock).

M5 V10 is okay though below 5000rpm though right? Just lackluster when compared to the E55 W211 correct?

In that case I feel a little better.

 

Having driven the m5 today as well as the 63 and my 55, the M5 will feel fine i suppose, to guys not used to big torque from the line but the 55 is a monster and the 63 feels btter than the M5. For my personal preference, the m5 lacks torque low down against both these rivals, but still as enough for most drivers.

 

I don't know if the '04 that you own has the upgraded steering rack or not. If not, upgrading it might make a huge difference in the feel of steering / turn in.

 

what about e63 vs m5? i think m5 should be quicker up top?

 

I think the biggest gripe is that the E63 should be better in every way, no excuses. Acceleration is the biggest determining factor in most AMG purchases and that is why the E63 has people like me disappointed. To say, "the car is better in every way, except..." when buying the replacement for $90k is a big letdown.
If the C6 Z06 came out with slightly better handling but no gain in power, do you think it would be as well recieved?

 

Maybe, but it's gonna be close. A local mag "Cars in Action" tested the m5 vs E63 in this months issue. M5 13.5@184, E63 13.3@186, this was done at 1750m above sea level. I think the E63 is at 115mph equiv. The gearing helps the 63 a lot: appox 75 in 1st, 115 2nd, 165 3rd, around 220 in 4th. This is much better than the 55 that goes to 207 in 3rd gear. This helps the mid and top end keeping the car in its sweet spot and allows it to feel really positive on each gear change. In miles thats 102 and 135 in 3rd and 4th. This i feel is what could be making a huge difference to the 63.

 

On the day the e63 was better in my opinion in every way. Dynamic seats could be an option which is my only gripe.

 

I agree... I cant live w/out the Dymanic seats feature.

 

http://s96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...t=Video076.flv

 

http://s96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...t=Video073.flv

 

great vidios! e63 is indeed fast!

 

Well no wonder your E55 did so poorly, it's not even put together correctly, I mean the steering wheel is even on the wrong side.

 

just sold my e55.mileage getting to high

and for me it boiled down to this.
e55 vs e63 which ever was quicker i was gonna buy it.
available is a 06 e55 with 3k on the clock
or
a new 63.

contacted my mate
blue arrow with his 55 and set up the race.

personally i expected the 55 to get of the line quicker because of the torgue coming in @ 2500rmp as to almost 5000rmp for the s63.
i expected the 63 to come back strong because of the 7 spd gearbox.
how wrong was i.

i feel that the down side to the 55 is its 3rd gear.
it is too long.
when ever i raced strong modified cars with my 55.
i out launch them in 1st and 2nd but they always seem to come back in 3rd.

the 63 1st gear seems to take a bit to get into the power band but once it is there it goes thr the gears like u cant believe.it revs like a bike.
gear change is quick and excellent.

e63 is the better of the 2 cars.

 

that is so NOT funny! Its acctually funny!

 

I would love to see a video between M5 and E63!

Can you make one please?

 

Blue Arrow, these videos and the write up comparing the E55 with the E63 give me a strong sense of deju vu. Its the same exact result I had with my 2 cars when I posted this thread: https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/161712-confirmed-e63-faster-than-e55.html

Thanks for confirming that my informal results were not crazy, that my E55 was not slow from improper flashing, that my buddy knew how to drive, etc, etc, etc.



I was going to say that, but you beat me to it.

 

Acceleration has not been the biggest determining factor in my two AMG purchases in the last three years. I would trade a great suspension for some power any day. Your comments are commonly use as a consolation for E55 owners not yet jumping to the E63.