DirtyVegasMB

Car was very nice, fully optioned, low miles and CPO so it grabbed my attention.

However driving it felt like driving a regular V8, nothing special. The car did not pull and did not feel fast. It made a pretty good sound but other than that I was really disappointed. It felt like all show/sound and no go. I did not hammer the vehicle because I know the sales guy and didn't want to break too many speed limits, but I thought that I would still feel more of the AMG in the car with normal driving and I didn't.

I told my sales guy that I thought the car was nothing special and he agreed. He told me since I drive a V12TT the only newer AMG cars that I should be looking at are the turbo ones - for which I really do not want to spend the money.

This sort of turns my entire shopping for my next car on its head. Do NA 63s not make power during normal driving? Do they have to be revved out at WOT to perform? Or was it the test vehicle that could have been weak? I really can't imagine the 63s being that ordinary...

2012 merc amg

With those motors you do have to rev them more to really get and feel the power. With the twin turbos it's the opposite believe it or not, they are stump pullers, lot's of low end torque do to the lightweight turbos that spool up quickly. You could always do a tune on the 2010, tunes are less money on those than the newer AMG's and you'd really feel the difference.

vdubpower

its funny how 518hp in a base M156 and M157 can feel so different...but im sure it has to do with the massive torque difference too

cnolke

The 2010 was annoyingly flat in the midrange. My father-in-law's 2009 SL63 (with the 6.2) felt rather flat in the middle compared to my Z06. In comparison the 5.5 Biturbo feels SIGNIFICANTLY more powerful in the midrange (where I use it) compared to the SL63.

Father-in-law has a new SLS and it feels much better, but I think its because I dont mind revving it... its a sports car. I do mind revving the E63 all the time, and I love the boost and midrange.

A tune would jeopardize a CPO warrantee. Im not sure thats an option for the OP.

otakki

N/A vs induction--and typical pro's and con's of each. I will continue to enjoy the last large displacemnt N/A engine from MB and the only engine in history designed from the ground up by AMG, until the end of warranty bumps me off. Of course, it will be great if it is a M159, but that's what SLS is for.

LJMartin

I'll bet he just jumped in it and drove in the default comfort mode. There is a big difference between comfort and sport plus mode. With these super sedans one needs to switch a few switches to feel the difference. In both my M5 and E63 it took some time before I found the right combo to make it feel like a super sedan.

RW C55

It also took me a year to find out ESP-Sport removes the torque limiter... after that it's always S+ ESP-sport for me

otakki

Another reason to flip through the manual, folks. That ESP button is what I always push after the Start button as long as the weather permits.

Of course, the adaptive tranny might also made that tested car slow and sluggish.

It is well known that M157 and it's associated hp/tq curve is more suitable than the M156 for the utilities of heavier cars like E, S, ML, GL, and G class. At the same time, the M157 can be easily traced back to a regular MB engine that wasn't really designed for racing. M156, on the other hand, is designed to be a "naturally aspirated racing unit" and is thus much more suitable for lighter C63 and SLS. For that reason the last two releases of the BS as in CBS and SLSBS are both based on the M156 architecture. M156 also didn't work out too well for the SL which is really a heavy GT vehicle and not a sports car as conveyed by its apperance.

Oh, speaking of the M156. I guess the M156 wouldn't be the first and last AMG bespoke engine since AMG is now officially affiliated with Aston Martin. Thus there will be bespoke AMG engines for Aston Martin in the future.

zibby43

The 6.2L V8 in my C63 screams like a banshee in S, S+, and M modes. So long as it is dry out, I engage ESP Sport and S or S+ mode with respect to the transmission. Then the permanent grin sets in.

2012 merc amg

I agree that the car was more than likely in C mode and with the salesman present the o/p was not able to rev it up and maximize the engines power curve. I use to have a northstar engine and it was kinda like the 156 motor in that you had to keep it over 4k rpms and stay on it for it to perform right. If the o/p wants torque he may have to look into a different car. Btw the picture of that m/b the o/p posted looks kinda bland, those wheels and all, it really needs chrome wheels or something for a little more bling, I've thought about chrome wheels on my Wagon, that would look cool.

JumpinJim

I had an SL65 and got a 2010 E63. The E63 felt dog slow and underpowered no matter what mode it was in. If you're used to a forced induction engine, particularly the V12tt, do yourself a favor and don't get the E63 with the na 6.2. You'll regret it. I had mine for 7 months before I had to get rid of it for something else as I couldn't stand how slow it felt. The E63 with the 5.5tt is your best bet.

DirtyVegasMB

I test drove the car in S mode. The car just felt slow. I don't know if NA 63 open up at higher RPMs like some sport cars, but I drove it to 5.5K and felt nothing.

Funny comment about the S mode... I can't drive my S600 in S. I spin my wheels in C rolling in 2nd. ESP still flashes at 80+. All this with my new 295 SuperSport on the rears.

I know my car is an old boat and I love the look of W212... but I can't get rid of it because so far I have not found anything that drove as strong and smooth. Can't think of a new V12TT or V8TT AMG right now as Obama is killing my field of medicine.

Good feedback from someone with long V12tt experience. Thank you.