jnolan

I have a 2016 E63S Estate, and I am at the point where I want something new so I’m looking at the 2018. Honestly, I’m underwhelmed. The dynamic AWD system is pretty compelling but the performance stats are on par with my W212 and the coachwork updates are pretty much nip-and-tuck. The digital instrument cluster is also a nice update. There are a few options I would get that are not on my current car, CCB for one.

It feels like the W213 E63S is, along with the W212, in a “the last is best” phase. I am going to build a car to order and may do European delivery, but I suspect the next big bump in performance will come from a hybrid drive system, and I’m anxiously awaiting more autonomous features with a better OTA upgrade approach than Mercedes currently offers. Maybe I’ll take a look at the Panamera Turbo S Hybrid that is soon to be available.

BC-2

I think your second sentence says it all. I personally would not buy something that underwhelmed me. Especially something that costs over 100K.

jnolan

Good point but I would clarify that the reason it strikes me as underwhelming is that is offers incremental gains over the outstanding AMG wagon in my driveway right now. There is no Wow Factor. The 2018 is more refined and tighter with an AWD system that is without equal in an equivalent classed vehicle, and on the Ring it sets records... but I don’t/won’t track this car (I have a GTS and a Cobra for that). The performance that I am likely to experience is pretty equivalent to my 2016.

Maybe I’m just looking for some opposing thoughts but the fact remains I’ve had good luck with AMG the last couple of times and in wagon form there really isn’t anything like it in the U.S. I love the Ferrari FF and GTC4Lusso but it’s a large car that my wife (she is the primary driver here) would find challenging, and the Panamera Shooting Brake is pretty intriquing but she is, like most people, no fan of the Panamera, even the updated version that I find appealing.

media636

I just saw a rumor of a Vantage shooting brake, sure to be smaller and cheaper than a Lusso (my dream)

Ralcbah

First, if you are considering/comparing the gtc4lusso, go that route. Such an amazing ride, and a blast to drive.

I came from a fbo 2014 e63s sedan with meth injection. The stock 2018 feels as strong, until you get to higher (highway) speeds, then it lacks a bit of horsepower, which is to be expected. Stock for stock, the 2018 is way stronger than the 2016.

​​​​​​

jnolan

If it were for me, I’d get an FF (more affordable pre-owned than the Lusso) but for her, no way. The front clip is huge, as are the doors, and the visibility is pretty poor. She would be terrified to drive it.

Like I said, I’m prepped to go out and buy another AMG... but need a little reinforcement along the way All joking aside, this platform is begging for some Project One bits and bobbles.

media636

What about waiting to see the new GT 4 door concept? Should compete with the Turbo S Hybrid. I would hope to see it in March if not at Detroit

Ralcbah

I hear you on the FF. Also an amazing ride, and yeah, a much better price point right now.

... agreed on spicing this thing up somehow.

jnolan

They announced it in March 2017, have you seen any updates on production schedule? If they offer it in a shooting brake, I would be very interested. Seems like everyone is doing wagon forms right now, which is a nice change from crossovers and SUVs.

Clk63blkseries

If you got the 18' it would be the fastest car you own hands down .......... and its a wagon

jdhertz11

I think the 4.0 is a big difference from the old motor. That's the main reason reason I ordered mine. My feeling is that this will be the last new purely fuel powered performance vehicle that I'll own. I love the performance of the Tesla but I wouldn't own one because they're so common.

jnolan

I have read various opinions about the 4.0 liter. I give AMG praise for the hot-V configuration and abundant power it delivers, but more than anything else they get credit for delivering an amazingly versatile engine program. It’s a mystery to me why Mercedes can’t lighten the car but it’s no track demon so hauling around the extra weight is without consequence.

Your comment on the last pure fuel powered performance vehicle is likely true, but I am constantly amazed by how engineers seem to be getting more out of ICE without having to resort to the complexity of dual power systems and heavy batteries. FI is a remarkable thing but looking beyond that, thermal efficiency is going up as well. Toyota is delivering 41% thermal efficiency in a NA engine, and Hyundai has targeted 50% thermal efficiency in their ongoing development program.

At any rate, the era of the large displacement engine is most certainly over and I’m not sure that is a bad thing. My Cobra has a 7.0 liter naturally aspirated engine that puts out the same HP and torque that my 5.5 liter biturbo AMG does, and the new 4.0 increases that output with the same boost. My Porsche uses the same hot-V configuration with two fewer cylinders to hit 450hp, although there is still a lot of gnashing of teeth over taking downt that engine from 3.8 to 3.0 liters. The pitchforks would likely come out if Porsche changes up the GT3 4.0 naturally aspirated powerplant.

I’m feeling better about ordering a new AMG wagon now

jdhertz11

Its funny that you mention Porsche. I've been driving my 993TT the last few days. I don't drive the car that often but when I do I'm amazed that they were able to take the 2.0 H6 designed in 1964 to 3.6 with Twin Turbos and 400hp. Talk about fully exploiting the potential of an antiquated design. Most air-cooled performance programs have barely improved on the 3.6TT. Even Singer had to go to Pink and Cosworth while increasing displacement to 4.0L in order to get sizable gains out of the A/C design. Rumor is that the Cossie engine adds six figures to the car. Order a new wagon and drive it like a very capable performance car with extra stowage space.

signes

I wrote a similar post a while back after trying a 2018 Wagon. Struggling with whether it's worth the upgrade over my 2016. I wanted to be blown away but wasn't, admittedly only a 15-20 minute drive. I'd get an FF but it's too over the top for a daily for me. I like the looks of the Panny ST but not the interior and the price point for comparable performance to the E63 is absurd.

2012 merc amg

A lot of the reason for me doing it was to simply have a new car. My 2012 AMG Wagon was getting to be 5 years old and I figured I was going to have a lot of crazy things like air suspension and electronic issues if I just kept on driving the car. The way I looked at it the new one ended up being my old car plus 80 grand but I figured it would be worth it as I'd have a new 4 year 50K mile warrantee and more than likely be at the dealer very little other than regular maintainence and have the same sort of car only better over the 2012

The two 12.3 inch screens is a real upgrade as are the self driving features with the distronic and all the other things that go along with the new car like maneuvering assist and speed limit sign recognition. All the extra power is a bonus too plus the AWD which my 2012 did not have. The change in color combo is bonus for me too. The 2012 had a light gray int that I was constantly cleaning and I wanted something a little more eye catching than the Iridium silver color. All these things combined where behind me ordering the 2018 AMG. If I had a 2016 AMG I dunno if the decision would have been as easy as there is less of a difference with that car, the front ends look more similar and the 2016 is of course AWD although the 2018's is much better and more advanced.

You just have to weigh out if the the depreciation your gonna take over again on the new car is worth it to you. If your set really well with money and your not worried it's gonna affect you down the road it makes the decision much more easy. With me I do worry if something went wrong in the future and I spent too much money on fancy new cars I'd kick myself later, for this reason this is more than likely my last fancy new car. I'll probably have it for at least the next five years and at that point I'll be 65.

Two things I do actually miss from my 2012 are the under seat storage compartments and the extra interior room up front, it's a little tighter in the new car pulling my wheelchair in as the roof line is a little bit lower and it seems a little tighter on the passenger side where I place the wheelchair folded upside down with the wheels behind the seat.

How about that, I even used Paragraphs for this post, lol

Clk63blkseries

I think the whole beauty of the wagon is its so damn practical on every front . We all have different things we enjoy in life and this car just fits them all perfect.

For me its kids football gear, 2 sets of race tires for my race car in the back and kick Corvettes ***'s on the back roads. For somebody else it will accommodate something else they enjoy . That's the key is its so versatile while giving nothing away on the performance. It also shows you are a true car guy/girl . Confidence to drive a wagon without flaunting some exotic but knowing you can kick most exotics asses .

media636

https://www.autoblog.com/2017/12/29/...an-spy-photos/

jdhertz11

How RS7'ish...

Astolfo

Just to give you my perspective and experience.I have driven my brother's 18 along with my 16 c63s and e63s (both estate) in Jerez and a couple of weeks ago again in Imola, In the USA I own a 16(CCB) and a 15(steel) E63s estate.
The 18 has a tighter engine gets up there faster than the 5.5, but the 18 is less forgiving if you get the gears wrong. The 18 gear box is not that much better (at least in the EU version) and both the 18 and 16 gear boxes are almost impeccable. The 18 has a little less understeer than the 16 but for some reason it chews through the front rubber faster than the 16. I would never again buy a MB without CCBs (Porsche is a different story), not only for the track but for the street. The CCBs in the estate makes a huge difference.
The interior feels a little cheaper in the 18, all the "ambience" lights but then that is all personal, I do not like the gear lever in the steering column at ALL! I kept hitting it with my gloves, not something you have to worry if you don't track. If I were to buy a 18 I would order the performance seats. Although my brother's car has thee CCBs I cant see how in the world MB would put a one piston caliper in the rear with the steel breaks!! granted the wagon dives quite a bit under break so the need for a lot of power in the rear breaks is somewhat limited, but if for some reason you firm up the suspension I can't see how those tiny breaks in the rear can do the job in some aggressive driving.
The problem here is that if you like "new" cars you might have to wait until the next gen of E, but that is a LONG way away, and these are always going to be heavy cars. So one needs to be "honest" as what is enough for a wagon to carry your bikes and paddle boards..
One last thing, the thought that the e63s is anything close to a modern 911, or 718 is nothing but nonsense. An apple is an apple, despite some in this forum trying to tell us that it is a banana.

jnolan

The column-mounted shift lever is a massive disappointment. Some things in a performance-oriented car should be sacred... like a shifter in the center console.

CCB: I love them in my Carrera GTS, want them in my E63S. The E63S steel brakes are expensive and have a replacement cycle that will add up to the cost of CCB replacement over time. No-brainer.

AMG Performance Seats: I’m going to pass. The side bolsters in the performance seats are quite large and that will, along with the firmer, more connected feel be a hindrance for daily driving. This is my wife’s car, she is happy with the standard seats providing they have 1) active bolstering, 2) heating, 3) massage function. I do like how the new seats have alcantara on the side panels.

The 7 speed transmission in my 2016 is an engineering achievement on par with the PDK. I can imagine the new 9 speed is on par with the 7.

The driver cockpit is something I have mixed feelings about. Design trends are going all digital but there is genius to the prolific use of buttons in my 2016. I guess this is just something we will have to adjust to.

2012 merc amg

I dunno if some of the above posts give enough credit for the performance car that this is. I do feel it is much more of a sports car personality and much better handling than the 212 and of course much more fast. A half second off 0 to 60 is nothing to sneeze at.

Astolfo

+1 on the shifter, that alone would make me want to think more than 10 times. if they do not go back to the center console probably the 15 and 16s are my last.
BTW I did not mean to put down the PCBs, just that the Porsche steels (at least on the 911s) are more up to the task and online with the PCBs, but on the E and C CCBs are a must MHO.

As for the digital trend I do not mind it, as long it is done with style and class, Porsche and Ferrari come to mind. The displays and the ambient lights in the new E class look like an afterthought from a young kid. Kind of like the display in my (now sold) MB GTs, those screens are fugly how they look protruding from the dashboard...

Hopefully, MB reverts the shifter to the center console and does something with the laptop displays to make them fit better with the lines of the interior...o

.

E634Me

I don’t get the hubbub about the forward/reverse/park selector lever being steering column mounted.

you start the car move the lever as necessary and you’re on your way. Lever doesn’t need to fussed wth again till it’s time to change direction. Why waste space on the center console for something infrequently used?

The gear shift lever was on the steering column on cars for years, and one of my old cars had a three speed manual shift lever on the column. Was great and didn’t waste space on the center console.

2012 merc amg

I agree, I don't understand people being upset about this, it has just been a 3 way switch for quite a few years, it's not like its a six speed manual shifter on the floor. The real shifter is on the steering column and that's the paddles. I've never had the drive selector on the column get in the way or anything. There's a lot of sports cars that do not have a shifter on the center console anymore. Here's a interesting article on the subject. One guy did make a point there's probably less issues because having the center shifter, it is electronic and a tot of people have beverages in the center console cup holders which do spill possibly getting liquid in the shifter switch damaging it, this wont happen with the column shifter. http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/201...olumn-shifter/

jnolan

My objection is that the way MB executed the column shifter is cheap. You could be sitting in the C300 or GLA and you will see the same stick on the column. The W212 E class featured a column shift lever, except for the AMG and that was an interior feature that set it apart. Ferrari has moved away from shift levers altogether, AMG should have done that. The flagship halo car, the GT R, features a console-mounted shifter, which suggests it is not obsolete as a concept.

PS- while we are on the subject of interior features, still no steering wheel heater.