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By Charl Bosch

Motoring Journalist


Mercedes-AMG E63 reveals its updated suit

Dynamically, the E63’s AMG Ride Control+ system has been tweaked in the form of a new three-chamber air suspension.


Mercedes-Benz has taken the wraps off of the facelift, AMG fettled E63 and E63 S as the final derivatives within the E-Class range to receive a mid-life refresh.

Capitalising on the tweaks applied to the standard sedan and estate, and more recently the coupe and cabriolet, the E63 also follows in the wheel tracks of the lesser E53 and receives new LED or MultiBeam headlights, a redesigned front bumper, updated Panamericana grille, wider by 27 mm wheel arches, flatter taillights and a new rear apron on both the sedan and estate.

On the S model, the front splitter boasts a silver shadow finish as opposed to the body colour of the standard model, while the optional carbon fibre II pack applies to not only this but also various other exterior trim pieces. A further option is the AMG Night Package which sees a gloss black finish being applied to the exterior. Rounding the updates off are three new colour options; High Tech Silver Metallic, Graphite Grey Metallic and Brilliant Blue Magno previously reserved for the AMG GT.

Riding on 19-inch ten-spoke light alloy wheels with 20-inch five-spoke light alloys wheels reserved for the S, the E63’s interior gets Benz’s latest 10.25-inch MBUX infotainment system with AMG specific graphics for the 10.25-inch instrument cluster, although on the S, the optional dual 12.25-inch displays are fitted.

Standard on both is the new AMG Performance steering wheel trimmed in leather, Dinamica micro-fibres or a combination of both with an optional heating function, the AMG seats trimmed in Nappa leather with the S having the added option of the same material on the dashboard in addition to Crystal Grey seatbelts, yellow top-stitching plus a black/titanium grey pearl Nappa option.

Dynamically, the E63’s AMG Ride Control+ system has been tweaked in the form of a new three-chamber air suspension as part of the Adaptive Damping System, which still comes with three modes; Comfort, Sport and Sport+. New software has been added to the Dynamic Select system, although reaming are the five modes; Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Individual and Race with a Drift function in the case of the S.

Stopping power comes courtesy of a six-piston caliper setup at the front and floating single at the rear with the discs measuring 360 mm on all four corners. On the S, the compound brakes utilised measure 390 mm while the optional AMG Carbon Ceramics sees respective measurements of 402 mm at the front and 360 mm at the rear.

Left unchanged is the powertrain made up of the 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 paired to a nine-speed MCT that offers three modes in the S; Sport, Sport+ and Race. Output is rated at 420kW/750Nm and 450kW/850Nm in the S with the performance optimised 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system being standard. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h with the 0-100 km/h sprint being in dispatched in 3.5 seconds (3.6 seconds in the estate) or 3.4 seconds (3.5 seconds) in the case of the case.

In spite of no pricing details being revealed, the E63 is set to arrive on local shores later this year, only as a sedan and in S guise as the current, pre-facelift version.

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