During our stint at the AMG driving academy, the E63 AMG was called “the soft one”. We were told, with a slight smile, that the customers for the E63 were “gentlemen of an older persuasion”. Which makes you believe that the new all-wheel drive system fitted to the upcoming E63 AMG is something made to please that target group. AMG fans might see this as the death of the German muscle car – of all the AMGs, only the C63 will remain rear-drive only once the current generation updates go on sale.
Don’t let that fool you, though. The head of vehicle development at AMG, Tobias Moers, has said that he will make an AWD AMG only if it was done right. So the 4MATIC system in the E63 turns a blind eye to the traditional 45:55 torque split of the regular 4MATIC cars for a more sporty 70:30 in favour of the rear. What this means is more grip, but less hooliganism – which is what defined AMGs to most petrolheads seeking a four-door rocket.
Price In Delhi Ex Show room - About 1.29 Crores
The four-wheel drive doesn’t add as much weight as a Quattro system, and neither does it rob the E of steering feel, so all might not be lost. It still retains its guttural bark on startup and the menacing roar that makes other cars get out of the way. It’s just that there aren’t any tyre-melting powerslides to go along with it any more.
We aren’t sure if India will get the rear-drive only model or the 4MATIC – the former will be slightly cheaper to purchase and easy to maintain, while the second will be far more useful on our less-than-perfect roads. There are also two variants to choose from: the “AMG Performance Pack” is now the S Model, with an extra 1.5psi of turbocharger boost taking power from the standard car’s 550PS and 720Nm to 590PS and 800Nm. Those latter figures make it the king of the spec sheet in the performance saloon territory.
Of course, the interior will be as luxuriously appointed as before, and of course, India will not get the estate version – but for those gentlemen of an older persuasion looking at the E63, there’s one thing you need to know: the S Model 4MATIC gets to 100kmph 0.2 seconds quicker than another AMG: the SLS.
There’s just two more words to say to those still not convinced: Black Series.
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