I wasn't disappointed. It's no C63 AMG in terms of its violence, but the S63 is a camouflage cruise missile of the first order—an earthbound business express of the sort no one in the world seems to build outside of Germany—or, more accurately, German companies.
The S63 was cursed with the same confusing COMAND layout as the CL550, which meant my Bluetooth phone again couldn't be synched. But at least the seats played nice this time, and the entire cabin was imbued with a cigars-and-brandy aesthetic a bit uptight for my taste, but then I'm not generally the target market for a $162,000 four-door supercar.
That's not to say I don't want to be . . .
EXECUTIVE EDITOR ROGER HART: Despite this car being somewhat subdued, almost stealth-like in its appearance, I was amazed at just what a head-turner it was, drawing attention from neighbors as well as those passing by the house on a walk in the neighborhood. Maybe it was exactly that stealth look that made people notice. It's partly due to the flat gray paint, which is not something you see every day, and it's also due to the menacing look this thing gives off. Fire up the engine and the exhaust note backs up the look—this thing can take on nearly all comers.
This is another of those near supercars that defies the laws of physics. It is surprising just how quickly something this big and heavy can move, and the nimbleness in which it can do it. The steering weight is a bit too heavy for my tastes, as it takes away from the overall steering feel. It limits being able to feel the car placed exactly where you want it in a corner. But that is about the only complaint I have, and if this were in my garage, I'd get used to the feel straightaway.
I didn't have any trouble pairing my phone, and I've gotten used to the COMAND system and find the navigation relatively straight-forward. The air conditioning was downright frigid—something you appreciate on a hot day.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR JAKE LINGEMAN: There's no reason this car couldn't easily take the place of the Maybach for all the rappers and ballplayers out there. It has a nuclear weapon for an engine, a tank for a body and a high-backed leather chair for a perch. Like the guys above said, there's nothing this car can't do.
I was surprised and delighted by the matte finish on the Benz. It makes a beautiful car just a bit sinister. It's a $4,000 option by the way, and much more difficult to take care of as opposed to a standard hue. If my neighbors didn't think I was a drug dealer before, they definitely do now.
The sound of the engine is just fantastic, low, angry and powerful—but it really only gets going fast when you already have a head of steam. Any attempt at a hard start is met with electronic nannies telling you to behave.
I put the car in sport suspension mode and left it there the entire night. Even at that setting, the car can roll over bumps and potholes like they're not even there. With the windows rolled up, you feel completely isolated. In this car, that's a good thing.
The center console controls are somewhat easy to use, once you get the movements down. I like that the volume is a separate knob, which can be easily felt without looking. I did quickly find the massage function in the menus, which I commenced to using immediately.
ROAD TEST EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: Yes, the matte paint job does get its fair share of attention. If you've been to SEMA anytime during the past few years, you knew the matte paint trend was coming and I think it's safe to say that it's here. Heck, you can get matte paint on a Hyundai Veloster!
Besides that, as others above have mentioned, this big, near-5,000-pound sedan does deliver on so many fronts. It's a luxury liner with glider-like ride quality and top-notch interior surroundings. There are rich leathers, slick carbon fiber trim pieces and comfortable seats that will even massage you.
On the other hand, there's 563 hp on tap and 664 lb-ft of torque that's available from just 2,000 rpm from the twin-turbo V8 with optional AMG performance package. That's up 20 hp and 74 lb-ft of torque compared to a S63 AMG in base form. Oh, and top speed gets raised from 155 to 186 mph, which I suppose makes the person paying $7,300 for the performance package feel a little better knowing their car can go that fast.
And yes, something this big and weighing this much handling this well is worth applause. Steering has a hefty feel to it, which I like, and the way it holds itself together when taking turns is surprising. There's some initial roll at turn-in, but then it just holds its position and tracks through corners with little drama. It's difficult to wrap your head around the S63's handling abilities even when you're behind the wheel as it shoots around bends.
Another thing I like about AMG vehicles are the brakes with a firm pedal feedback. Normal run-of-the-mill Mercedes cars are usually hampered by a squishy brake pedal, which is one of my biggest beefs when it comes to cars.
As for this turbocharged engine, I like it a lot with all the twist available down low, and it really gets this sedan moving. Triple-digit speeds can be reached without breaking a sweat and when you just want to cruise lazily around town, the engine will hum at low rpm to totally fly under the radar.
I do miss the old 6.2-liter naturally aspirated that went away from the S63 after the 2010 model year, but the engine still sees duty in the C63 AMG and SLS AMG. That engine sounds brutal and seemed a smidge more responsive, but with just 518 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque in base form, the new engine wins in the most important category: performance. Not saying this turbo engine doesn't sound good, because it certainly does. It's just not quite as good in my opinion.
The only complaint I have about this car is the seven-speed automatic transmission. Sometimes it gets hung up a little between gear shifts at low speeds, and the occasional downshift can be clunky.
Besides that, this high-powered S-class remains at the top of the class. It's crazy to think that because this generation S-class has been around since the 2006 model year. How's that for longevity?
2012 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG
Base Price: $140,175
As-Tested Price: $162,675
Drivetrain: 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8; RWD, seven-speed automatic
Output: 563 hp @ 5,250-5,750 rpm, 664 lb-ft @ 2,000-4,500 rpm
Curb Weight: 4,916 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 18/16.3 mpg
Options: AMG performance package including power increased to 563 hp/664 lb-ft, top speed increased to 186 miles per hour, carbon fiber engine cover ($7,300); designo Magno Alanite Gray paint with matte finish ($3,950); rear seat package including eight-way power adjustable rear seats, 4-zone automatic climate control, 5-place seating, heated and active ventilated rear seats ($3,040); driver assistance package including Distronic plus adaptive cruise control with pre-safe bake, active blind spot assist and active lane-keeping assist ($2,950); carbon fiber/black piano lacquer trim ($2,850); 20-inch forged AMG wheel ($1,700); splitview ($710)
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