Mercedes E-Class E63 S 4Matic+ Night Edition Prem+ 4dr TCT Review
Category: Luxury car
Section: Version review
The model
Read full reviewThe Mercedes E-Class is very well equipped and available with a great range of engines, from efficient diesels, to tax-friendly plug-in hybrids and punchy petrols. It's pretty quiet and comfortable on the motorway, too, but the ride could be better around town and, while the boot is big, the rear passenger compartment isn't, relative to its rivals. Overall, the BMW 5 Series is a better car to drive, has a better infotainment system and is better built inside.
The trim
See full equipmentThe E63 S Night Edition Premium Plus has everything that regular E-Classes come with and more, including 20in alloy wheels, red brake calipers, unique AMG bumpers and side skirts, a limited-slip differential, heated front seats, nappa leather trim, keyless entry, three-zone climate control, privacy glass, a panoramic sunroof, adaptive cruise control with steering and lane-changing assistance, power-folding door mirrors, a sports exhaust, a powered tailgate with gesture control and multi-coloured interior ambient lighting. Then there's the fully-electric front seats with memory settings, the electric steering column, the 12.3in infotainment screen with 'augmented' sat-nav, the Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring, the Burmester stereo with 13 speakers and 590 watts, the front and rear parking sensors, the adaptive LED headlights and the 360-degree camera. That's way more kit than you get as standard with the entry-level Audi RS6.
The engine
See full engine specsThis is a crazily fast performance car, which you can see just by looking at the numbers. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine thunders out 604bhp and thanks to four-wheel drive can hurl you from 0-62mph in 3.4sec officially – when we tested the estate it hit 0-60mph in 3.3sec, which was way quicker than the Audi RS6. Needless to say, it feels epic to drive and makes an amazing noise when you give it a boot-full. We love it all – well, apart from the 20mpg average fuel economy.
