Mercedes-AMG E 63 review

It falls not to us to say whether the world needs a 603bhp saloon car, or even a 563bhp one, or whether buying one in general is a sensible thing to do.

Surprise, surprise, though, the E 63, or the E 63 S, aren’t cheap cars – the standard E 63 is pricier than the equivalent M5, although a standard Audi RS6 will end up costing you a few grand more and the Porsche Turbo is dearer still. We would draw the line at spending the extra that’s required to move up to the E 63 S, though.

Running costs will also be steep, as they will be for its rivals. Thanks to cylinder shutdown and other clever tech, Mercedes has managed to deliver a claimed 31.0mpg combined figure for the E 63, but if you make use of those turbochargers liberally then you can forget getting anywhere near that. You’ll also need deep pockets to run one as a company car, bearing in mind that lofty list price and CO2 emissions of 207 g/km.

Still, you do get plenty of toys. Starting with the E 63 we’re talking fitments such as 19in alloy wheels, unique AMG bumpers and side skirts, a limited slip differential, electrically adjustable, heated sports front seats combined with an electrically adjustable steering column all with memory function. Then there’s the 12.3in infotainment screen including sat-nav, a further 12.3in screen housing those digital instruments, Nappa leather seat trim, a rear-view camera, front and rear parking sensors and LED headlights.

The E 63 S adds mostly mechanical bits, starting of course with its extra power, but also dynamic engine mounts, 20in alloy wheels and an electronically controlled limited slip rear differential instead of the E 63’s mechanical version. Inside you get bucket-style racing seats and Nappa leather covering the upper dashboard – in the E 63 this is faux leather.

Euro NCAP awarded the E-Class its top five-star crash-test rating, with a particularly high score for adult occupancy protection. And it should prevent you having a crash thanks to standard active safety kit such as automatic emergency city braking.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here