Of course once you get it bareback (or as bareback as it?ll allow you to) there is more than enough power to really make it interesting. But the newcomer?s strides ahead in terms of chassis, suspension and control do ensure a noticeable improvement in grip and control ? it obeys your steering and throttle inputs far more directly and obediently than the old car did (makes it seem sloppy in comparison) despite a relatively heavy steering.
E63 isn?t quite M5 agile and you need to be little sharper, quicker at it than you would in the more direct, more brutally honest Beemer. But it certainly is still impressive and a huge step forward over the old car.
AMG seems to have made great strides in ensuring throttle response is even sweeter than before and that big V8 does exactly what you ask of it, whether that be at idle (and even below) or right at the top of its lofty seven and a half grand rev ceiling. In fact E63 loves the throttle ? a natural tendency to push is easily overcome by breaking traction at the rear and from there on, its drift heaven ? if you?re up to that, of course?
But E63 is still at its very best at high speeds on the Autobahn ? there it cruises with absolutely consummate ease inspiring huge confidence in the driver and reeling off the miles in absolute luxury ? its seats are superb and its gentle, serene at speed despite that brute V8?s otherwise furious attitude?
Merc claims just over 10l/100km as E63?s average consumption and 250g/km ? considerably better than before, which is another gold star in it?s book ? although it is quite a bit heavier the way it was driven.
The new Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG will come to South Africa in the face of opposition like it has never had to face before. Although the BMW M5 is now long in the tooth, it is still a spectacular car and when its replacement comes in two years time, expect it to be brilliant.
More immediate is the rather over the top Audi RS 6 and the imminent arrival of a brand new challenger in Jaguar?s XFR set for SA within weeks. E63 will of course retain its Merc premium, too when it arrives ? but this time around, that extra tri-star kudos will be complemented by far more compelling super saloon credentials.
It certainly is a worthy consideration in a most competitive super saloon world?
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