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2018 Mercedes-AMG E63 Boasts AMG Performance 4Matic+ AWD, Drift Mode, Lots of HP

This is it, boys and girls! The big bad Merc is back, more ludicrous and rowdier than its awe-inspiring predecessor with the M157 5.5-liter V8. This time around, the W213-generation E63 in 4Matic+ and S 4Matic+ flavors benefits from a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 mill.
2018 Mercedes-AMG E63 S 4Matic+ 36 photos
Photo: Daimler AG
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More to the point, it’s an engine birthed from the M176/M177/M178 family. From a displacement of merely 3,982 cc, the 2018 Mercedes-AMG E63 4Matic+ churns out 571 PS (420 kW) between 5,750 and 6,500 rpm. In terms of get-up-and-go, 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) allows this mid-size sedan to haul ass to 100 km/h (62 mph) in merely 3.5 seconds, on to a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). If you want a little bit more thrills from your E63 4Matic+, prepare to pony up for the AMG Driver’s package. Do that, and the mid-sized brawler with an AMG heart will be able to hit 300 km/h or 186 miles per hour.

Other than the “completely new AMG Performance 4Matic+” variable AWD system, which is inherently rear-biased, the W213 E63 also prides itself on something called Drift Mode.” Where did I hear that before, though? Oh, that’s right! It was the Ford Focus RS, wasn’t it? Be that as it may, you’ll be surprised to find out that Drift Mode is exclusive to the E63 S 4Matic+.

To engage Drift Mode, the driver of the 2018 Mercedes-AMG E63 S 4Matic+ has to do three things: engage Race drive setting, deactivate the ESP, then put the transmission in Manual mode. Do that, and the E63 S 4Matic+ turns into a purely rear-wheel-drive monster. That’s right, 100 percent of the drive sent to the rear axle, nothing to the front, not even when the hind steps out.

In the 2018 Mercedes-AMG E63 S 4Matic+, the force-fed V8 is tuned up to 612 PS (450 kW) and 850 Nm (627 lb-ft) between 2,500 and 4,500 rpm, an output that enables the German interloper to claw its way to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.4 seconds. Let me repeat that: the E63 S 4Matic+ is two-tenths slower than the Lamborghini Huracan. On the upside, it’s two-tenths quicker than the track-bred Mercedes-AMG GT R, a.k.a. the Beast of the Green Hell.

Regardless of variant, the 2018 Mercedes-AMG E63 is matched exclusively with an AMG Speedshift MCT 9-speed transmission. It’s not a conventional automatic like the 9G-Tronic, but an automatic transmission gifted with a multi-clutch pack instead of a torque converter. For more in-depth info and specs on this bad boy with Affalterbach know-how under its belt, check out the release under the adjacent video presentation. Your move, BMW F90 M5.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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