We've been keeping an eye on the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class facelift throughout the year and time has come to show you the the S63 pre-production model.
The tester you can see in the piece of footage at the bottom of the page may just be touched by a mid-cycle revamp, but its engine compartment will see dramatic changes.
As in the case of the Coupe model, the Mercedes-AMG S63 Sedan will drop the twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 in favor of the Affalterbach norm, namely the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8.
Since we're talking about the German automaker's flagship sedan, the 4.0 will deliver 612 hp and 664 lb-ft (900 Nm) of twist, if not more, while working with an AMG-touched incarnation of the fresh 9G-Tronic gearbox.
While we recently reported that AMG boss Tobias Moers has confirmed the upcoming 2018 E63 will come in AWD-form only, the same can (almost) be said about the revised S63. At least when it comes to left-hand-drive markets, the rear-wheel-drive form of the car will be dropped, with this possibly remaining on the lift for right-hand-drive countries.
Nevertheless, we wouldn't bet on the S63 inheriting the E63's also-confirmed Drift Mode. Even so, the all-paws system of the luxury sedan should be a redesigned one, with the German engineers working to deliver a system that allows for a more rear-biased torque distribution. The change will be market by the removal of the 4Matic badge, which will remain a mark of the non-Affalterbach models.
As we've shown you when discussing the taillights of the facelifted S-Class, the exterior changes will be limited.
When it comes to the cabin, we've already seen the instrument cluster and the central infotainment display being made to appear as a single unit. However, we're not sure if Mercedes is ready to replace the Comand rotary controller with a touchpad, as seen in this spy video.
The revamped Mercedes-AMG S63 should make its debut in mid-2017, coming as a 2018 model.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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