Chris Harris Drifts 2017 Mercedes-AMG E63 S and Falls in Love

This is by no means the only AMG or car in this segment with all-wheel-drive. But it seems Mercedes has cracked it, offering something with lots of grip in the wet but that can still drift its heart out.

One of the first things Harris says about the E63 is that it feels more like a BMW M car than an AMG because it has that final layer of motorsport accuracy. That's high praise, and we get the feeling the Harris Monkey wants to buy one, especially as he says it's better than the Ferrari FF he used to own.

You know a great car has been born when it immediately dethrones a legend. That happens here, as Harris says the Merc-AMG makes the Audi RS6 Avant feel a little bit slow. Both are 600+ horsepower V8 cars, but the specs do support his claim.

It has some flaws too, obviously. The only naturally aspirated AMG models sounded like American muscle cars built with German accuracy. But the sound produced by the E63 is a little bit artificial. Still, in the right drive mode, the exhaust produces "plentiful Stuttgart farts."

The E63 also rides stiffly, a little bit less comfortable than the RS6 on the road. But we actually think that's a good thing. Too many times automakers give in to what the public is saying, giving up on the sense of occasion. If you drive this to your favorite ski resort, you're going to be slightly tired at the end, but you're going to look back as the E63 ticks itself cool and say "we made!"