World's fastest four-door unleashed

[Wretched]

Mercedes-Benz has given the E63 AMG a bold new look and more power along with other performance enhancing upgrades as part of a comprehensive facelift that sees it snare the title world’s fastest accelerating series production four-door with a claimed 0-100km/h time of just 3.6 seconds.

However, Australians won't get to experience the fastest version of the E63 AMG, with a new four-wheel-drive model reserved only for left-hand-drive models.

Due to reach Australian showrooms in both sedan and wagon bodystyles by mid-2013 following a public premiere at next week’s 2013 Detroit motor show, the heavily revised E63 AMG reveals a radical change in direction for the styling of all future AMG models with a distinctive new front-end treatment that aims to provide both greater differentiation from standard Mercedes-Benz models together with improved thermal and aerodynamic properties.

Most apparent among the changes is a new twin headlamp treatment – as mirrored on the newly facelifted E-Class. It is supported by heavily restyled unique grille and front bumper – the latter distinguished by huge air ducts and a central splitter that is claimed to improve air flow underneath the car for added high speed stability.


As with the new E-Class the E63 AMG also adopts restyled rear doors and rear fenders with altered feature lines for a more cohesive appearance. The exterior mirror housings have also been given a new carbon fibre look and the side sills are altered with a new two tone treatment. The rear sports a more unique looking bumper that houses a revised diffuser element and quad trapezoidal shaped exhaust pipes.

Mercedes-Benz’s latest performance model runs a lightly retuned version of AMG’s twin-turbocharged 5.5-litre V8 petrol engine. It now develops 410kW in standard trim and 430kW in combination with an optional S-model package – increases of 24kW and 20kW respectively.

Torque loading has also increased, with the standard engine now delivering an added 20Nm, for 700Nm in total. The S-model retains the same 800Nm as offered in the earlier performance package option but it is now developed across a 750rpm broader range of revs between 1750rpm and 5000rpm.

The heady reserves continue to be channeled through AMG’s seven speed Speedshift MCT automatic gearbox to the rear wheels. It offers four different driving modes: C (Controlled Efficiency, S (Sport), S plus (Sport plus) and M (Manual) as well as automatic stop/start and brake energy recuperation. The S-model option also adds a differential lock.

Although the new car will be offered with optional 4Matic four-wheel drive in selected left-hand drive markets, it will not be available in Australia owing to a decision not to engineer the E-Class 4Matic in right-hand-drive guise.

Mercedes-Benz claims the standard rear-wheel drive E63 AMG sedan now boasts a 0-100km/h time of 4.2 seconds, with the four-wheel-drive (4Matic) S-model rated at a stunning 3.6 seconds – improvements of 0.1 seconds and 0.6 seconds respectively. Top speeds remain at a limited 250km/h and 300km/h in each case.

By comparison, the BMW M5, which has a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 kicks out 412kW, boasts a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.4 seconds. The recently unveiled third generation Audi RS6 Avant, which gets a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 with 412kW, is said to get closer to the new Mercedes-Benz at 3.9 seconds. And the home grown HSV Clubsport R8, whose naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 delivers 325kW, suddenly looks off the pace with an official 0-100km/h of 5.0 seconds.

The increase in straight line performance comes without any change in fuel economy and emissions on the European test cycle, with the standard E63 AMG sedan offering combined consumption of 9.8L/100km. The S-model is rated at 9.9L/100km.

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-new...110-2cieo.html

hmmm not sure sure on the styling. Need to see up close. I do like the current one a lot. Neat and tidy, a sledgehammer in a suit.
This one, hmmm front is a little messy. though I think the BMW has more class to it.