2023 Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance 4.0L V8 4MATIC+ 9AT AWD (791 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Mercedes-AMG unveiled in 2023 the most powerful version of the S-Class to date and provided customers with a luxury vehicle that could keep up with many supercars of its times.

The German car manufacturer had a very long relationship with Mercedes’ flagship model, the S-Class. Back in 1971, the Affalterbach-based car manufacturer AMG, then a small independent shop, made the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.8 AMG. Over time, other S-Class models received proper tuning from the same company. After it was integrated into the three-pointed star brand, the small shop became a reckoned specialist in the performance segment. Besides the powertrain, the newly established Mercedes-AMG brand also focused on other aspects, such as suspension and aesthetics, creating various body kits for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz introduced the seventh generation of the S-Class in 2020, which was available with an AMG aerodynamic package. But the real deal came with an improved front fascia that boasted a Panamericana grille with vertical slats. On the lower bumper, AMG installed its already famous A-shaped lower grille that was painted black and was flanked by body-colored functional side-scoops that cooled the front brakes and created air curtains that lowered the drag resistance. The S 63 E Performance sported the AMG badge on the hood but kept the three-pointed star on the grille.

From its profile, the car looked aggressive due to its 20” light-alloy wheels and multi-spoke design. However, customers could get a 21-inch set as an option. On the front fenders, the automaker installed the V8 Biturbo E performance badges. AMG added a new set of aerodynamically profiled side sills, but still, those were not very bold in their aspect. Finally, at the back, the automaker added the S 63 badge on the trunk lid. Lower, on the bumper, the big and luxurious sedan sported carbon fiber trims, while underneath it, in the apron, it featured a diffuser and two sets of twin exhausts mounted on the sides.

But the S-Class was always about luxury, and this AMG version was no different. While it boasted a high level of expensive materials, the leather-wrapped interior was also upgraded with tech features such as the digital instrument cluster, the touchscreen for the infotainment system, the touch-sensitive buttons and dials from the flat-bottom steering wheel, and the carbon fiber trims. In the back, the passengers could relax on heated and ventilated seats that could recline and provide a healthy massage dose.

But the real magic happened under the car’s skin. There, AMG stiffened the bodywork with a few aluminum brackets. It also installed the complex powertrain consisting of a twin-turbocharged V8 up front and an electric motor out back. With a combined total output of 791 HP and a four-digit torque, the massive executive sedan could rocket from naught to 60 MPH (0-97 kph) in a mere 3.2 seconds. The rear motor also featured a two-speed gearing that allowed it to run in ideal conditions even at higher speeds, not just at the start. The all-wheel drive luxurious S-Class could also run in EV mode for around 20 miles.