E + AMG = FUN2

While still an absolute blast, the facelift for the E63 is a better daily driver

- Rivan RS

It’s hard to fathom an E-Class that’s more for the driver than the rear passenger. An unparalleled rear-seat experience is a hallmark for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, especially in India where we get a longer wheelbase version than the one on sale in European markets, and then along comes AMG with the E63 S 4MATIC+. The latest update to what can only be called a super sedan arrived in India in July at an eye-watering ₹1.7 crore, ex-showroom, India, and brought with it some aesthetic changes, tweaks to the suspension, an upgraded gearbox, and some tech meant to pamper.

There’s no shame in that the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine churns out the same 603 bhp and 86.68 kgm as the pre-facelift model; it’s still one of the most powerful iterations of the award-winning motor, as even in the race-bred AMG GT R this V8 makes 577 bhp and 71.38 kgm. Mercedes-AMG’s claimed 0-100 kph time of 3.4 seconds may give you an idea of just how quick it is, but there are few words for the feeling of exhilaration when you floor the throttle. It’s a constant, hard shove into the highly adjustable and comfortable front seats, and there’s no sign of letting up even as the needle on the crystal clear (and highly configurable) 12.3inch digital display swings past the 200-kph mark.

Mercedes-AMG’s updated 9-speed automatic gearbox, which sends drive to all four wheels when required via the 4MATIC+ system, is superb. Not only does it kick through gears (up or down) with breath-taking alacrity, it even shines in Comfort mode by doling out the massive amounts of torque generated by the V8 in well-metered increments in extra-urban environs.