Photo: Mercedes-Benz If you can imagine hurtling down the Autobahn in your living room, that's sort of what it's like to drive the S63 AMG sedan. At 4,800+ lbs., it's a big car. And yet, with its twin-turbo V-8 pumping out 577 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque, it can snap your neck and push you back into the seat as it takes you from 0-60 in under four seconds. Despite the load that it carries, the big Benz takes the twisties exceptionally well and connects you very closely with the road. It is a far cry from its over-assisted brother, the new S550, which is about as close to being a driverless car as anything mass produced today.
People who buy performance sedans are looking for many things in a single car: acceleration, handling, space and practicality all for an inclusive price. That's why this car, with a base MSRP around $140K and a sticker closer to $165K with options, is kind of puzzling. It travels in rarified circles, where typical buyers can afford to have an entire stable of cars to suit different situations. Going to the office in Manhattan? Let's take the A8L. Visiting the club? We'll get the Continental GT out of the garage. Want to let off steam at the track? I see the dealer has just stopped by to deliver our new Lamborghini Huracan.
Don't get me wrong. This is just a superb car in so many ways. But if you're looking for true performance and can afford to play in this price range, is there really a need to lug two-and-a-half tons around with you?
BY THE NUMBERS
Price: $139,500 ($164,535 as driven)
Horsepower: 577
Torque: 664 lb-ft
0-60: 3.9 secs
Curb weight: 4,806 lbs
TO LEARN MORE
Mercedes
Car and Driver
Edmunds
People who buy performance sedans are looking for many things in a single car: acceleration, handling, space and practicality all for an inclusive price. That's why this car, with a base MSRP around $140K and a sticker closer to $165K with options, is kind of puzzling. It travels in rarified circles, where typical buyers can afford to have an entire stable of cars to suit different situations. Going to the office in Manhattan? Let's take the A8L. Visiting the club? We'll get the Continental GT out of the garage. Want to let off steam at the track? I see the dealer has just stopped by to deliver our new Lamborghini Huracan.
Don't get me wrong. This is just a superb car in so many ways. But if you're looking for true performance and can afford to play in this price range, is there really a need to lug two-and-a-half tons around with you?
BY THE NUMBERS
Price: $139,500 ($164,535 as driven)
Horsepower: 577
Torque: 664 lb-ft
0-60: 3.9 secs
Curb weight: 4,806 lbs
TO LEARN MORE
Mercedes
Car and Driver
Edmunds
RSS Feed
