The Verdict: Mercedes-Benz E63 Amg Estate
The burden of the beast
Published: 21 November 2006
Specifications
Price: £68,045
Engine: 6.2-litre petrol
Performance: 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds, 19.5mpg
CO2: 345g/km:
Worth considering: Mercedes CLS AMG, Audi S6, BMW M5
For a trio of Nissan fans, this 'estate with supercar pretensions' delivered awesome power. There's just one problem, says David Wilkins: it's one of the most polluting cars The Verdict has ever seen
Let's get the obvious out of the way first. This high-performance version of the Mercedes E-Class is magnificent. Our reader Mark Berry expressed the hope that we could find "something powerful with rear-wheel drive" for him and two fellow members of the Nissan SX Owners' Club to try, and it would be difficult to think of a car that fits that description better than this one.
With 514 horsepower and the ability to reach 62mph from a standing start in just 4.6 seconds, this is one of the most muscular cars ever to be featured in The Verdict. Unusually for such a big engine, the V8 unit fitted to this car also likes to be revved, delivering maximum power at a giddy 6,800rpm.
When I had the chance to sample the same motor in the E-Class's sister model, the CLS, in Germany earlier this year, I was deeply impressed by that car's relentless acceleration and the ease with which it approached its (governed) top speed of 155mph on empty autobahns without speed limits. In the UK, of course, there are fewer opportunities for a car like this to stretch its legs, raising the awkward question of whether British buyers might not be better served by one of the less powerful E-class models.
One argument in favour of the AMG version, for some, is its modified appearance. That's the result of something called "AMG bodystyling" , which consists of various skirts and aprons. Personally, I could live without these.
Another external give-away for the AMG model are the "6.3" badges on the front wings. This car actually has a 6.2-litre engine, but, given the sheer ferocity of the performance on offer, I don't think any buyer is going to feel short-changed.
Better to think of those badges not so much as a factual description of what's under the bonnet as a tribute to an earlier generation of high-performance Mercs, which had a 6.3-litre V8 engine back in the Sixties. This E-Class, at least in terms of the way it goes, is a worthy successor to those cars; a recent revamp involving hundreds of small changes is aimed at trying to make sure it lives up to the standard they set in terms of quality as well.
Finally, a depressing thought. The E63 AMG, while one of the fastest and most powerful cars ever to be subjected to The Verdict test, is also one of the thirstiest, and in terms of CO2 emissions, one of the dirtiest. If you can afford it, enjoy it while you still can; for better or worse, the tide has turned against this sort of excess.
Julian Mapp, 29, Civil servant, Surrey
USUAL CAR: NISSAN 200SX
S14A
If I hadn't been waiting for an AMG to turn up I probably wouldn't have looked twice as it entered the car park. From a distance it could have been any Mercedes model, On closer inspection the only real clues to its performance were the quad exhausts and large drilled brakes, and of course the badges. I found it quiet, smooth and comfortable to drive. My favourite thing was the torque. Hard acceleration from standstill doesn't feel incredibly fast, until you check the speedo... As the 4.5 seconds to 62mph will testify! Overall the Mercedes was too quiet and refined for my taste. It's a great all round car but for the money I'd rather have something turbocharged.
Mark Berry, 42, Test manager, Halifax
USUAL CARS: NISSAN PRIMERA
ESTATE, VAUXHALL CORSA AND NISSAN 200SX
This car is great. The steering, brakes, suspension, autobox, engine, comfort are fantastic and the looks are nicely understated. It has every gadget you need (and plenty you don't). But this car has an identity crisis, it's a family estate that wants to be a sports car, and I don't think it pulls it off. Sure, it ticks all the boxes, but there is something missing, it just doesn't convince me as a performance car. From inside the aural quality is missing and the otherwise superb autobox takes too long to kick down when overtaking. I can't help thinking you'd be better off with the E500 and spend the change on an MX5 and lots of track days.
Luke Stanbridge, 26, Student recruitment officer, Hull
USUAL
CAR: NISSAN 200SX, 300ZX TT, ROVER 200
An estate car with supercar pretensions, this AMG is special, combining practicality of the E-class, with a monster 6.3litre. The cabin is everything you'd expect from a high-specification Mercedes: comfy leather and computer gadgetry, plenty to keep you entertained. On the b-roads the Mercedes is compliant, although when thrown into a corner it feels heavy. Its best and worst feature has to be the engine; great because it's quiet for normal driving but when you're in a hurry it strikes a tremendous exhaust note. The downside is the fuel economy but if you're in the business market for a car like this I'd expect a decent expense account.
THE VERDICT
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