Sometimes you require a Jekyll-&-Hyde kind of saloon that packs enough grunt to get you to the board meeting on time, but also provide a stately ride so that you don’t spill a drop of your Kopi Luwak to-go. Enter the S63 AMG.

Mercedes-Benz’s new S63 AMG was officially unveiled at the 2013 Johannesburg International Motor Show during October and will roar its way into local showrooms in February 2014. Unlike most of the other vehicles in the AMG lineup, the design of the S63 AMG is very understated making the car appear very close to a run-of-the-mill S-class. But there are certain noticeable styling cues, including the AMG sports seats, AMG badges in the front and rear seat backrests, as well as the AMG sports steering which features aluminium gear shift paddles for the AMG Speedshift MCT 7-speed sports transmission. 

A performance wolf in stylish sheep clothing

Beneath the shapely bonnet of the S63 AMG resides a 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine that churns out 430 kW at 5500 RPM and enough torque (900 Nm) between 2250 and 3750 RPM to straighten Donald Trump’s combover. Thanks to some systematic lightweight construction based on the AMG Lightweight Performance philosophy, the new S-class squeezes in under the two ton mark and weighs 100 kg less than its predecessor. A fifth of this weight savings has come via the car’s battery, as the S63 AMG is only the second car after the dreamy SLS AMG Coupé Black Series to replace the conventional starter battery with a lithium-ion one. According to Mercedes-Benz this new technology offers numerous advantages over a conventional battery, including being more compact and weighing more than 20 kg less than a normal battery.

THE S63 AMG bolts on the sportier ride and performance which AMG owners demand.

Less weight equates to better fuel efficiency, with the powerful S63 now gulping down a respectable 10.1 to 10.3 litres per 100 kilometres. Also lower is the time it takes for this car to reach 100 km/h from a standing start – a mere 4.4 seconds, whilst the terminal velocity is electronically limited to an illegal 250 km/h. 

Magic carpet ride plus other handling tech

The S63 AMG sports AMG sports suspension that is based upon the S-class’ Magic Body Control technology. This functionality allows the new S-Class to scan the road surface ahead via a stereo camera and automatically adjusts the suspension in advance for potholes, speed bumps or any other undulations on the road surface. Also boosting the sporty handling prowess of the S63 AMG is ESP (electronic stability control) with curve dynamic assist, which provides the car with greater agility whilst cornering at speed. It achieves this via a brief brake intervention on the inside rear wheel to prevent understeer when turning into a corner.

To the point

The Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG boasts all the technology, comfort- and safety features S-class drivers expect, but bolts on the sportier ride and performance which AMG owners demand. A drive in one of Germany’s finest will set you back R2 174 000 (including VAT and emissions tax), which includes a 6-year or 100 000 km (no customer contribution) PremiumDrive maintenance plan as standard.