New Mercedes-AMG E 63 S facelift arrives with styling tweaks and same 604bhp V8

Mercedes-AMG has unveiled the facelifted E 63 S. It follows the recently revised E-Class into the showrooms, sporting a range of cosmetic and technology updates which will keep it competitive with the revised Audi RS 6 Avant and the facelifted BMW M5.

The updated E 63 S will go on sale in the UK in July, with first deliveries expected to arrive in September. Prices will be similar to the outgoing model, starting from around £98,000 for the saloon and roughly £100,000 for the estate.

Styling revisions for the facelifted Mercedes-AMG E 63 S mirror those made to the updated E-Class, with the car receiving new front and rear bumpers, updated LED headlamps and tweaked tail lights. In addition, buyers get a reshaped front splitter, a new AMG-specific radiator grille, wider wheel arches and, at the rear, updates for the rear diffuser and quad-exit exhaust system.

As standard, the new AMG E 63 S comes with a set of 20-inch five-spoke alloy wheels. Buyers can also opt for a choice of three new paint finishes, as well as Mercedes-AMG’s Night Package, which swaps the car’s mirror caps, exterior brightwork and exhaust tips for blacked-out replacements.

Inside, there’s a new sports steering wheel, an LED ambient lighting system and a pair of AMG-branded sports seats with yellow contrasting stitching. Mercedes has also fitted an updated version of its MBUX dual-screen infotainment system, which features a pair of 12.3-inch screens – one for the gauge cluster and one for the car’s media and navigation.

Engine and performance

The updated E 63 S is powered by the same twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine as the outgoing model, which has an output of 604bhp and 850Nm of torque. The powertrain gives the saloon a 0–62mph time of 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 186mph. The estate manages the same sprint in 3.5 seconds, before reaching a top speed of 180mph.

European buyers are also offered a detuned version of the same engine, with 563bhp and 750Nm of torque. The less potent powertrain gives the saloon a 0–62mph time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 155mph. The estate shares the same top speed, although it’s 0.1 seconds slower to 62mph.

Both engines send their power through a nine-speed automatic gearbox to all four wheels and, like the pre-facelift model, both come with a “Drift Mode” which directs 100 percent of the engine’s power to the rear wheels.

Like the old car, there’s a comprehensive arsenal of clever chassis technology to help put all that power down. Upgrades over the standard E-Class include adaptive air suspension, enormous vented and drilled disc brakes and a limited-slip differential for the rear axle.

Mercedes has also fitted a sophisticated three-stage traction control system and dynamic engine mounts, which can vary their rigidity according to the amount of load the engine is under. Finally, for the track day enthusiast, there’s an optional carbon ceramic brake package.

The facelift has brought a few extra driver assistance systems to the E 63, too. There’s an updated version of the previous model’s semi-autonomous driving system, which no longer requires the driver to wiggle the wheel to notify the system that they’re paying attention to the road. The new steering wheel is capacitive – so gripping it will provide enough feedback.