IN 1985, BMW proved in spectacular fashion that a large luxury sedan could be both practical and viciously quick with the E28 M5, and car-makers have been battling for autobahn-munching supremacy ever since.
Niche segments are typically fought over by only the “big three” German players Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but such is the demand for supercar-gatecrashing four-door cars that virtually all key players have had a crack at some point.
Despite the frequent flirting of another brand in the super-sedan segment including HSV and its monstrous GTS and Ford’s feisty Falcon variants, the luxury end of the segment is dominated by just two – the inventor of the market and arch rival Mercedes-Benz.
And it is now Mercedes-AMG’s turn to return fire at the M5 with its latest pumped-up version of the E-Class luxury sedan.
When it arrives Down Under in the second quarter of this year the mighty Mercedes-AMG E63 S will arrive with a thumping 450kW/850Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 at its disposal but, more significantly, the company’s 4Matic four-wheel-drive system to get those big figures to the ground.
With all four paws sharing the massive power output, the mighty Merc can crack the milestone zero to 100km/h dash in a mind-blowing 3.4 seconds, and it will be the first all-wheel-drive E-Class to hit red dirt.
Top speed is limited to 250km/h but customers who elect the extra cash and option their E63 with the AMG Driver’s Package will have the potential to go deep into the coveted 300km/h realm.
And while we are browsing the model’s hyperbolic achievements list, it will also be the fastest and most powerful E-Class the world has ever seen. So how will BMW hit back at that astounding medal tally?
Little is known about the sixth-gen M5, but as GoAuto has previously reported, the Munich muncher will apply a similar recipe as the three-point-badged car with a twin-turbo V8 and four-wheel drive – a first for the BMW as well.
We are certain that by this point you will be shouting at the screen saying Audi has a competitor to the BMW and Merc, and you would be right to suggest the RS6 is a worthy adversary in the performance stakes, but it is only available as an Avant wagon and here we are considering the realm of sedans.
And while we are fielding criticism we would also like to point out that although Ford’s XY GTHO Falcon was the fastest production sedan when it launched in the 1970s, it was regarded as more muscle car than luxury corner carver, which emerged in the 1980s.
It is that combination of comfort and technology wrapped up in a vehicle with the handling and performance to match some serious sportscar contenders that defines the segment and Mercedes is not dropping its guard with the new E63 S.
Power gets to all four corners via Mercedes’ AMG Speedshift MCT Multi Clutch Technology nine-speed Sports Transmission, which has dumped the traditional torque-converter in favour of an oil-immersed start-off clutch and is defined by aggressively swift shifts.
Purist rear-drive handling is not lost with the adoption of four-wheel drive, with an electromagnetic coupling incorporated into the 4Matic system that can disconnect the front wheels for rear-wheel-drive fun.
Speaking of which, there’s a drift mode; select the Race mode, disengage the ESC, switch to manual gears and the E63 S turns into a hoon mobile.
Every body panel from the A-pillar forward, is unique to the E63, with an inset bonnet and twin-louvre grille that are said to evoke a coupe, while the bumpers are redesigned with greedier vents and a large front splitter to boost cooling while enhancing aerodynamics.
The wheel arches have been flexed up by 27mm to accommodate the fatter wheel and tyre package (265/35ZR20 up front and 295/30ZR20 in the rear) wrapped around five-spoke light-weight alloys.
As you might imagine, the cabin is floor-to-ceiling leather and synthetic suede, with racing-inspired seating, steering wheel and controls, as well as serving as a showcase for the latest entertainment and comfort technology, in addition to driver assistance features that boarder on autonomous.
While the E-Class was introduced at about the same time as the BMW 5 Series-based M5, it wasn’t offered in an E63 AMG variant to do battle with the Beemer until much later.
The E63 name was first seen on the boot of the facelifted W211 E-Class but the bloodline is harder to trace than the unfaltering M5 moniker. Before the E63, an E55 was offered which spanned back to the W210 of the late 1990s and the 1993 AMG W124 was badged an E60. Confused?
Whatever Mercedes names its M5 rival it will always have a tough job on its hands competing with one of the world’s most revered models and brands.
Daniel Gardner GoAuto.com.au
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