Don’t worry too much, the hot-rod luxury sedan otherwise known as the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. What is going away is its hardcore, hand-built, naturally aspirated 6.2 liter V8 and in its place will be a twin turbocharged 5.5 liter V8. The new engine will make 518 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque and surely the 7 speed automatic will be able to handle it. There are also talks of increasing the boost via a factory upgrade (probably a ECU tune) for even more asphalt wrinkling thrust.
For 2012, the E63’s looks haven’t gone anywhere. AMG always does a good job at making a Benz more muscular but in a subtle fashion; like Jason Statham in a suit. The front is chiseled and angular but nothing is so radical that it stands out and smooth lines lead to to a low-slung rear. This is (assuming) the purpose of the car: blend in with everything else and then leave it far behind. Drivers of E63s surely do not want to be seen the same way that a Ferrari driver would but still want to put a hurt on one when needed. The new car will be able to do that with a 0-60 time in the mid to low 4 seconds.
Everything looks great but there is still a nagging question; why ditch the perfectly fine 6.2? One reason is fuel mileage. Big displacement natural aspirated engines have excellent throttle response but usually always suffer at the pump. Turbochargers can allow for similar power with a smaller displacement and therefore (theoretically) yield greater fuel mileage. Still, the new 5.5 liter twin turbo V8 won’t be a Prius, but it surely should travel longer on a tank of gas than the last E63.
Another reason is the AMG’s biggest opponent, the BMW M5. The new M5 will also support a twin turbo V8 instead of a large, natural aspirated engine. A trend can be a powerful thing.
