2023 Mercedes-AMG E63 Wagon Performance

Mercedes only offers the more potent E63 S Wagon here in the US market. This means you get a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 under the hood, producing an astonishing 603 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. A Speedshift MCT nine-speed automatic transmission handles the output of the engine and apportions it to all four wheels via a 4MATIC+ AWD system. This combination is capable of achieving the sprint from 0-60 mph in just 3.4 seconds according to Merc's estimations, although we clocked it a little quicker at 3.38 seconds, before topping out at 180 mph. Audi's RS6 is a little slower in the benchmark sprint, achieving 0-60 in 3.5 seconds. It will also be slower on the top end, with a limiter at 174 mph. Of course, you could upgrade the brakes on the Avant and unlock the full 190 mph. Doing the same to the Merc has no effect on its limiter.

只有一个发动机和变速箱组合with the E63 S wagon. A 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 powers all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission and produces a total of 603 hp and 627 lb-ft. AMG opted not to add the mild-hybrid system used on the SUV models here, likely to preserve the purity of the E63. This engine sounds throatier here than it does in other applications, emitting delightful wastegate noises when you lift off the throttle. So long as the transmission is in an appropriate gear, power delivery is near-instant and pins you to the leather seat. With AWD grip, the V8 immediately sends the E63 rocketing forward, turning the scenery into a complete blur. Mercedes offers a hidden drift mode that requires multiple steps to unlock, locking the E63 into rear-wheel-drive with zero assists. The E63 can execute tremendous slides and burnouts in this mode, so be sure to take caution and only use this feature on a race track.

Mercedes' nine-speed transmission works well, though it lacks the absolute precision found in the eight-speed boxes used by Audi and BMW. The differences are minute enough to be a non-issue, but someone buying in this price range may want perfection. Specifically on the downshifts, the nine-speed can execute some clunky shifts, though they are far from terrible. We'll still give Audi and BMW a slight nod on their transmissions.

According to the EPA, the Mercedes-AMG E63 S will return 16/23/18 mpg on the city/highway/combined cycles. We failed to match these numbers thanks to a heavy foot, averaging just 13.8 mpg during our week of testing. With a 21.1-gallon gas tank, you should be able to achieve an average mixed driving range of around 380 miles. In comparison, the RS6 Avant is a little thirstier, returning figures of 15/22/17 mpg on the same cycles.