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Super sensible

Portimao (Portugal) — In 1986, AMG produced a modified mid-sized Mercedes-Benz sedan that was nicknamed the “Hammer”. Since then, Mercedes-AMG has been known for making sedans Sith Lords would love: Great at hiding in plain sight, but well capable of terrifying you with soul-crushing power.

Portimao (Portugal) — In 1986, AMG produced a modified mid-sized Mercedes-Benz sedan that was nicknamed the “Hammer”. Since then, Mercedes-AMG has been known for making sedans Sith Lords would love: Great at hiding in plain sight, but well capable of terrifying you with soul-crushing power.

The Mercedes-AMG E 63 S is the latest in a long line of super-sedans from the brand, but the headline-grabbing thing about it has to be its the power output: Its 4-litre, twin-turbo V8 engine generates 610bhp.

The AMG models of old had a reputation for being rather rocket-like. They could take off like a space-bound Saturn V but did not have the handling to match.

But more recent editions have become much more flexible. Here are five reasons why the E 63 S actually makes a lot of sense.

1 It does not shout ‘look at me’

AMG has traditionally fitted extremely powerful engines into Mercedes-Benz sedans, tuning these cars to offer sports car-like levels of performance, while keeping the styling subtle.

But like its direct predecessor, you will not be able to identify one at first glance. It may have huge air intakes, large alloy wheels and four exhaust pipes, but so do a lot of less capable vehicles these days.

Like many modern turbocharged engines, it can be civilised when the occasion calls for it. In Comfort mode, the E 63 does not sound like a portable tidal wave when you are ambling along at low speeds.

2 You could pull chauffeur duties in it

Notice the “E” in the car’s name? This AMG model still contains plenty of DNA from the newest E-Class, so it comes as little surprise that the car is capable of cruising comfortably when you need it to.

Mercedes-AMG says the car is equipped with adaptive dampers and air-suspension — the sort of suspension setup you will also find in a luxury limousine.

The E-Class still has one of the longest wheelbases in its class. This offers plenty of legroom, and is quiet and refined at all speeds.

So, if the driver keeps the car in Comfort mode, it could easily be used to drive the in-laws around without them ever knowing they are sitting on 610bhp of AMG-style fireworks.

3 Even when it’s bad, it’s good

A key difference in this model is the addition of all-wheel drive, which makes it a tad easier to drive quickly. It also has a Sport Plus mode, and a new Drift mode, which sends more power to the rear wheels.

This lets you live out your tyre-burning fantasies but benefit from electronic driver aids if things get out of hand. It has a host of Mercedes-Benz driver assistance programmes, which include lane-keeping and blind-spot assist.

4 It Is surprisingly frugal

You would think that the engineers behind such a colossally powerful car would have focused all their efforts and energy on one thing: Making it go as fast as possible. But the E 63 also has many features dedicated to helping it save fuel.

For example, the switch to a turbocharged engine was inevitable since it delivers more power and better fuel economy. Cylinder deactivation makes the V8 engine behave like a four-cylinder engine at low revs. The car’s “gliding mode” lets the car cruise further while using less petrol.

Its quoted fuel consumption figures of 9L/100km are quite impressive for such a powerful vehicle. In comparison, the E 55 AMG model of 2004 returned fuel consumption figures of 13.4L/100km while producing 120bhp less.

5 It Is still faster than most sports cars

The car’s twin-turbo 4-litre V8 engine produces 612bhp and 850Nm of torque. To put this into perspective, the Lamborghini Huracan produces 610bhp/560Nm, while the Ferrari 488 musters 660bhp/760Nm. The E 63 trails both Italian thoroughbreds in the 0-100kmh sprint (3.4s vs 3.2s and 3s respectively) but is not that far behind.

It has ample space for family duties but still delivers the continent-crushing pace to bring a smile to your face, something not many cars can lay claim to.

Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4Matic+

Engine: 3,982cc, V8, biturbo, 612bhp, 850Nm

Performance: 250kmh, 0-100kmh: 3.4s, 9.0L/100km, 204g/km CO2

Price: TBA

On Sale: Next year

+: Blistering pace, cross-country comfort, ‘Drift’ mode

- : A lot of power for the road

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