Tag: s-class

Mercedes Benz S63 AMG Officially Revealed

The Mercedes Benz S63 AMG has finally landed, and officially this time. Mercedes Benz gifted the world an unofficial and unintentional peek at the high performance variant of its flagship luxury sedan last month but the German automaker has now released photographs ahead of a planned public debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September.

Mercedes Benz seems to be pacifying the exteriors of its high performance AMG range of late. The 2014 CLA45 AMG and E63 AMG seemed slightly restrained as compared to earlier models, and the S63 AMG has gone down a similar route. There’s a new front apron and splitter, side sill panels with 3D inserts in silver chrome, a black rear diffuser with chrome trim and a pair of twin exhaust pipes. “Twin-turbo V8” badges along its flanks and lots of AMG badges both outside and inside more or less sum up the the features visually distinguishing it from the base “non-AMG” variants.

The list of features distinguishing it mechanically however, goes on for a while. It’s powered by the same twin-turbocharged 5.5-litre V8 which is found in other big AMGs like the E63 and CLS63. The unit produces 585bhp and a massive 900Nm of torque. That makes it faster than a manual Porsche Carrera 911 4S in terms of acceleration, and that makes it properly quick. The twin-turbo engine is hand-built by one man – as is written in AMG’s rules – and comes with an aluminium crankcase, direct injection, an air-to-water intercooler, and a lightweight composite oil pan.

A new AMG sports exhaust is found in the powertrain as well. It has special flaps that automatically open and close depending on the transmission selection on the seven-speed gearbox. In ‘controlled efficiency’ mode (‘C’), they’re closed, but switch over to ‘Sport’ (‘S’) or ‘Manual’ (‘M’) and the S63 AMG may just scare the neighbourhood kids.

It will also be available as a four-wheel-drive version, the 4Matic, which will get it to 100 kmph in a blistering 4.0 seconds. In comparison the rear-wheel drive S63 AMG still gets to 100 kmph in 4.4seconds. Top speed remains limited to 250 kmph, but can be increased to 300km/h in combination with a optional driver’s package. All this has been made possible due to extensive weight-saving measures which have resulted in a kerb weight of 1995 kg for both RWD and 4WD models. That is a genuine achievement by Mercedes Benz.

A retuned version of the standard S500’s air suspension complete with Mercedes’ new ‘Magic Body Control’ system find their way on to the luxury sedan. A camera mounted within the windscreen scans the road and alters the settings of the air springs according to the conditions for maximum levels of comfort or sportiness, depending on the chosen mode. Other options for the Mercedes Benz S63 AMG include carbon ceramic brakes for the first time, a chauffeur pack, a ‘first-class’ rear suite, an air-balance pack, coloured calipers among many other expensive extras.

So what do you think of the 2014 S63 AMG? Let us know in the comments below!

[Images source: Mercedes Benz]

July 17, 2013
2014 S63 AMG ‘unintentionally’ revealed by Mercedes Benz

Just a day after starting production of the 2014 S-Class at its main plant in Sindelfingen, Germany, Mercedes Benz has unintentionally given the world a sneak peek at the 2014 S63 model. An official promotional video showing the production line of cars has gone viral, after it was noticed that one of the featured cars just happened to be the high performance S63 variant.

[youtube id=”OyPEQYkZmTY” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

The latest S63 AMG model is yet to be officially revealed, though clearly the cars are already in production. This video, posted up by Czech website Auto Forum, shows the S63 AMG with its front fully revealed.

The enlarged air intakes in the front bar, and bigger AMG-spec wheels are a clear indication of the focus on performance. The V8 bi-turbo lettering on the sides and the S63 badge on the trunk lid leave no doubt that the AMG spec variant of the luxurious sedan will soon hit the markets. Other upgrades such as quad-exhaust pipes, larger brake discs and lowered suspension were quite evident in spy shots released earlier this year.

However, in line with other recently launched AMG models like the 2014 CLA45 AMG and 2014 E63 AMG, the 2014 S63 AMG too seems slightly restrained. None of the visual upgrades seem as aggressive as those of older AMGs. Have no doubt though, the 2014 S63 AMG is still a gorgeous car.

Official details aren’t available yet, but we expect the S63 AMG to pack Mercedes Benz’s twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 producing about 550 hp in the base model. Like the new E-Class, an S model will likely be offered. The seven speed AMG Speedshift dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive will likely be part of the S63 AMG package, too.

[autoforumCZ via YouTube, Motor Authority]

June 15, 2013
2014 Mercedes Benz S-Class Revealed
If you’re a CEO or a high-ranking government official, your new ride is here. The 2014 Mercedes Benz S-Class has finally been unveiled, with Merc boss Dr Dieter Zetsche, describing it as “the best automobile in the world”. Packed with stunning technology and a completely revamped design, the best of the Benz sedans has managed to improve upon its predecessor massively, and that’s much easier said than done.

The new S-Class reinforces Benz’s new direction in design, taking cues from the new E-Class and CLA-Class. The front has a new, larger radiator grille, flanked by well-shaped feline-like LED headlights. Reception to the new front-end and the LED headlights has been mixed, but we’re leaning towards the positive side with this one. The front fender reminds us of the A-Class with an aggressive bottom end. Distinct character lines run down the sides and the sloping roofline makes another appearance here, along with sharp taillights. All in all, Mercedes Benz has maintained the elegance of the S-Class with wholesale changes resulting in a pleasing, simplistic design.

As always the new S-Class features the best and newest technology Merc’s engineers have developed over the last few years. With luxury nearing that found in a private jet, and technology like that of a fighter jet, the new S-Class comes with a very fair share of goodies, not limited to the following:
- The cabin gets two 12.3-inch TFT screens for the instrument cluster and the navitainment, a touch-sensitive telephone keypad, rear climate control with two more zones, access to infotainment media from any seat in the car – rear seat passengers can even see the Google Maps display to make sure the driver is going the right way
- Roughly 300 LEDs in the cabin offer seven hues, five dimming levels and four dimming zones will be standard and the LED brake lights dim at night or while waiting at lights so as to be kinder on the eyes of drivers behind
- Five different options in rear seating, the uppermost of which offers a backrest that reclines nearly 45 degrees, does so independently of the bolster, and has calf support and a heel rest. Get the First Class Rear package and avail yourself of a console that allows control of the center console from the rear, and thermally-controlled cupholders
- Magic Body Control that uses stereo cameras to scan the road surface and adjust the suspension in advance of road imperfections
- Massaging seats based on the “hot stone principle” for front and rear using 14 cushions in the backrest and six massage programs
- An Air Balance Package that ionizes and filters the air and emits five choices in fragrance
- Grouped under “Intelligent Drive,” the next generation of features like Active Parking Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Night View Assist Plus, Distronic Plus with Steering Assist, Brake Assist Plus with Cross-Traffic Assist, Pre-Safe Brake with pedestrian recognition
- A Warmth and Comfort package with heated steering wheel and armrests, seats with active ventilation, and power heated rear seats with memory
The 2014 S-Class will be offered with a choice of four engines, including two hybrids – the S 400 petrol and S 300 BlueTEC diesel. The conventional petrol and diesel models badged S 500 and S350 BlueTEC respectively complete the lineup. Powered by a 449bhp 4.7-litre twin-turbo V8, the S 500 is by far the fastest, covering 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds, while the S 300 BlueTEC Hybrid combines a 201bhp 2.1-litre diesel engine with a 27bhp electric motor for a combined fuel economy of 64mpg and CO2 emissions of 115g/km. AMG models are expected to be announced in the coming year as well.

Ever since Daimler-Chrysler announced the discontinuation of the Maybach brand, the S-Class has assumed the mantle of being its most luxurious offering. The 2014 S-Class is really tough to fault, with a majestic presence, efficient German engineering under the hood and the interior worthy of a Rolls-Royce. Everyone may not love the look of the new S-Class, but there’s no doubting that it still is one of the best cars available in the market today.
May 16, 2013
2014 Mercedes S-Class Picture Leaked, First Car To Use Full LED Lighting

The first official picture of the 2014 Mercedes S-Class has apparently been revealed mistakingly by Mercedes Benz itself, a fortnight ahead of its 15th May unveiling. A photo of the redesigned luxury sedan apparently popped up on Benz’s Austrian consumer website; it allegedly was quickly taken down, but not before French site blogautomobile.fr snatched it and published it.

The redesigned S-Class closely follows Mercedes’ new direction in styling with smooth lines flowing down the car. It’s not as bold as some would’ve liked but is still as elegant and harmonious as its predecessor, if not more. The 2014 Mercedes S-Class will also be the first car to use full LED lighting with some new and astounding technology, typical of the top of the range Benz.

Image credit: Car and Driver

Mercedes have already revealed a few pictures of the interiors of the new Mercedes S-Class, and it certainly meets if not exceeds the exterior’s promise of luxury. Sitting in the S-Class, one could be forgiven for feeling that they were in a Rolls or the now discontinued Maybach. The 2014 S-Class will be officially unveiled on the 15th of May, and should go on sale later this year.

Image credit: Car and Driver, blogautomobile.fr

May 3, 2013