The debut of the 2023 Mercedes-AMG S 63 E Performance with a hybrid engine
This electrified sports sedan reaches 60 miles per hour (96 km/h) in 3.2 seconds.
The 2023 Mercedes-AMG S 63 E Performance is the newest plug-in hybrid sports sedan from the German brand.
The result is the most powerful S-Class ever available from the German automaker.
Plug-In Hybrid Power
The heart of the S 63 E Performance is a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine and an electric motor mounted on the rear axle.
Total output is 791 horsepower (590 kilowatts) and 1,055 pound-feet (1,430 Newton-meters).
This fact makes the sedan reach 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) in about 3.2 seconds.
For the United States market, the AMG Driver Package is standard to provide a top speed of 180 miles per hour (290 km/h).
In the European market, this car can be accelerated to speeds of 155 miles per hour (250 km/hour).
For gasoline burning, the twin-turbo V8 engine produces peak power of 603 HP (450 kW) from 5,500 to 6,500 rpm. Maximum torque of 664 lb-ft (900 Nm) is available between 2,500 and 4,500 rpm.
The electric motor has a continuous output of 94 HP (70 kW). Peak 188 HP (140 kW) is available for 10 seconds internally. Maximum torque is 236 lb-ft (320 Nm). There's a two-speed transmission for it that shifts into second gear at around 87 mph (140 kph).
A 13.1 kilowatt-hour battery provides power for the motor. It is mounted at the rear above the rear axle.
Mercedes didn't specify an EV-only range but said the setup prioritizes fast power delivery over long electric driving range. This package has a 3.7 kW AC charger.
Experience
The drivetrain for the ICE portion of the powertrain consists of a nine-speed automatic that sends output to the all-wheel-drive system. The rear axle has 2.5 degrees of steering.
The S 63 E Performance rides on an adaptive air suspension that has the ability to lower the car 0.4 inches (1.02 centimeters) at speeds above 75 miles per hour (121 km/h).
This suspension also has active roll stabilization which reduces body roll when cornering. Active engine mounts can soften or stiffen the mesh between the V8 and the body, depending on driving conditions.
AMG stiffened the sports sedan's structure by adding aluminum stabilizers under the V8 and cross braces for the suspension mounting points. Diagonally, aluminum struts at the rear perform the same task.
Braking duties come from 15.7-inch discs with six-piston calipers up front and 15-inch rotors with single-piston stoppers in the rear. Ceramic-composite pieces are an optional upgrade.
How It Looks
The S 63 E Performance has a slightly more aggressive appearance than the standard S-Class. The grille has a vertical arrangement.
AMG emblem in a mix of chrome and black on the tip of the nose. The lower fascia has a large opening at the outer end. At the rear, there are four trapezoidal exhaust tips with a diffuser stretching between them.
Inside, there is seating for four people.
The MBUX infotainment system gets a special look for the AMG features and hybrid powertrain. A head-up display is also standard.
The steering wheel switch includes the ability to select between four braking recovery modes.
2023 Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance hybrid revealed, not coming to Australia
The fastest Mercedes-Benz S-Class in showrooms is now a plug-in hybrid, with 590kW and supercar acceleration – but it won't come to Australia as top-end buyers move to electric power.
The fastest version of one of the world's most luxurious cars – the 2023 Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance – has been revealed with plug-in hybrid technology, but it won't come to Australia as high-end buyers switch to electric power.
Based on the latest S-Class range, the new S63 E Performance adopts V8 plug-in hybrid technology from AMG's GT63 S E Performance sedan, with 590kW and a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.3 seconds.
But it won't come to Australia, as well-heeled buyers of high-end Mercedes-Benz performance limousines switch from petrol to electric power, in the new AMG EQS53 electric car.
Over the past decade, Mercedes-Benz has on average sold fewer than a dozen S63 sedans in Australia each year – but with fewer than six months in showrooms, the EQS has already chalked up 67 reported sales.
“When we had the S63 coupe and cabriolet alongside the S63 sedan, demand for the S63 range was a lot higher. But the market has shifted and we now have a more diverse range of cars in the upper echelon,” a Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman recently told Drive.
“We’re selling more of these models [the EQS, as well as the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe, and Maybach range] than we have S63,” the spokesman said.
“We still have high performance in a limousine, but there is now a broader choice of vehicles. And buyers are favouring these models, especially the electric EQS.”
Powering the S63 E Performance is a 450kW/900Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V8 from the previous model – but it's now coupled to a 140kW electric motor, nine-speed automatic gearbox, and 13.1kWh battery pack.
Combined, the system quotes an epic 590kW and 1430Nm – good for a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.3 seconds, thanks to all-wheel drive, and a top speed of up to 290km/h.
The electric component of the hybrid system places the motor on the rear axle, driving the rear wheels directly through an electronically-controlled two-speed transmission and a limited-slip differential.
Mercedes-AMG says this system sees electric power bypass the V8's nine-speed automatic transmission – claimed to allow "the torque of both drive units can be fully utilised", and more effectively apply its power to the wheels.
As in other cars with AMG's E Performance hybrid tech – including the GT63 and new C63 – the petrol engine and electric motor can still shift their power freely around the car, as there remains a mechanical connection between the front and rear axles.
The electric motor's two-speed transmission allows it to deliver quick acceleration off the line in first gear, and shift to second at higher speeds to improve efficiency and overtaking response.
Compared to the AMG GT63 S E Performance sedan, the S63's battery is significantly larger, at 13.1kWh vs 6.1kWh – which increases electric driving range to 33km, rather than just 12km in the GT.
The battery – placed above the rear axle, and developed in conjunction with Mercedes-AMG F1 engineers – can deliver 70kW of continuous power to the electric motor, or the maximum 140kW for 10-second bursts.
This peak is 10kW lower than the GT63 S E Performance's motor – which, combined with 20kW less from the petrol engine, places the new S63's combined power output 30kW lower than its sibling.
Other highlights of the drivetrain include individual cooling for the battery cells, a mild-hybrid-style integrated starter-generator unit connected to the engine, and four regenerative braking modes (including a one-pedal mode).
There are seven drive modes – Electric, Comfort, Battery Hold, Sport, Sport+, Slippery and Individual – which vary the balance of petrol and electric power, transmission response, steering weight, suspension firmness, and exhaust sound.
The nine-speed auto is AMG's multi-clutch design – rather than the conventional torque-converter design in the regular S-Class – while the engine connects to the chassis with active mounts, which can vary their stiffness in real time.
Under the skin, highlights include adaptive air suspension (which automatically lowers at high speeds), additional underbody bracing, 48-volt active anti-roll bars, and rear-wheel steering (with up to 2.5 degrees of rotation, down from 10 in the standard car).
The brakes measure 400mm up front (with six pistons) and 380mm at the rear (with one piston), and are available with composite discs as standard, or carbon ceramics as an option.
The S63 can be told apart on the road by a unique front end with AMG's 'Panamericana' grille and larger air intakes, 20- or 21-inch alloy wheels, new side skirts, and a restyled rear bumper with a diffuser-style insert and four trapezoidal exhaust outlets.
It's said to be the first S-Class sedan with an AMG-specific grille bearing the Mercedes-Benz star – rather than its iconic position sitting high on the bonnet.
Inside, AMG-specific touches include AMG-embossed nappa leather upholstery, an AMG Performance steering wheel with rotary controls for the drive modes, and new performance displays in the multimedia system.
The instrument cluster and head-up display include their own AMG-specific views, while the AMG model offers Dolby Atmos sound technology, claimed to feed multiple audio channels to the speakers and "create a 360-degree experience".
A full suite of the latest advanced safety technology is available, including adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist – plus, in time, Level 3 hands-free (but eyes on the road) semi-autonomous driving.
