If you were lamenting Mercedes’ decision to swap out the nearly 4.0-liter V8 in the C 63 with half a cylinder, the new S 63 e Performance for 2023 could help Mercedes make amends. The most powerful S-Class ever features the same complex hybrid powertrain as the new C 63 AMG, but there’s no four-cylinder under its long hood. Oh no, the S 63 E’s performance retains that classic twin-turbo V8, and with the added help of an electric motor and a bigger battery than the C 63, makes power figures that are frankly astronomical.
It definitely looks the part. For the first time, the S 63 features AMG’s signature Panamericana front grille. Both the front and rear ends look more aggressive, but on the inside, little has changed from the standard S-Class. Being the head of Mercedes, S It’s already a tech tour de force with its optional augmented reality head-up display, 4D surround-sound system and all of its driver assist systems. The new S 63 takes all of this with it in its transformation into an AMG-powered machine. rear-wheel steering, air suspension, and a new anti-roll system with electromechanical anti-roll bars Supports the new S 63 and is all standard kit. That’s all well and good, but the real title grabber is the power figures.
Thanks Affalterbach: V8 is back!
It starts with the engine that we enthusiasts are already missing in the C 63. The 604-horsepower 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 is carried over from the previous S 63 AMG and mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission, but here it’s mated to one. 13.1-kWh battery pack that feeds the rear-axle-mounted electric motor. The motor is integrated with a two-speed transmission and an electronically controlled limited-slip differential. The engine and electric motor combine for a total system output of 791 horsepower and 1,055 lb-ft of torque. All that juice is sent to all four wheels, 0-60 mph is clocked at an estimated 3.2 seconds, and top speed is limited to 180 mph.
While this may be complicated, there’s no denying the performance benefits the additional hybrid system offers. The electric motor powers the V8, adding 94 horsepower all the time, but horsepower can be boosted up to 187 hp every 10 seconds. The two-speed transmission is there to ensure that the e-motor always stays within a peak operating rev range, and that’s exactly what Audi and Porsche have done with the two-speed transmissions in the e-tron GT and Taycan, respectively.
The battery pack is cooled directly by 3.7 gallons of non-conductive liquid that flows around each of the 1,200 battery cells and cools them individually. Mercedes says the result is a battery pack with an average temperature of 133 degrees. According to Mercedes, this is the perfect operating window for the batteries, and ensures that they discharge energy quickly without degradation in performance. Charging speed for the battery is capped at 3.7 kW, but the relatively small pack should mean that even at such a low charging rate, you won’t be spending much time topping up the battery at your local charging station .
If you never want to set foot near a charger again, though, there are four regeneration modes on the new S 63. Like most energy recovery systems, it takes energy that is normally lost during braking or coasting and feeds it back into the battery. In its most aggressive mode, Level 3 Regen, the S 63 also offers what Mercedes says is “almost” one-pedal driving. Level 0 provides the least amount of regeneration and allows the S63 to coast smoothly as if the car were in neutral. Level 1 is the default setting, and according to Mercedes, feels like engine braking in a standard car. Level 2 is more noticeable, and Mercedes says there’s rarely a need to touch the brakes in this mode because of how much regen is happening.
Modes Galore
If four Regione modes weren’t enough for you, don’t worry, the S 63 has Seven Drive mode to choose from. In order, the modes are Electric, Comfort, Battery Hold, Sport, Sport+, Slippery, and a Personal mode. In electric mode, the S 63 relies entirely on the e-motor, and Mercedes estimates the S 63 will be able to go about 20 miles on battery power alone. Battery Hold mode keeps the battery at whatever level the mode was selected from.
For example, if the battery was at 50% when it switched into Battery Hold, the car would reduce power consumption to ensure that the battery remained at that level. Individual, as you might have guessed, allows you to change the settings for the powertrain, transmission, stability control system, suspension, steering weight and exhaust to your liking. Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Slippery ramp power delivery, change the transmission’s shift pattern, and adjust the firmness of the air suspension and how the electromechanical anti-roll bars react.
There’s so much trick tech here that it’s hard to see how all these systems will work together in practice, but we’ll be sure to find out once we get time behind the wheel next year. As far as price goes, Mercedes isn’t saying anything right now, but we’d be surprised if this car wasn’t significantly more expensive than the previous S 63 AMG, which started at over $150,000. Whatever the cost, we’ll know more in 2023.
