Evelyn Reynolds

Nissan’s new compact SUV has a nice interior, lots of features, and drives far better than its predecessor. More

Porsche’s 911 proves it’s possible to have your engine in the wrong place and still compete with mid-engine sports cars. AMG does the same thing with the GT, but its front-engine layout isn’t nearly as unconventional as the 911’s rear-engine pendulum. With a V-8 up front and tucked behind the axle line, the GT is far less offensive to Newton’s laws. While most AMG GTs cost less than $200,000 and compete with a mix of front-, rear-, and mid-engine cars, the new $400,000 Black Series version is vying for buyers in a class where a jewel-cased engine between the driver and the rear wheels is the norm.
The GT Black Series will be the top Benz in terms of performance until the much-delayed AMG One arrives. It’s the brand’s most powerful road car, and the Black Series branding is a sort of AMG equivalent to a 30-year-old single malt. The AMG GT R is a potent machine, but the Black Series treatment moves this GT closer to the performance level of the GT3 racer.

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Mercedes-AMG

720-HP Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series Finally Here

All the Former Mercedes-AMG Black Series Models

Under the long, louche hood and tucked well behind the front axle line is a new version of AMG’s 4.0-liter V-8 that uses a flat-plane crankshaft instead of a crossplane crank. The new engine’s 7200-rpm redline is only 200-rpm higher, but AMG says that the better thermodynamic balance from the flat-plane’s firing cycle that alternates between cylinder banks creates more balanced gas flow. An equally important change is a pair of bigger turbochargers that deliver up to 24.6 psi of boost. Peak output rises to 720 horsepower. The ratio of horses to pounds has been shifted further by extensive use of carbon-fiber composite. The fenders, hood, and tailgate are all carbon rich, as is most of the cabin trim. The Black Series sheds a claimed 77 pounds compared to the GT R.
Aerodynamics measures are similarly extreme. The surface area of the Black Series’s front end is covered in vents, scoops, and intakes. The radiator grille is larger and toothier, and beneath it sits an extended front diffuser big enough to require motorsports-style tension ties. Both the diffuser and the huge rear wing have manually adjustable positions. An active element is on the trailing edge of the wing. Peak downforce is more than 880 pounds at 155 mph. Suspension is also owner adjustable, with more negative camber available when aligning, as well as adjustable anti-roll bars.

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Mercedes-AMG

The Black Series has been designed for life on the racetrack, and that’s all that AMG allowed us to experience—with multiple laps on the Lausitzring in northeast Germany. Originally built as a superspeedway with a 2.3-mile tri-oval layout, our drive was on the tighter infield course still used by the German touring-car series. It’s a track that still includes committing to turning onto the start-finish straight while facing concrete barriers and zero runoff.
A familiarization lap is enough to sense the darkness of the Black Series’s heart. It is hard and angry and unyielding under even modest pressure. Steering is ultra direct and brimming with the sort of vibration and unfiltered sensation that normally gets filtered out by chassis engineers. Even at a tire-warming pace the engine feels mighty, the 590 pound-feet of torque is nearly ever present as the peak extends from 2000 to 6000 rpm. Carbon-ceramic brakes squeal and grumble when cold, and the combination of six-point harnesses and the optional carbon-fiber bucket seats—which sadly won’t be available in the United States—make the experience feel like sitting in a race car waiting for a green flag.

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Mercedes-AMG

This arrives on the second lap when pacesetter and multiple DTM champion Bernd Schneider, clearly convinced our tires are warm enough and that we know the track as well as we need to, drops the hammer and heads off in the leading car at a seemingly impossible pace. Fully unleashed, the Black Series’s engine delivers predictably forceful longitudinal loadings, combining organ-sloshing G-forces with a soundtrack that, even experienced through the insulation of a crash helmet, comes close to being painful. AMG’s claimed 3.2-second zero-to-62-mph time is hugely impressive, but it’s the claim of a sub-9-second dash from rest to 124 mph that is more indicative of this GT’s potency.
The Black Series is reassuringly comfortable under huge braking loads, and it turns into the Lausitzring’s faster corners with the security that comes from copious downforce. But getting it to rotate in tighter turns soon proves to be trickier than expected, certainly than it would be in its mid-engine competition. There’s more understeer in the setup, perhaps to keep us from spinning into the walls, and after a couple of laps of trying to match Schneider’s pace we end up further and further from slower-corner apexes.

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Mercedes-AMG

Relearning a lesson often cited in the days when even the fastest racers had their engines at the sharp end—slow in, fast out—improved the Black Series’s behavior. It has more than enough firepower to compensate for lower entry speeds. Traction is huge, the vast 335-width rear Michelin Cup 2 tires delivering massive grip, but it is also possible to make the rear end playful using the variable traction-control system, which stays active even with the stability control turned off to allow precisely controlled rear-end slip. This makes it both easier and much less scary to slide around than a car with most of its mass in back.
We don’t have confirmed U.S. pricing for the Black Series yet, but considering what AMG charges in Europe we can expect it to break new ground for both the brand and front-engine sports cars. When the GT makes it across the Atlantic, it might be pushing $400,000. That’s more than the considerably quicker McLaren 765LT and about twice as much as the GT R Pro that sits beneath it in the AMG hierarchy. The Black Series is definitely a special car, but not that special.

Specifications

Specifications
2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series
VEHICLE TYPE front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door hatchback
ESTIMATED BASE PRICE $400,000
ENGINE TYPE twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement 243 in3, 3982 cm3Power 720 hp @ 6900 rpmTorque 590 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION 7-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 103.7 inLength: 181.2 inWidth: 79.6 inHeight: 50.4 inCargo volume: 10 ft3Curb weight (C/D est): 3600 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST) 60 mph: 2.9 sec100 mph: 6.0 sec1/4 mile: 10.4 secTop speed: 202 mph

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Volkswagen invited us down to Chattanooga, Tennessee, for a brief drive of an ID.4 electric crossover prototype alongside a Mazda CX-5 AWD. Since we made the trip from our Kentucky base to VW’s United States headquarters in a VW Tiguan SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion, we had a representative trio for our brief comparison test.

2021 VW ID.4 Revealed with 250-Mile Range

VW ID.3 Headlines VW’s Electrified Future

In April of this year, the CX-5 and Tiguan finished first and second, respectively, in our six-way compact crossover comparo. Since the ID.4’s debut a week ago, VW has stressed its desire for the ID.4 to be seen as a competitor for combustion-engine offerings as well as electric challengers such as the Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Hyundai Kona Electric. That gives the electric German quite the task—convincing shoppers to step away from the security of the familiar while overcoming the lure of Japanese juggernauts like the Toyota Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V.
The ID.4’s looks arguably straddle a middle ground, more exotic than the ICE competition but less racy than the Mach-E and Model Y, which have steeply raked coupe rooflines. The ID.4’s roof sits 1.9 inches lower than a Tiguan’s, but its 8.2 inches of ground clearance (for the European model) is 0.3 inches more than the Tiguan offers, ensuring it skews more crossover than wagon. The VW’s rear bumper blends some unexpected lines and textures, but overall it presents a fulsome, handsome form. If someone replaced the VW badges with those from Citroen’s DS luxury line, we wouldn’t have known better.

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Volkswagen

The shape moves through the air cleanly enough, with VW citing a coefficient of drag of 0.28, matching the Audi e-tron. The Tesla Model Y comes in at a claimed 0.23, while Ford has only committed to a figure “below 0.30” for the Mach-E.
Since we were driving a prototype, we can’t deliver final judgment on issues such as noise, vibration, and harshness, which are still undergoing tuning and where there’s clearly work to be done. Every ID.4 comes with keyless access, the crossover powered up and primed to go as soon as the driver takes his seat and presses the brake pedal. At that point, the EV is silent. Get moving, and the ear detects the Jetsons-like whir common to every EV, but the motor also emits a subtle, high-pitched whine as it spools up to its 16,000 rpm peak. We could hear the whine inside the cabin and, rolling down the windows at low speeds, confirm that it could be also heard outside the car.
The prototype rode on European-spec all-season Pirelli P Zeros that created a mild resonant thrum on all but the most polished road surfaces. U.S. models will get a selection of Hankook, Pirelli, or Bridgestone all-season rubber, depending on tire size. Aerodynamic sleight of hand keeps wind noise on par for the segment, the turbulence no worse at 65 mph than it was at 35.

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Volkswagen

When we had a chance for spirited runs on a 30-mile suburban loop, we discovered a squishy brake pedal with long travel. Volkswagen fits drums on the ID.4’s rear axle, same as on the ID.3. VW says an EV’s typical duty cycle includes so much regenerative braking that “disc brakes on the rear can be less effective than drums after long periods of not being put to heavy use.” That sounds to us like a cost-saving measure wrapped in a performance justification. Even the Chevrolet Bolt uses four-wheel disc brakes, and that car can be stopped using Fred Flintstone’s best-foot-forward technique. We preferred the ID.4’s B mode, which increases brake energy recuperation to make driving mostly a one-pedal operation.
All of those issues, except the drum brakes, can be tuned to satisfaction with some more attention from the engineers.
In the solid win column, the ID.4 was clearly the best-handling machine in our trio. A healthy portion of the ID.4’s advantage came from being the only rear-wheel driver of the bunch. VW likes to pepper GTI references into conversations about the ID.4’s handling. That’s a bit optimistic, but only a bit. In our April crossover test, we said, “The Tiguan feels like a GTI for responsible adults,” minus some agility and road hugging. The ID.4 feels like a GTI for electric crossover buyers, offering the same playfulness that distinguishes the Tiguan.

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Volkswagen

The e-motor’s maximum output of 228 pound-feet of torque isn’t generous for a vehicle weighing a claimed 4559 pounds in base Pro trim, but the instant application of every pound-foot delivered a little snap of the head with each stab on the throttle. Volkswagen hasn’t yet pegged a zero-to-60-mph time, only saying it’s less than 7.8 seconds, which sounds consistent with the rated 201 horsepower. Steering is sharp, the crossover’s stubby nose easy to place on a chosen line. And the ID.4’s 33.6-foot turning circle is 1.8 feet smaller than the Chevrolet Bolt’s.
Damping and body control are excellent, with body roll checked by a 24-mm anti-roll bar in front and a 22.5-mm bar out back. It took more work in the ID.4 than the CX-5 or Tiguan to get the tires to beg for mercy, and there’s a small window for using the throttle to place the rear wheels. Once you’ve overcooked 4,600 pounds of RWD compact crossover into an acute corner, though, there are no heroics to attempt. It’s time to get hard on the brakes.

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Volkswagen

We’ll need to wait for a real drive time in a retail model to render a final verdict. But the ID.4 prototype wasn’t far from delivering the pleasant EV ambience we’d expect, and it already stands out thanks to its style. Unlike the coupe-roofed competition, it hasn’t sacrificed roominess or utility for looks. Dynamically, the little crossover already delivers, a chunky pup game to get friskier than almost any of its buyers will ever demand. The AWD model promises to be even better, especially if VW programs some spirited torque shuffling between the front and rear motors.
Already priced below the Mach-E and Model Y before federal and state discounts, buyers who apply the full $7,500 federal tax credit can pocket healthy savings by choosing the VW over the Ford or Tesla. Even after the federal credit, though, the ID.4 charges a notable premium over status-quo models like the CR-V and CX-5. We’re skeptical that VW’s EV will siphon off a substantial number of traditional compact crossover buyers, but the ID.4 is a big move in the right direction.

Specifications

Specifications
2021 Volkswagen ID.4
VEHICLE TYPEMid-motor, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger wagon
BASE PRICE $41,190
MOTORPermanent-magnet synchronous AC motor, 201 hp, 228 lb-ft; 77.0-kWh lithium-ion battery pack
TRANSMISSIONSingle-speed direct-drive
DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 108.9 inLength: 180.5 inWidth: 72.9 inHeight: 64.4 inPassenger volume: 102–103 ft3Cargo volume: 30 ft3Curb weight (C/D est): 4600 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST) 60 mph: 7.5 sec100 mph: 21.5 sec1/4 mile: 15.9 secTop speed: 126 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST) Combined/city/highway: 115/120/110 MPGeRange: 250 miles 

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Cutting the roof off of Aston’s Vantage coupe makes for a beautiful, attention-grabbing beast with 503-hp twin-turbo V-8. More

Electrification is coming fast, and the greatest ideological quandary for manufacturers that embrace it is whether to buy or build an EV platform. Is it better to invest the huge amounts necessary to create an all-new architecture or hammer out an existing vehicle for electric operation? While the first approach is braver and more future proof, it’s also much more expensive. Lacking the ability to write as many zeros on a check as larger makers such as Volkswagen, Volvo has taken the second option with its 2021 XC40 Recharge P8.
Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture underpins the Recharge and was designed with electrification in mind—it also forms the basis for the Polestar 2 EV—but its engineers still had to make substantial changes to accommodate the P8’s powertrain and ensure it is as safe as any other XC40. Compact 201-hp electric motors power each axle, with the front end having gained a new reinforcing underbody structure in place of the regular model’s internal-combustion engine. This space also houses the powertrain’s electronic controls and a small frunk designed to accommodate a charging cable. A 75-kWh lithium-ion battery pack is mounted under the floor in an aluminum cage, where it reduces ground clearance from 8.3 inches to 6.9. But in terms of packaging, the only compromise is a nearly 25-percent smaller cargo hold behind the rear seats.

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Volvo

Volvo Ad Needs an App to See XC40 Recharge

Volvo Unveils 408-HP XC40 Recharge Electric SUV

The P8 mostly looks like a regular XC40, too. From the outside, only model-specific badging and the lack of both a conventional radiator grille and any exhaust tailpipes serve to distinguish it from its fossil-fueled brethren. The passenger compartment is similarly unchanged beyond the replacement of the tachometer in the digital instrument cluster with a power-flow meter. As with other XC40s, cabin space is good by the standards of the compact SUV segment, although materials are more redolent of durability than luxury. The only other notable revision is the pioneering arrival of Volvo’s new Android-based operating system that’s shared with the Polestar 2, which combines some vehicle controls and infotainment functions and is navigated via the central portrait-oriented touchscreen.
The P8 shares both its powertrain and 402-hp total output with the Polestar 2, but the two vehicles have very different characters. We expect the slightly heavier Volvo to be almost as rapid as the Polestar with an estimated 4.3-second zero-to-60-mph time; we clocked the Polestar at 4.1 seconds to 60 mph. The immediacy of the powertrain’s response is impressive, and the twin motors give their all almost silently. Traction is excellent, even in the damp conditions we tested the car in, although the level of thrust tails off at higher speeds. We still had no difficulty confirming the 112-mph speed limiter that Volvo now fits to all of its cars.

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Volvo

Abrupt acceleration is the XC40 Recharge’s occasional party trick, but not one that really suits its character. The P8’s suspension settings are pliant and clearly biased more toward comfort than iron-fisted body control. The Recharge weighs an estimated 4900 pounds, or roughly a half-ton more than an all-wheel-drive gasoline XC40 T5. On undulating surfaces the chassis struggles to settle down, and larger bumps had the passive dampers fighting to maintain disciplined control. The mighty electric motors have no difficulty motivating the P8’s bulk, but persuading its mass to quickly change direction results in the front tires quickly surrendering to understeer.
The P8 is far more impressive when driven at a casual pace. There’s something almost Bentley-like about its combination of effortless acceleration and relaxed handling. Cruising refinement is excellent, with only the faintest hint of wind noise coming from the tops of the doors at 75 mph. Volvo’s Pilot Assist remains one of the better smart-cruise-control systems, capable of deftly managing both stop-and-go congestion and flowing traffic.
Volvo’s regenerative-braking setup allows you to select a one-pedal driving mode that delivers forceful deceleration when you let off the accelerator. But we actually found this setting a little too aggressive for smooth operation at urban speeds. Switching it off allows the P8 to coast, with both regenerative and friction braking controlled by the left pedal. Volvo is predicting an EPA range of more than 200 miles, with the P8 supporting DC fast charging at speeds of up to 150 kW—enough to take the battery from empty to 80 percent in just 40 minutes. Maxing our the car’s 11-kW onboard charger with a Level 2 charging station will replenish the pack in around 7.5 hours.

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Volvo

The Android operating system is generally a welcome addition, although Volvo says the version we experienced didn’t represent the final specification. The core interface looks great, with intuitive and crisply rendered app icons on the central touchscreen. But the mapping for the Google-based navigation seemed no better than the one you’d get running Android Auto on a smartphone. It failed to label sizeable towns when zoomed out and rendered minor roads as thin black lines that looked like cracks on the high-definition screen.
Considering Volvo’s pledge that by 2025 half of all the cars it produces globally will be EVs, with the remainder either hybrids or plug-ins, the fully electric XC40 Recharge impresses on many levels. But with an expected price that will just slip under $50,000, not including federal and local tax credits, we expect it will have to fight to find its niche within a quickly expanding premium EV segment. While the United States likely won’t get the less-powerful and more affordable front-wheel-drive version that will be sold in other markets, the Recharge P8 does nicely illustrate Volvo’s commitment to electrification.

Specifications

Specifications
2021 Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge
VEHICLE TYPE front- and mid-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
BASE PRICE (C/D EST) $49,500
MOTOR 2 permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors, 201 hp, 243 lb-ft (each); combined output, 402 hp, 487 lb-ft; 75.0-kWh lithium-ion battery pack
ENGINES single-speed direct-drive
TRANSMISSION single-speed direct-drive
DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 106.4 inLength: 174.2 inWidth: 73.0 inHeight: 65.0 inPassenger volume: 95 ft3Cargo volume: 17 ft3Curb weight (C/D est): 4900 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST) 60 mph: 4.3 sec100 mph: 10.7 sec1/4 mile: 12.9 secTop speed: 112 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST) Combined/city/highway: 115/120/110 MPGeRange: 200 miles

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10/1/20 UPDATE: This review has been updated with test results for the 2.0T SH-AWD model.
It’s been a while since Acura built a worthy sports sedan. Although the TL and TSX earned comparison-test victories in their day, merging the two to create the tweener 2015 TLX failed to capture the magic of either. Meanwhile, Acura’s other sedan, the Honda Civic–­based ILX, has withered on the vine, and when the 11th-gen Civic debuts in the coming months, the ILX will be two whole Civic generations behind.
[pullquote align=’center’]HIGHS: Impressive underpinnings, standout looks, good value.[/pullquote]
It’s a good thing that the new TLX is an extremely credible and full-fledged effort. Parked next to a BMW 3-series, the TLX looks supercar wide, backing up Acura’s boasts about the width and low roofline of its new sedan. Compared with the Bimmer, it has an extra 3.3 inches between its flanks. It’s also 8.9 inches longer.
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[editoriallinks id=’0b8a1684-45df-4788-bfab-cc874887d10c’ align=’left’][/editoriallinks]
That added width isn’t just for your eyeballs; it’s for your elbows and hips, too. Interior room up front is generous, with lots of space between the driver and passenger. The cabin also shows off real wood or textured aluminum trim. But the larger footprint brings with it that universal enemy of performance: weight. At 4026 pounds, our top-trim TLX Advance with the optional SH-AWD is more than 300 pounds heavier than a 330i xDrive and some 600 pounds heavier than a Honda Accord.
Yet, despite its size, the TLX’s rear-seat accommodations are on the small side for a luxury compact sedan. But Acura has a reasonable explanation: Consumers’ widespread migration to crossovers gave the development team the courage to sacrifice interior space on the altar of beauty, as everyone who’s shopping for maximum practicality has already moved on to an SUV.
[pullquote align=’center’]LOWS: Smallish back seat, unsporty transmission, low-grip tires.[/pullquote][image id=’e8ad5b1f-0dd3-47fb-9f9c-0905c67eb374′ mediaId=’4b238d0d-64c9-408b-86aa-64213a6466d8′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]
The chassis is also a major differentiator. Set up and engineered for the handling needs of the performance-focused Type S model that will launch in spring of 2021, the structure is stiff, with perfectly dialed-in chassis tuning. TLX Advance models feature adaptive damping and a handful of driving modes, but the Comfort and Normal settings have too much float. The base car’s nonadjustable suspension tuning strikes us as just right. Remember when BMWs used to have one excellent setup? The regular TLX is like that.
Laying the Groundwork
Building a great-driving car starts with a firm foundation of stampings, castings, and extrusions. Acura’s TLX benefits from an overhauled architecture, designed with the fortitude to make the high-perform­ance Type S work. No chassis parts are shared with the Honda Accord, which is built in the same Ohio assembly plant. Lengthening the distance between the dash and front axle yields almost rear-drive proportions. Only the longish front overhang hints at the transverse-engine, front-drive setup. The control-arm front suspension is a return to Acura sedans of the past, and it’s a claimed 85 percent stiffer laterally than the last TLX’s strut setup. The rear suspension gains a link (to five total) for better wheel control; lateral stiffness is up 45 percent. Under hood, the four-cylinder sits so far ahead of the axle, it looks as if you could remove the steering rack from above. That extra room is to accommodate the TLX Type S’s turbo V-6. The battery moves to the rear for the first time in an Acura, shifting a claimed 52 pounds to the tail, while the use of aluminum for the front fenders and shock towers removes 29 pounds from the nose. Acura says the center of gravity shifts 3.4 inches rearward. Our all-wheel-drive test car had a 57.2/42.8 percent front/rear weight distribution.
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Far More Expensive, but Still a Bargain
The price is up $4500, but the TLX’s $38,525 entry point is still $3720 less than a 3-series’. Add $2000 if you want all-wheel drive. At launch, the TLX gets a transversely mounted 272-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four from the RDX and Honda’s 10-speed automatic. It’s a satisfying powertrain, and the electronically enhanced engine noises are natural-sounding and pleasing, which isn’t the norm.
The fourth generation of Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (a.k.a. SH-AWD) reacts quicker and with more available rear bias than the last, and you can feel the system tightening your line during vigorous cornering as it overdrives the outside rear tire. The 10-speed serves admirably across the Honda and Acura lineups, but the programming and responses aren’t much different here than they are in, say, an Odyssey minivan. And its lazy reaction to paddle inputs and refusal to hold gears stand out as detriments. The brakes are the same system used in the NSX but with slightly less aggressive tuning. The pedal is firm and easy to modulate, unlike some similar “by-wire” systems.
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In a drag race, the TLX can’t hang with the quick end of the segment, and annoyingly, it’s not as swift as its little brother, the Accord 2.0T. Acura fits the TLX’s 19-inch wheels that come on everything but the base model with Michelin’s Primacy A/S, a tire chosen not for its grip but probably its long tread wear, ride comfort, low noise, and minimized rolling resistance. Although the steering is quicker than before, and with progressively wider gear-tooth spacing so the response quickens as you turn the wheel off-center, turn-in is dull, and the tires squeal even at responsible street speeds. On the skidpad, an Accord Sport on narrower but more aggressive all-season tires outperforms the TLX, 0.89 g to 0.87 g. And the setup hurts the Acura’s stopping distances: Both the 70-mph and 100-mph braking figures are a ways off from those of the summer-tire-wearing segment leaders.
Acura’s choice of a laid-back tire is a shame, as the dialed-in chassis is begging for more grip. Torsional rigidity is up by a claimed 50 percent, and you can feel it. There’s greatness in the latest TLX, but it’s going to take the Type S’s 355-hp turbocharged V-6 and 20-inch Pirelli P Zero PZ4s to fully realize it.
[vehicle type=’specpanel’ automotive-tagset-id=”][/vehicle]
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From the November 2007 issue of Car and Driver.
In the convoluted hierarchy that constitutes the Mercedes-Benz model lineup, the S63 AMG makes sense as the bargain performance version of the S-class topliner.

2021 Mercedes S-Class vs. BMW and Audi Flagships

Mercedes Fills 2021 S-Class with New Technology

We Drive Every Generation of the Mercedes S-Class

The S63 AMG runs 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and rips through the quarter-mile in 13.0 seconds at 110 mph, all for the comparatively low base price of $130,775. (Yes, and we do mean comparatively.) Against that, the twin-turbo V-12 S600 covers those benchmarks in 4.2 seconds and 12.6 seconds at 115 mph, but it costs $147,975. If that’s not enough speed or money, the über-S-class, the S65 AMG, starts at $189,575, matches the S600’s 0-to-60 time, and records a 12.4-second quarter-mile at 118 mph.

Highs: Looks great, reeks of money, performs superbly.

Of course, the S63 looks the part, with typically stylish AMG body modifications and gorgeous 20-inch wheels shod with suitably low-profile 35-series Pirelli P Zeros. Inside, it features a special AMG steering wheel with aluminum shifter paddles and heavily bolstered AMG sport seats. Alcantara and leather cover almost every surface, convincing occupants that the car costs money with a capital M.

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The S63 sounds wonderful, too, thanks to the now ubiquitous AMG 6.2-liter V-8, which growls malevolently under hard throttle. It’s not as swift as the S600 and S65 at covering 30-to-50- and 50-to-70-mph passing, but times of 2.7 and 3.4 seconds, respectively, are still obscenely quick. The sport-tuned suspension gives up some ride quality compared with the S600 and S550, but the upside is that one can make this big car dance in the twisties. Braking, too, is impressive, with the 70-to-0-mph stop taking 159 feet.

Lows: The ride can be harsh, hugely expensive.

But no matter how well the S63 performs, there was this nagging question: Do we really need a sporty version of the planet’s best luxury car? The S550 is so good and so capable that we kept thinking the raison d’être for the S63, other than as a profit center, is to show other Mercedes drivers that, well, you’re even better off then they are. In this day and age, when too much is never enough, the S63 serves a useful function, as it also delights the stockholders and management of Daimler AG.

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS
2008 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG
VEHICLE TYPE Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED$136,245 (base price: $130,775)
ENGINE TYPE DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 379 cu in, 6208ccPower: 518 bhp @ 6800 rpmTorque: 465 lb-ft @ 5200 rpm
TRANSMISSION 7-speed automatic with manumatic shifting
DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 124.6 inLength: 205.0 inWidth: 73.7 inHeight: 58.0 inCurb weight: 4910 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS Zero to 60 mph: 4.5 secZero to 100 mph: 10.8 secZero to 150 mph: 27.3 secStreet start, 5-60 mph: 4.9 secStanding ¼-mile: 13.0 sec @ 110 mphTop speed (governor limited): 155 mphBraking, 70-0 mph: 159 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.88 g
FUEL ECONOMYEPA city/highway driving: 11 mpgC/D observed: 12 mpg

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