It’s too bad that sedans are a dying breed because Mercedes-AMG is not-so-quietly building some of the best four-doors in the business. The 2021 Mercedes-AMG E63 S sedan is a superlative example, working especially well when you need to be conscious of size. As fun as the C-Class is, it feels a little small for an adult family. And the S-Class is huge. But the E-Class platform is small enough to be a nimble, high-performance machine, and large enough to not be overwhelmed by the 603 horsepower produced by the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 under the hood.
Newly facelifted for 2021, what you get for that is a smorgasbord of power, luxury, and handling, most of which is done for you through modern technology. The interior is a mix of a computer program and a tightly designed bank vault. The gauges are three-dimensional screens and the electronic nannies are paying attention, always. Of course, if the mood strikes, one can always turn off the all-wheel-drive system and go full hero in drift mode. The E63 isn’t alone in its ability to do this, however, as the BMW M5 seemingly mirrors the AMG’s performance specs and drivetrain shenanigans, although both are more hooliganish than the Audi RS7.
2021 Mercedes-AMG E63 Sedan Changes: What’s the difference vs 2020 Mercedes-AMG E63?
Mercedes-AMG gave the entire E-Class lineup, including the E63 S, a thorough facelift for the 2021 MY. In addition to a new grille with a more prominent Mercedes badge, new 20-inch alloys, slimmer taillights, the interior now boasts two 12.3-inch displays and the MBUX touch- and voice-activated infotainment system. There’s also a new twin-spoke steering wheel design with haptic buttons and larger paddle shifters.
The updated E63 S comes with six driving modes: Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport +, Individual and Race. The Manual transmission mode is now independent of the drive mode selector, granting the owner access to manual shifts without scrolling through the available options. Mercedes-AMG also claims that it retuned the air suspension to make the car more comfortable in its more sedate modes.
E63 Sedan Exterior
Mid-life facelifts tend to be subtle, but somebody forgot to give Mercedes-AMG the memo. You can tell the new model apart quite easily thanks to the newly reshaped 12-slat grille with a larger, more prominent three-pointed star, and the new A-frame lower grille. The most significant difference is found at the rear of the 4-door sedan, where it features all-new slimmer light clusters that are more closely aligned with Merc’s current design language. LED lights are standard front and rear, and a new set of 20-inch twin five-spoke alloys are standard fitment. Like every other ‘proper’ AMG, the Mercedes E63 has squared-off quad tailpipes.
Dimensions
The facelifted 2021 AMG E63 is slightly smaller than its predecessor, primarily due to the redesigned front and rear. The total length is 196.2 inches, down from 196.4. Its maximum width with mirrors is 81.3 inches, while the overall height is 57.4 inches. The 115.7-inch wheelbase provides loads of interior room. Despite more compact dimensions, the curb weight is rated at 4,497 pounds, which is more than the BMW M5.
Exterior Colors
For 2021, Mercedes-AMG added Cirrus Silver, Graphite Grey, and designo Brilliant Blue to the color palette, taking the number of available hues to 12. Standard black and white are the only no-cost options, while the metallic colors retail for $720. The metallic palette now consists of Obsidian Black, Graphite Grey, Mojave Silver, Lunar Blue, Cirrus Silver, and Selenite Grey. Merc’s designo colors make the car pop, especially with those new five twin-spoke alloy wheels. Cardinal Red costs $1,080, while Diamond White adds $1,515 to the price. The matte finishes of Selenite Grey and Brilliant Blue both retail for $3,950.
The available color palette allows for a lot of customization, which fits nicely with the car’s split personality. You can have it in basic white with the standard alloys, in which case only its quad exhausts will attract attention. Or you can go for the Brilliant Blue and matte black alloy options, in which case it looks positively sinister.
What Mercedes-AMG E63 Sedan Model Should I Buy?
If you’re stuck on the E63 S, and we wouldn’t blame you, there are only a few option packs to choose from. The first two are carbon fiber-related, but we’d skip these visual enhancements and add something more meaningful in the $1,950 Driver Assistance Package with all of the semi-autonomous features. The AMG head-up display is another nice-to-have, and pairs brilliantly with the augmented reality navigation.
The AMG E63 S is the top of the food chain in E-Class land, but you can get yourself another AMG for a smaller price that will be almost as fun as this brawler. It’s called the E53 and instead of the handcrafted 4.0L twin-turbo V8, it comes with Mercedes’ buttery smooth 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six making 429 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque with a little augmentation from an electric motor to sweeten the pot. It’s also about $34,000 less than this E63, making it a tempting choice, and probably the value proposition we’d pick.
2021 Mercedes-AMG E63 Sedan vs Mercedes-AMG E53 Sedan
The Mercedes-AMG E63 Sedan’s $100k+ sticker price is quite shocking. That’s what supercars cost not that long ago. For that reason, we’d look a little further down the range at one of AMG’s new in-between models, explicitly created to fill the gap between the humdrum sedans and the absolutely insane full-on AMG products. In this case, it’s the $73,900 E53.
The E53 uses a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six with hybrid assistance to produce 429 hp. That’s a massive power deficit, but you have to ask yourself if you need 600+ horsepower daily. The E53 is also more economical, boasting EPA-estimated figures of 21/28/24 mpg. The practical side of our brain is bellowing that the E53 is more than fast enough, more practical, and friendlier to the environment. But the fun side of the brain can’t help but be charmed by the Gatling gun soundtrack and the stupid amount of power, plus the fact that 0 to 60 comes up a full 1.1 seconds quicker. Knowing that internal combustion is on a slow march toward death, we can’t let the opportunity to own one of the great powerplants of all time pass us by. For that reason, we’d be completely illogical and get the full-fat E63 S, even if it does come at the cost of $3,000 per tenth of a second.
