2024 Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance Review: Mean and (Kinda) Green

Over one thousand pound-feet of torque.

There are a whole bunch of superlatives associated with this, the 2024 Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance. Yet it’s that torque figure that remains in my brain even after my time with the latest uber-S comes to a close. A 40-foot blazing neon sign (probably done up in the color-swapping style of the car’s ambient lighting), reigning above the more demure signage about the ample rear space, a wicked sound system, or the HOV-lane exception the plug-in powertrain provides.

That’s not to say the S63 is a one-trick pony. No, it’s the other way around: it’s maybe the closest thing to the old jack-of-all-trades adage, just skipping the pesky second half.

The “E Performance” bit of the name. The folks in Affalterbach have kept the S63’s wicked turbocharged 4.0-liter V8— no downsizing here—but connected it to a performance hybrid system. It’s fiendishly complex: the setup sits on the rear axle, with its own two-speed transmission along with an electronic limited-slip differential. AMG has set this up for its own purposes, prioritizing quick power discharge instead of long-distance near-silent cruising. The electric quotient adds 188 horsepower to the V8’s 603 hp tally, for 791 total ponies. When everything is working in tandem, the S63 puts down a full 1,055 lb-ft. 4Matic all-wheel drive is standard, naturally. A 13.1-kilowatt-hour battery pack provides the juice and a nominal 16 miles (26 kilometers) of range, at least officially.

Joining the party to ensure agility matches straight-line ability, the S63 benefits from rear-axle steering, uniquely tuned electromechanical roll bars, and new active engine mounts. BMW might have added 1,000 pounds to the latest M5, but this S63 isn’t far behind: curb weight is around 5,700 pounds (2,585 kilograms).

This generation of S-Class has been around for a few years now. The model’s continued dominance in the segment, along with the arrivals of both its eggy ( soon-to-retire) EQS sibling and the slab-like BMW 7 Series, has made the S seem almost—whisper it—bland, at least to these eyes. The AMG-ification adds some welcome muscle, with unique side skirts, a prominent rear diffuser, and a dramatic front bumper replete with gaping air intakes. The big grille and its characteristic vertical slats allow for plenty of cooling air into that tightly packed engine bay. Even at this price, not everything is real: those quad tips out back are fake.

In an era of 24s, the S63’s 21-inch alloys, wrapped in 255-width rubber up front and 285s out back, is almost modest. Almost.

Can the thunder of AMG’s awesome V8 really mesh with the eco mindset of a plug-in powertrain? Yes: this is tech derived from Hamilton and Russell’s weekend chariots, after all. Sure, by default the S63 starts in EV mode, which is helpful should you not want to wake the neighbors at ungodly-o-clock. It'll stay there too if you'd like, right up to highway speeds. But twist the steering wheel-mounted dial over to Sport and the beast awakens.

Go further still and you’ve got both on boil, giving the S63 that sort of effortless acceleration only very big, very powerful vehicles have. An Ioniq 5 N might be quicker to 60 mph (the S does it in 3.3 seconds, natch), but the Merc will keep the same rate of acceleration basically until the limiter stops play. All the while, there’s the rolling thunder from somewhere far ahead and far behind you, muffled just a bit because this is the classy, insulated AMG.

The benefits to this quick-access battery is that a spirited drive will basically refill the charge all on its own. It’s possible to plug the thing in and charge at a glacial 3.7 kW—and I suppose you might as well if you’re parking it in your climate-controlled garage. But it isn’t necessary; I did quick errands on battery power a few times, always after building charge back up from simply driving.

Other than the occasional shunt during the 3–2 and 2–1 downshifts (in Sport mode), the nine-speed automatic does its thing without issue, seamlessly switching between or blending the propulsion systems.

Official fuel economy figures in Canada are 14.4 L/100 km in the city, 11.5 L/100 km on the highway, and 13.1 L/100 km combined. American figures aren’t available, but a direct conversion ends up at 16, 20, and 18 mpg, respectively. The S63 delivered almost exactly that over a week.

With big, grippy tires and that rear-axle steering, the top-dog S-Class is just as agile as a C-Class. It remains a little unnatural to feel the rear tweak its line at low speeds, particularly when seated in the rear, but the results speak for themselves. At higher speeds, the rear wheels turn in tandem with the fronts for extra stability. The result? The S63 simply demolishes corners of all speeds, feeling more like it’s straightening the road than navigating a corner. Is the steering communicative and feelsome? This isn’t a sports car: there’s good, consistent heft, but the point here is just how easy the S-Class makes the nearest backroad. It is never short of composed.

The standard air suspension and adaptive ride control ensures the S63 does the proper limo thing, too. Of course Sport+ has a bit of an edge to it, but even that mode has enough cushion to make the often broken local city streets tolerable. Stick to Comfort—or pick and choose your own settings in Individual—and the S63 wafts along. That extra heft is basically unnoticeable; only the nastiest of potholes elicits a hushed bump inside the cocooning cabin.

Seat comfort is, naturally, right at the top of the automotive industry with heating, ventilation, and massaging all present. These sport seats have more aggressive bolstering sure, but even that is soft and inviting. Well, so long as you switch off the adaptive seat setting, which has the bolsters adjusting their grip based on cornering. Or any sort of uneven surface taken at anything other than perfectly straight. It’s an oddly binary experience, with the bolsters moving through a few distinct angles. Skip it.

Tech-heads might find the S-Class’s lack of pillar-to-pillar screen archaic. The term they’re looking for is “classy,” even with the red-tinted carbon fiber adorning the dashboard. Merc’s one true flagship is reminder that physical design has more enduring appeal than any digital equivalent. The fit and finish is largely worthy of that elevated price tag, too: controls have a real sense of weight, the leather is soft enough that “buttery” doesn’t cut it, and the stitch work is exceptional. I still don’t love the plasticky center console, but that is the only critique you’ll hear from this mere peasant. And who can forget: headrest pillows!

Rear-seat space is palatial, and the power-operated side- and rear sunshades ensure the VIPs see just as much of the world as they care to.

At 12.8 inches, It’s not like the central touchscreen is exactly small. It’s largely the same as in other S-Class models: the OLED is crisp and capable of inky blacks for minimal glare at night. New here are AMG-specific pages for info on the hybrid system. Similarly, the high-res instrument cluster and large head-up display offer AMG themes. The whole setup is easy enough to learn: slightly overwhelming at first, but at least all the icons are large and clear to understand. Redundant controls on the wheel make it easier to flit through, though they don’t work on the climate controls: those, you have to use the screen for.

Rear-seat passengers have their own entertainment screens, plus a little removable tablet to control climate or make navigation suggestions.

The S63 comes with the latest and greatest of Merc’s long list of safety features and driver assists. The augmented reality navigation, which overlays directions on a real-time feed from the front camera, remains super handy.

There is no sense in a car that starts at $183,400 ($209,995 CAD) including destination. But if you’re reading this and even considering one, you already know that—and likely have your mind made up already. An S580e will do nearly everything this does, but that’s not the point, is it?

Even though it’s shockingly expensive, the S63 is something of a deal if you stack it up against the likes of a Bentley Flying Spur or even a high-end Range Rover. Not this tester, though: this is the limited-availability Edition 1. In Canada, that alone adds $29,800 CAD, and the remaining options box-ticks more than double it. Pinnacle trim? $6,600 CAD. Burmester 3D surround? $8,320 CAD, please. A trick 3D instrument cluster—which must mark the first time a German car has copied a Korean car’s feature—is $1,560 CAD. The final tally is $274,725 CAD, and that’s before the mandatory luxury tax in Canada.

Speccing a broadly similar vehicle in the US, just minus the Edition 1 and some color-and-trim details, results in a sticker over $220,000.

The 2024 Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance is so capable, so luxurious, that it resets expectations. Yes, it’s bragging rights, and a case of diminishing returns over the “regular” S-Class models. Yet the move to a PHEV setup really does make it a better luxury car and sport sedan. For the enterprising millionaire who absolutely needs the bestest best all-rounder to both drive and be driven in, this is the new standard.

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