Instrumented Test
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Twelve-second quarters and room for the whole gang!
No one needs a 500-plus-hp family wagon. To want, desire, or even lust for such a beast, however, to us seems a perfectly rational and natural response. One could argue that any of the current crop of androgynous crossovers is equally capable of performing everyday familial duties, and at a price less than one-fifth that of this E63 AMG wagon. Of course those presenting the argument likely have never experienced the thrust provided by the E63’s hand-assembled V-8. We have, and it’s time to argue.
After a few attempts at plastering cereal bits, wayward Happy Meal figurines, and sippy cups against the wagon’s back window with applications of the right pedal, logical arguments of practicality or restraint became moot. Rest assured, no children were harmed in the testing of this Mercedes—we made sure they all were dropped off at school beforehand. Too bad for them; it’s not every day you get to ride in a 175-mph station wagon.
More Interior Volume, Less Displacement
Like the E63 sedan and most of AMG’s other “63” vehicles, the wagon has moved to a downsized engine. That means this 2012 model’s 63 badge is even farther from the truth, as the 6.2-liter V-8 has been replaced by a twin-turbo 5.5-liter. Standard power is the same as before (518 hp) while torque rises by 51 lb-ft—the Performance pack adds to those figures, providing totals of 550 hp and 590 lb-ft. At the same time, EPA mileage ratings for the five-door E63 AMG come in at 15 mpg city and 23 highway compared to 13/18 before. Our as-tested fuel economy was 15 mpg.
A variety of operation modes—Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus, Manual—are available to alter the behavior and shift response of the seven-speed automatic; all settings allow control via steering-wheel-mounted paddles, and a Race Start function optimizes all systems for quick, computer-aided launches. Conveniently, drivers can mix and match corresponding adaptive-air-suspension settings to optimize the experience; e.g., you can select Sport Plus for the gearbox and run the suspension in Comfort. The AMG über-button allows drivers to store their favorite settings for instant recall.
So complete is the joy of ripping off 12.1-second quarter-mile times in a wagon with room for five and the family dog that you’ll actually look forward to long excursions; it’s like Big Daddy Don Garlits had a drag car purpose-built for Take Your Children to Work Day. Under hard acceleration, a short, guttural brumpffff from the exhaust accompanies upshifts; trust us, it sounds sexier than it reads.
This wagon handles well too, sticking in the corners far better than any 4547-pound station wagon has a right to. Part of the credit goes to its massive Continental ContiSportContact SP tires (255/35 front, 285/30 rear) mounted on 19-inch, 10-spoke AMG wheels. Give the gas pedal too abrupt an input or push too hard in the corners, though, and the electronic stability aids step in after a few milliseconds of fun/panic. The steering is familiar from the current E-class AMG sedan: It’s quick but not twitchy, requiring 2.7 turns from lock to lock. Turn-in is precise, but at times you’ll want to add a little extra encouragement from the accelerator to push the rear end out and revector the nose; broken pavement expedites sideways wheel hop out of corners before the traction control catches it. We recorded 0.90 g of grip in our testing, 0.05 g better than a 2012 E350 4MATIC wagon we tested earlier this year.
Braking is handled by six-piston calipers and ventilated, cross-drilled rotors in front; four-piston units handle the rear. Both sets employ AMG-specific high-performance pads. Combined, they managed to haul the wagon to a stop from 70 mph in 153 feet—that’s six feet fewer than the pedestrian E350 4MATIC wagon needs. Bite is firm and progressive, but if you’re expecting the kind of intuitive and communicative pedal feedback that’s present in lighter, sportier vehicles, you will be sadly disappointed. Perhaps you’ll want to upgrade to the $12,625 optional carbon-ceramic brakes?
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon
PRICE AS TESTED: $109,645 (base price: $92,375)
ENGINE TYPE: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 333 cu in, 5461 cc
Power: 550 hp @ 5750 rpm
Torque: 590 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION: Seven-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 113.1 in
Length: 193.4 in
Width: 75.9 in Height: 57.8 in
Curb weight: 4547 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 3.8 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 8.6 sec
Zero to 110 mph: 10.2 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 4.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 12.1 sec @ 120 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 175 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 153 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.90 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 15/23 mpg
C/D observed: 15 mpg
Continued…
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