Mercedes E63 AMG Estate

Text: Jamie Fretwell / Photos: Nathan Morgan

June 2010

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• Latest deal price: from £29,004 to £70,404

it’s the ultimate combination of space and pace. Mercedes has unleashed its new E63 AMG Estate here in Britain.

Under the bonnet is a 525bhp 6.3-litre V8 engine, but to look at the styling, you wouldn’t know it. The only things setting the E63 apart from other E-Class estates are a wider front track, subtle badging on the front wings, unique alloy wheels and meaty quad exhaust pipes.

Floor the throttle, though, and you’re left in no doubt about just how fast this car is. The mighty V8 engine can propel the executive load carrier from 0-62mph in a mere 4.6 seconds, and it does so with a wonderful bassy rumble.

This straight-line speed is aided by a seven-ratio automatic transmission, which gives drivers a choice between Controlled Efficiency, Sport, Sport Plus and Manual modes. The suspension can be adjusted, too, with Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus settings.

And the level of safety assistance from the three-stage ESP stability system can also be selected. It all adds up to a rapid luxury model that switches from refined cruiser to capable performance car in a flash.

The interior has plenty of appeal, with AMG-badged seats, while the class-leading 695-litre boot can be expanded to a vast 1,950 litres with the rear seats folded flat. There’s also an electric tailgate. You can even specify an extra pair of rear seats to give space for seven.

It all comes at a price – the E63 AMG weighs in at £74,400. But few cars blend power and practicality so successfully.