Mercedes-AMG S 63 E Performance seen running round the Nurburgring in revealing spy photos
It’s been one year and one day since we first spied the Mercedes-AMG S 63 E Performance. And no, we didn’t exactly know that would be its name back then, but Mercedes-AMG has since revealed its PHEV performance naming strategy, and we’re fairly certain the above word jumble is largely correct now.
That first spotting revealed to us that the AMG-ified S-Class would be getting an electric boost, and it’s even more clear today. Obvious flaps on both rear fenders — one for fuel and the other for a plug — tell us that this AMG S-Class will be a plug-in hybrid and combine power from both a gasoline engine and electric motor.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of these spy shots today is simply the lack of camouflage, though. The S-Class has been out for a little while now, and Mercedes has ditched the vast majority of camo for the S 63 since last year, opting to only cover the AMG-specific bits. Even then, we’re dealing with body-hugging swirls that do very little to conceal the actual shapes of the front bumper trim and rear lower. If you’re familiar with the styling and treatments applied to other AMG models, you’ll recognize the front side intakes on this AMG along with its big ‘ole Panamericana radiator grille.
Another intriguing up-close look we get are of the big sedan’s wheel and tire package — we’re specifically talking about the silver one here. The S 63 E Performance appears to be running on 21-inch AMG-specific wheels and wrapped in Continental ContiSportContact summer tires with a 255 section-width contact patch in front. Behind those wheels sit AMG’s carbon ceramic brakes with the typical golden calipers. The second (black) and third (white) S 63s spied in these shots appear to be running the standard brake setup, as we can spy red calipers hiding behind one of those car’s wheels and gray calipers on the other.
Moving around back, the traditional quad AMG exhaust is obvious for all to see. Plus, there’s a diffuser with three prominent blades. We always love to see a big, boat of a sedan tearing around the Nurburgring, and the new S 63 is no exception. It’s long, low, menacing and oh-so-entertaining to see running around a track.
Our spy shooter caught an interior shot in this set, but it hardly reveals anything new about the car. We can see that it’s rocking a different steering wheel than the standard S-Class — it appears to be same as in the E 63 S. Unfortunately, all the screens are off, and any PHEV indicators that might be visible are covered up by … cardboard. How Mercedes-like, right?
We’re not 100% sure when this AMG variant will be revealed, but it must be soon at this point. Our time in the new S-Class has been rather splendid so far, making us eager to get our hands on this flashy but still elegant AMG.
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