Meet the Mercedes Benz E63S 4Matic+

Ever since the big three started the power war a few decades back, most asked how long it would last, and when would it end. Surely rear wheel drive had it’s limitations and as the torque figures increased up to nearly 1000Nm, eventually something had to give. In 2017 it seems both Mercedes and BMW have finally given in to four wheel drive with both manufacturers releasing cars this year in the sometimes maligned drive-train layout. But it’s not all bad news for wannabe drifters. Meet the E63S 4Matic+

Pushing out a gargantuan 450kW,  the big Merc can finally put down all that power thanks to the 4MATIC+ system. 0-100 takes just 3.4 seconds and top speed is limited to 250 Km/h. A performance option is available for those wanting a top speed of 300km/h.

The 4Matic+ system is permanent four wheel drive with dynamic torque distribution. It seems, annoyingly, that Fords  gimmicky “drift” mode has now found a new home as well but don’t be fooled. The car doesn’t drift itself, as was first thought when Focus RS was released.  More power gets fed to the rear wheels but the front wheels get involved when things get too sideways.

The 4.0 V8 twin turbo is not only very powerful but also claims  fuel consumption figures of 9.1 l/100, but with 850nM on tap and now the grip to exploit that, I doubt many will be keeping too close an eye on those fuel figures.

Also launched this week is the E43 4Matic which pushes out 295kW from it’s twin turbo 3.0 V6.

Lately Mercedes has had a strong focus on pushing technological boundaries, The Remote Online (free to use for the first three years) has now been included for E63S and E43.

• Parked Vehicle Locator which works within 1.5km
• Vehicle Tracker
• Geofencing
• Remote door locking and unlocking

Pricing:

Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+              R1 868 400

Mercedes-AMG E 43 4MATIC                    R1,165,800