AMG, Mercedes' in-house hot-rod shop, might have recently called an end to the horsepower war it helped instigate, but the 518-hp 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG indicates the company is not exactly ready to lay down its arms completely.
True, this new model, which will be unveiled at the New York auto show, brings only an additional 11 hp to the E-Class hot rod, compared to the E63 it replaces. We grew accustomed to great leaps in power every time the E-Class AMG was renewed. The big 6.2-liter that arrived for 2007 brought a 38-hp bump from the previous car. And by slapping a supercharger on the 5.5-liter in 2003, AMG added a whopping 120 hp to the existing E55 AMG.
So, by adding the powertrain of the SL63, AMG might not be catapulting over the new horsepower heavy in the class, the 556-hp Cadillac CTS-V, but 518 is still a staggering amount of juice. And its bark is as gnarly as its bite. An AMG official started up a 2010 E63 at a sneak peek of the car in Affalterbach, Germany, and gave the throttle a few quick stabs. It sounded very perturbed.
 |
| 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG |
