2019 Mercedes-AMG S63 First Test: Burning Rubber In Style

Regardless of the source of the burn, the incident shut down our testing for the day, and we returned the S63 to Mercedes' press fleet representatives so they could figure out what went wrong. One week later, we were back at the track with a replacement car, ready to see what the S63 could do. Thankfully, that second testing attempt went off without a hitch. In fact, not only did the new S63 stay cool and shoot zero flames, but it also beat the first car's initial figure-eight results. From a stop, the 2018 S63 accelerated to 60 mph in a scant 3.4 seconds and run the quarter mile in 11.6 seconds at 121.5 mph. That's impressive acceleration by any standard, but for a 5,105-pound car, it's mind-boggling. For comparison, when we tested the 650-hp track monster that is the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, it took 3.6 seconds to hit 60 mph and ran the quarter mile in 11.7 seconds at 123.0 mph. The 2014 S63 AMG, meanwhile, laid down a 0-60 time of 3.7 seconds and did the quarter mile in 12.1 at 115.5 mph.

Mercedes-AMG has also simplified the S63's launch control, making it easy to repeat those results every single time. Chris Walton after testing the S63. The S63's braking performance was also impressive, but surprisingly, it lagged behind the 2014 version we've also tested. That car needed only 100 feet to stop from 60 mph, but the refreshed 2018 S63 we tested required 109 feet. Although a powerful engine, all-wheel drive, and large brakes can help compensate for a car's weight in straight-line tests, it's much more difficult to beat physics in our figure-eight test. Despite that challenge, Reynolds managed a 24.3-second time with average lateral acceleration of 0.83 g. Compared to the 2014 S63, that's an improvement of 0.7 second and 0.04 g. That said, the S63 was never going to give a star performance on the figure-eight course. It's far too large and heavy for that. On a road like that, the S63 is hilariously fun to drive.

The engine is so powerful and the snarling exhaust is so loud that it's impossible not to have fun. Sure, you're still driving a 5,000-pound car that's more than 17 feet long, but because body roll is so well-controlled, you really don't feel it. You also don't necessarily have to use the paddle shifters, thanks to the new nine-speed and its smarter programming. Unlike some other high-powered cars, though, when it's time to act like a mature adult again, the S63 can also play that role perfectly. Switch to Comfort mode, and the AMG-badged monster that cracked and popped with every downshift transforms into a quiet, refined luxury sedan. To the right (well-heeled) buyer, that's exactly the S63's appeal. It's a comfortable, understated daily driver with an incredibly well-crafted, luxurious cabin. The car handles stop-and-go traffic without an issue and eats up highway miles like they're nothing. But when you want to let loose and have a little fun, the S63 is also quicker and more powerful than most people would expect.

It's too large to be called a sport sedan, but how many other cars can hit 60 mph in 3.4 seconds while chilling a bottle of champagne in the back seat? During the figure-eight test, I noticed the brake pedal starting to get soft. Given the car's speed and considerable mass, that wasn't surprising, so I slowed down, let the brakes cool for a few laps, and tried the test again. Almost immediately, they went soft again, so I let the brakes cool down and pulled in to call it quits. A few minutes after I parked the car, I turned around and saw small flames licking out between the spokes of the right front wheel. I jumped back in the car and drove it around in an attempt to put out the flames and cool the brakes even more. But after pulling in again, road test editor Chris Walton and I could still feel a considerable amount of heat still radiating from the brakes. After letting the car sit for a bit to cool down more, I drove it around slowly to check the brakes.