► A bit too much, surely? We’re big fans of the Mercedes S-class. It’s supremely comfortable, filled with tech and throws more luxury at you than a few nights at the Burj Al Arab. But what about the hot AMG versions? There’s two of them to choose from: the frankly ridiculous AMG S63 we’re testing here and the absolute definition of overkill, the V12-powered S65. We thought we’d restrain ourselves and have a drive in the commoner’s AMG - the S63. Read on for the full CAR magazine review. Mercedes updated the S-class in 2017 to include a few choice upgrades. The AMG S63 uses Mercedes’ perennial 4.0-litre biturbo V8, which in this tune pumps out 604bhp and a mighty 664lb ft of torque. That power is sent through a nine-speed ‘Speedshift’ automatic to all four wheels via Merc’s 4Matic system. Is it still luxurious, though? The AMG-specific versions have their own body kit, complete with a gurning, black-trimmed front end for better cooling for that ‘hot vee’ and quad tailpipes that allow said engine to howl unrestricted.
AMG-specific ‘Airmatic’ suspension, sports steering and a perforated leather AMG helm are all standard, too. Absolutely not - it may be quite a weighty luxo-barge but it certainly shifts. In fact, the S63 gathers pace so quickly it feels like it manages to completely ignore its more-than-two-tonne kerb weight. Point it in a straight line and demand the engine’s entire efforts, and the whole car tilts backwards and snarls up to the near-7000rpm redline - scrabbling all four wheels well into fourth gear. How does it handle? Leave everything in subdued ‘Comfort’ mode and the nine-speed AMG-tuned box still changes gears without fuss, the ride is still sublime and the steering still a bit too light for some tastes. Chuck the big S around a corner in its softest setting and body roll only starts to become particularly apparent if you’re being a little silly with your inputs. The steering rack does weight up but still not quite enough. The Sport suspension setting should only be used if you’re not chauffeuring someone around and aiming to get home in a hurry. You can also set the gearbox to manual mode, but with nine ratios to shift between and a heady amount of power, it feels a little cumbersome to be almost constantly flicking the clicky paddles. It’s quite a beast, the S63, but one that’s a tad excessive. It’s stupid quick, still ultra-luxurious and still a feat to behold if you’re lucky enough to be a passenger. But we can’t help but shake the whole ‘show-off’ vibe it brings with it. The AMG body kit, particularly with the pearl white paint you see pictured, is a bit much.
The origins of BMW trace back to 1913 when Karl Friedrich Rapp, a Bavarian who had been a well-known engineer in a German aircraft company, formed Rapp Motoren Werke in a suburb of Munich. The company specialized in airplane engines however Rapp found that they were problematic and suffered from excessive vibration. Nearby, Gustav Otto, also an airplane specialist, set up his own shop, Gustav Flugmaschinefabrik, building small aircraft. Because of the faulty engines, Rapp Motoren Werke secured a contract with Austro-Daimler, who was unable to meet its demands, to build V12 Aero engines under license. The company expanded too quickly, however, and by 1916 Rapp resigned from the company because of financial troubles. In his place Franz Josef Popp and Max Friz, two Austrians, took over the company. In March that same year, Rapp Motoren Werke merged with Gustav Flugmaschinefabrik to form Bayersiche Flugzeungwerke. It was shortly afterwards renamed Bayersiche Motoren Werke (Bavarian Motor Works), or BMW, forming the company we know today. In 1917, BMW's first aircraft engine went into production, the 6 cylinder Type IIIa.
In 1919, using an aircraft powered by its successor, the Type IV, Franz Zeno Diemer set an altitude record of 9,760 metres (32,013 ft). After the Treaty of Versailles was signed in the same year, prohibiting BMW from building aircraft engines, production switched to air brakes for railway cars. When BMW started once again to build aircraft engines in 1922, no fewer than 29 world records in aviation were set with them. The current BMW logo, introduced in 1920, was based on the circular design of an aircraft propeller. The first BMW motorcycle, the R 32, went into production in 1923 at the newly constructed Eisenach factory next to the Munich airport of the day. The R 32 used a flat-twin engine transversely mounted in a double-tubular frame producing 8.5 horsepower at 3300 rpm. The 2-cylinder 494cc motorcycle could reach a top speed of 59 mph (95 km/h). BMW manufactured 3090 of them during its 3 year life span. It was 1928 that made history in terms of the BMW car.
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