Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG

No one talks about personal luxury cars anymore; use of that term peaked some 40 years ago. Indeed, the S63 coupe is one of a few cars that exude power and opulence and status and rich excesses all while delivering a driving experience that makes you enjoy the time behind the wheel. For those who prefer to be driven, there are Bentleys and Rolls-Royces. 172,450 of leather and luxury, a 3.7-second run to 60 mph, and a three-pointed star on the grille. Although the car is new, its place in the Mercedes lineup is not. The S-class coupe replaces the old CL-class as part of a scheme to reduce the dizzying number of Mercedes nameplates before the proliferation of new models makes things completely unintelligible. The big two-door co-opts the S-class sedan’s name—which it did just ahead of a massive renaming strategy—as well as that car’s design influence, to dramatic effect. This is a private luxury lounge that just happens to be capable of moving at speeds up to 187 mph.

The dashboard ripples gracefully from top to bottom and side to side with beautiful swaths of unbroken trim that stretch from door to door. Intricate perforated patterns turn the leather upholstery and aluminum speaker grilles into artwork. The seats warm and knead you into a content, doughy bag of meat at the press of a button. The back seat offers relatively roomy accommodations, but the S-class coupe possesses the ability to make anything other than its front seats feel like a dark, dank prison. 1100 champagne cooler that resides between the rear seats. So rich is the luxury in the S63 AMG coupe that the performance seems like an afterthought. At 577 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque, the 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 has just 14 horsepower on the old Performance pack-equipped CL63 AMG. More effective is the new, standard 4MATIC four-wheel-drive system, which trims time off of the low end of acceleration sprints. The S63 coupe launches with the smooth, unrelenting pull of a riptide as the four-wheel traction and 4744-pound weight mask just how quick it is. Triple-digit speeds arrive in just 8.5 seconds. The quarter-mile flashes by at 120 mph in 12 seconds flat. Both the 60-mph and quarter-mile times top those of the defunct CL63 AMG by 0.3 second and the Bentley Continental GT V-8 S by two-tenths. Continental ContiSportContact 5P tires deliver an impressive 0.96 g of roadholding and a 70-mph stopping distance of 157 feet. Personal luxury is getting to choose when to enjoy your car’s performance and when the car does the commuting for you. This car proves it.

When compared to the BMW 7 Series, which comes with more ponies and torque in its 750Li variant, the Jaguar’s driving experience is different. There ride is less stiffer and aggressive than the 750Li when both are set in the sportiest driving mode. Again, something that doesn’t surprise us since the two cars are built under a different philosophy. A tough choice between the two, so the buying decision will end up being based on other features, or pricing. After a few hundred miles in the 2013 Jaguar XJL Portfolio we came to appreciate the nice, quiet and isolated ride. As went through different driving modes, the throttle response and chassis settings varied from subtle to more aggressive, while the power steering received additional road feedback. The red gauges on the display indicate the sharper handling and throttle response. Cornering Brake Control is another feature of the XJL, a torque-vectored braking system that helps with aggressive and hard cornering.

We couldn’t fully experience this feature other than some occasional sprints through some backroads in the flat Midwest. Some body roll is present also, but that doesn’t surprise us when it comes to a vehicle of this size. As we mentioned earlier, the 5.0 liter V8 385 horsepower engine delivers when it comes to efficiency. In the never ending Chicago traffic, we averaged 18 mpg combined figure. Should I Buy One? 90,500. If price and luxury are your primarily purchasing points, then the 2013 Jaguar XJL Portfolio is a strong contender. If you’re looking for a bit more refined German engineering, and in some cases a more aggressive and sporty ride, then the other offerings in luxury sedans class are worth a look. In a way, the XJL has carved a niche for itself and it has its own following based on the its legacy. The design is classy and refined, the aluminum chassis is innovative, but overall the Jaguar XJL lacks some tech features that we’ve come to love in other cars. Hopefully in the next generation, the Jag will also get an adequate infotainment system to close the loop inside the cabin.