The Mercedes-AMG E63 S Estate combines practicality with all-out power

What is it?

The regular Mercedes-AMG E63 S has already made quite a name for itself as a brutishly fast muscle saloon car.

Now, we’re getting behind the wheel of the estate version, improving the regular car’s practicality levels without forsaking any of that astonishing performance. It’s here to take on the accomplished Audi RS6 and the powerful Alpina B5 Touring in the fast estate segment.

What’s new?

The biggest change to be found here is around the back. Gone is the stocky square end of the saloon car, replaced now with a long, swooping estate hatch.

There’s 640 litres of seats-up boot space on offer, rising to an impressive 1,820 litres with them folded down. It’s a huge amount of space, and is accessed via a square, wide opening – this makes loading heavier items that bit easier. There’s also plenty of room in the back of the car, so rear seat passengers can get comfy – even during longer journeys.

What’s under the bonnet?

As with the saloon E63 S, the Estate utilises a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8. In ‘S’ specification, it produces 604bhp and 850Nm, and is capable of rocketing the E63 S to 60mph in 3.3 seconds and onwards to a electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. This is sent to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic gearbox. Adaptive air suspension keeps things level at all four corners, though you’re able to firm or soften this via the on-board controls.

Thanks to clever cylinder-deactivation technology, Mercedes claims that you should see 30.1mpg on a combined cycle – though emissions remain high at 214g/km CO2.

What’s it like to drive?

As with the saloon version, the E63 S estate’s level of accelerative ferocity is hard to ignore. Press the throttle and you’ll find yourself travelling very fast in not very much time at all. Progress is accompanied by an addictively raucous engine note.

The Estate is a touch heavier than the saloon, but you really can’t notice the extra heft – the E63 S still launches itself down the road in a close-to-unbelievable fashion.

The steering has plenty of accuracy – which is handy as the E63 S Estate is a large car, and takes a lot of effort to pilot down tighter country lanes. In truth, you feel its size more in the wagon than with the standard car, and this could be down to the slightly elongated rear.

Thanks to the car’s adaptive air suspension, the ride remains pliable yet supportive – ideal for UK roads. You can firm it up if you want to, though it’s easily at its best in comfort setting.

How does it look?

We’d argue that, in our eyes at least, the estate version of the E63 S looks even better than the saloon. There’s something impressive about a large, powerful yet understated wagon and the E63S Estate ticks all of these boxes.

Large alloy wheels sit at the corners giving the E63 S even more presence, while the only other real indication of the car’s high performance is the four exhaust pipes at the rear. Our test car’s tips were finished in black, too, making it even more understated than usual.

What’s it like inside?

The Mercedes’ interior features all of the in-built technology you could want from a close-to-£100,000 super-estate. This latest-generation E-Class cabin looks good even in the standard car, but thanks to carbon-fibre elements it sings just a little more than the regular car’s. The sports seats provide a good amount of support and are heated too, ideal for chillier winter mornings.

The 12.3-inch widescreen infotainment system is an elegant feature of the cabin, but it’s simple to operate too. Some of the operating system’s quirks take a little getting used to – there are various media inputs to scroll through before you find your connected phone, for instance – but once you’re up to speed, it’s intuitive to operate.

What’s the spec like?

There’s no getting away from the fact that the E63 S is a very expensive car, coming in at £90,490 without any options. However, for that price you do get a high specification, with that previously mentioned infotainment system included as standard, along with the sports seats and an excellent Burmester surround stereo which provides a high-quality sound.

Of course, a large chunk of the car’s cost is going into the level of engineering development that has been put into it. The 4.0-litre engine is a hugely impressive unit, while the all-wheel-drive system shows that you really can have your cake and eat it – AMG vehicle’s don’t need to be rear-wheel-drive only to be involving to drive, it seems.

Verdict

The E63S Estate adds just a little more usability to an already compelling package. With a larger boot as well as – in our eyes – a stronger visual appeal, the E63 S Estate is one of the most accomplished performance wagons on the market today – and one well worth the money.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

Model as tested: Mercedes-AMG E63 S Estate
Price: £90,490
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8
Power: 604bhp
Torque: 850Nm
Max speed: 155mph (electronically limited)
0-60mph: 3.3seconds
MPG: 30.1
Emissions: 214g/km