Mercedes-Benz E-class 2007 Review

No point in spoiling his day — noblesse oblige and all that. After all, this is a Mercedes wherein the satisfaction lies in knowing with certainty that you could have if you really wanted to.

As menacing as the black E-Class looks in all its AMG livery, this remains a luxury sedan — a very focused and purposeful one.

AMG enjoys a reputation as wizards to the wealthy — in a league with BMW's revered

M division. Both are producers of gilt-edged performance machinery for the well-heeled.

Previously reliant on the instant gratification of force-fed urge, the latest generation of the AMG cars display a more rounded character.

With the shift in philosophy away from superchargers, AMG has moved to creating its own bespoke engine — a naturally aspirated V8 with a capacity of 6.208 litres (they like to call it a 6.3, possibly because the badges look cooler) and an output ranging from 386kW to 354kW depending on model, all at 6800rpm. The torque figures are also constant at 630Nm at 5200rpm.

For the E Class the change away from the 5.4-litre powerplant equals an increase in power to 378kW but a drop of 69Nm in torque from 700Nm; more top end but with less punch to get there.

More than the actual figures, the nature of the engine determines how different the two models are to drive.

City cruising and open-road driving show that this is a car of different character.

The 63 is much smoother in its power delivery, minus the back-slapping arrival of piles of torque as the supercharger gets busy. The E63 demands a more determined mindset, unlike the old supercharged models, when a brush of the throttle set the tone.

Getting the best out of the 6.3 demands a more positive and smooth approach, with firm application of the throttle and intelligent choice of gears rewarded.

Kept on the move with the engine sitting above 4000rpm, the 63 is a willing worker.

Using the paddle shifts for the seven-speed box adds another element to the experience, but the truth is that the ratios and shift points are so well-sorted in full automatic that 90 per cent of the time it is as effective to allow the car to choose.

With its semi-active air suspension the E63 can be set to one of three ride heights from boulevarde cruising to track attack.

In any mode the E63 is a delight to drive. Tip the car into a corner and the reaction is immediate. The grip from the front end is huge, feedback communicative and general balance quite superb.

Ride quality, for what can be a genuine track-day warrior, is at the upper end of the scale while interior comfort is everything you would expect from a luxury manufacturer asking you for $227,600 for a basic package.

Over and above the E Class safety and comfort items — a full spectrum of electronic minders, airbags everywhere, sunroof, digital TV, concert-quality sound, satnav and four-zone climate control — the E63 has plenty of AMG-specific kit.

The sport seats with multiple electronic adjustment are superb when you work out all the possible permutations; the composite front brakes add another level to the safety package while the AMG instrument cluster and quad exhausts spice up the package.

The test car was also fitted with the optional distronic cruise control ($6590) and Bi-Xenon active headlights ($1440).

The distronic system, while not unique, is clever and useful. In effect, it is a radar unit fitted behind the grille, which acts in concert with the cruise control to lock on to a car in front and maintain a pre-set separation, braking or accelerating as necessary.