NEW YORK MOTOR SHOW: S-Class Coupe gets AMG'd

Mercedes-Benz’s relentless new-model onslaught continued at the New York motor show, where it unleashed the brawny S63 AMG Coupe, following in the wheel tracks of the mainstream S-Class Coupe revealed at Geneva two months ago.

The S 63 won’t be the flagship of the two-door S-Class, however. That honour will go to the S 65 AMG Coupe, which will be powered by a 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 from the four-door S 65 AMG sedan.

The 12-cylinder S-Class limousine won’t be sold Down Under, leaving the AMG V12 exclusively to the two-door S- and SL-Class sports cars.

Stuffed full of a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 eking out a robust 430kW at 5500rpm and a stump-pulling 900Nm (from 2250-3750rpm), the S 63 AMG Coupe comfortably outperforms its CL 63 AMG predecessor, aided by a 65kg reduction in mass through the use of lightweight materials (although it’s still no minnow at 1995kg).

According to Merc, the weight saving was achieved partly via the use of a lightweight lithium-ion battery, AMG forged light-alloy wheels and a weight-optimised AMG high-performance composite braking system. In addition, the entire outer skin and the front end of the body are made of aluminium.

The result is that the S63 AMG Coupe can sprint to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds in 4MATIC all-wheel drive form and 4.3 seconds in rear-drive guise. Unfortunately, the all-paw variant isn’t destined for our market; but the latter lands here in the first quarter of 2015.

Despite an increase of 30kW and 100Nm over the CL 63 AMG, the S 63 AMG Coupé still burns through less fuel than its forerunner, with a claimed consumption figure of 10.1L/100km.

As per the latest-gen S-Class sedan, the S63 AMG Coupe features MAGIC BODY CONTROL and supplements it with a ‘curve tilting function’ that allegedly enables it to lean into bends (at angles of up to 2.5 degrees) in a manner similar to a motorcyclist or skier.

Merc claims the objective is not to reach higher cornering speeds, but to make for a more comfortable drive on twisty roads. The curve tilting function can be selected as one of three drive modes using the Active Body Control (ABC) switch; it is active in the speed range from 30-180km/h.

The S 63 AMG Coupe rides on multi-spoke forged wheels – 8.5 x 19 at the front and 9.5 x 19 at the rear – painted in titanium grey with a high-sheen finish.

Optional extras from the AMG Performance Studio include 10-spoke forged wheels painted in titanium grey with a polished finish – 8.5 x 20 at the front and 9.5 x 20 at the rear, with 255/40 R 20 and 285/35 R 20 tyres respectively.

Also on the options list are AMG ceramic high-performance composite brakes, which reduce unsprung weight by 20 per cent while boosting stopping power and fade-resistance.

In typical AMG fashion, the newcomer promises a stirring exhaust note, with automatic logic-controlled exhaust flaps in both rear silencers opening up when you put the hammer down. The flaps remain closed in most situations in ‘C’ (Controlled Efficiency) mode, but open up more readily in ‘S’ (Sport) and ‘M’ (Manual) modes.

Visually, the S 63 AMG Coupe has a far more menacing and athletic presence than the CL 63 it replaces.

The heavily tapered nose and derriere sandwich high-shouldered flanks, above which sits a chop-top glasshouse that slopes away in fastback fashion. Naturally, the trademark quartet of exhausts and ‘V8 BITURBO’ badging is there, signalling the car’s identity as the top dog of the S-Class Coupe line-up (at least until the S 65 AMG Coupe emerges).

The cabin layout is not entirely dissimilar to the S 63 AMG sedan, although there’s greater use of carbon-fibre trim in keeping with its sportier intent.

Speaking of interiors, Mercedes-Benz has also released cabin images of the all-new AMG GT that’s scheduled to debut at this October’s Paris motor show.

On sale in 2015, the AMG GT will be positioned as a much more affordable offering than the now-retired SLS AMG, with pricing that may sit somewhere near the Porsche 911 Turbo ($359,800).

“The new Mercedes-AMG GT shows that we will be positioning AMG more vehemently and aggressively than to date as a dynamic sports car brand,” promises Mercedes-AMG CEO Tobias Moers.

“The technological substance of the Mercedes-AMG GT underscores our high aspirations with regard to driving dynamics, agility and sportiness.

“Following the global success of the SLS AMG, the new GT is the second sports car developed fully independently by Mercedes-AMG. An initial exclusive look at the design of the interior shows what is in store for our customers: a GT sports car in its purest form,” Moers says.