2024 Mercedes-AMG S63 S E Performance Review: It’s Superman on Wheels

Many comic book nerds love to hate Superman. His near-invincibility, seemingly unlimited strength, laser vision that can melt the hardest of steels, and the ability to fly at the speed of light make him nearly unstoppable. And to many superhero aficionados, that invincibility makes him boring. I’d argue there’s more to Supes than just his power, though, and that beneath all of his impressive abilities lies a nuanced, interesting, and genuinely good man. Driving the 2024 Mercedes-AMG S63 S E Performance for a week made me realize that something similar can be said for Germany’s latest super sedan.

The S63’s stat sheet reads like that of an exotic supercar: a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, 791 horsepower, 1,055 lb-ft of torque, and a 0-60 mph time of 3.3 seconds. Dig into its specs even further and you’ll discover even more superpowers, like its ability to shut the engine off and drive under electric power alone, making it a silent EV for city use. Or the fact that it has an optional rear-seat entertainment suite that would shame most home theater setups. In the comic book world, the S63 would be considered overpowered to the point of being boring.

Car enthusiasts might say the same thing. Since layers upon layers of overly complicated, extremely expensive technology are what give the S63 its powers, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s clinical or disconnected from the driver. But it isn’t. In fact, it’s one of the very best big cars I’ve ever driven because of the genuinely good sports sedan that lies beneath its techy surface.

The Basics

I was gobsmacked after my first drive in Mercedes’ new hybrid brute because I’ve been less than enthused about most of the company’s new products, even when they come with AMG badges. The last new AMG I drove was the SL43, which was a four-cylinder SL. And while it was a perfectly fine convertible, it very much lacked both the drama that AMGs should have and the interior build quality I expect from anything with a three-pointed star. So AMG going hybrid with the new S63 left me skeptical. But boy, was I wrong.

While I don’t think this generation of S-Class is as good-looking as the previous one, my S63 tester turned heads wherever it went. It just looked special, with its Designo Graphite Metallic paint, 21-inch black wheels with center-locking hubs, and imposing size. Not to mix up my DC superheroes, but it looks like something Bruce Wayne would show up to a ritzy benefit in. I’d have chosen a different color—Mercedes has some lovely blues and greens available—but there was no denying the presence of the graphite S63. It looked dangerous. Also, kudos to Mercedes for keeping the wheels at 21 inches, as they’re perfectly proportioned. Any bigger would look absurd.

Pairing Carmine Red interior with the subtle gray exterior was certainly a choice but one that I was happy with. Sure, I felt like I was sitting in one of Eddie Murphy’s Delirious jacket pockets but at least it was interesting. However, can we as a society please, please, please stop using piano black trim? This S63’s “Flowing Lines” gave off 1920s Art Deco vibes, which is cool, but the shiny black plastic is just that: plastic. It looks cheap, feels cheap, and is a magnet for oily fingerprints. It doesn’t belong in a performance sedan costing more than $200,000. Plus, there’s a gorgeous walnut wood trim option with the same flowing lines. Get that instead. The rest of the cabin is lovely, though, even if it’s a bit too tech-forward. If you can look past the screens, every surface and material is wonderful to touch and use and makes you and the rest of your passengers feel like a million bucks.

Driving the Mercedes-AMG S63 S E Performance

Your passengers might not be able to focus on the sumptuous interior when the backs of their heads are pinned to the headrests, though. Here’s what you do: switch through the S63’s far too many driving modes until you find Sport or Sport+— that’ll keep both the 4.0-liter V8 and the electric motor at full strength—pin the throttle, and watch your passengers turn white. Mercedes claims 0-60 in 3.3 but it’s gotta be quicker than that because flooring the S63 feels like being strapped to a leather-lined solid rocket booster. But it’s an odd sensation because it’s so comfortable and quiet inside that you only feel its stomach-churning g-forces, without the audible or physical drama you’d expect of such speed. Then, once you near your destination, you can switch to pure electric mode and pull up in a quiet, dignified manner, as if you didn’t just ruin the pants of your passengers a few moments earlier.

Such epic performance might seem like the centerpiece of the S63’s personality. And, for many people, it will be. However, the S63 has deeper, more meaningful traits only true car enthusiasts can appreciate. I’ve never driven anything so big that steers so well. Not just the precision of its front end but the feeling of the steering itself. It’s pretty numb but it’s weighted perfectly, with just enough heft to feel substantial but still light enough to feel luxurious. More importantly, that weight increases beautifully as you add steering lock, providing excellent on-center feel and a great sense of where the front end is pointing, even if you can’t actually feel the road beneath you through it. No BMW 7 Series or Audi S8 I’ve ever driven comes close to this level of steering precision. While I don’t think the S63 could keep up with something smaller like a BMW M5 or Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing on track, I think it would be a lot closer than you’d think.

Combine that excellent precision with a balanced, nigh-unflappable chassis and you have the recipe for an excellent sports sedan, regardless of tech or weight—the S63 weighs a chunky 5,720 pounds. Find a twisty section of road and the S63 will carve it up like a BMW M3 Competition. OK, so AMG employs plenty of tricks to help manage the weight, such as active anti-roll bars, adjustable air suspension that self-levels the car through corners, and rear-wheel steering. However, it doesn’t feel like a tech-fest. All of that techno-wizardry fades into the ether of spirited driving and it just becomes a great-feeling sports car.

There is a penalty for that excellent handling, though. Despite being an S-Class, the S63 doesn’t really ride like one. It’s stiffer and less refined than any S-Class I’ve ever driven. That’s not to say it isn’t comfortable—it’s lovely to drive on a regular basis—but it wears its AMG badge with pride, as it feels more like a performance sedan than a luxury one. I dig it but I have a feeling typical Mercedes S-Class customers won’t. It’s the big luxury sedan for people who drive two-seat sports cars when they aren’t shuttling their family around.

The Highs and Lows

How much time do you have for me to list all of the S63’s highs? OK, I’ll keep it short. There’s far more to the S63 than just its absurd performance and sports car handling. Its seats are sensational, with both couch-like comfort and bucket seat-like support. Speaking of support, the seats have the best and fastest-adjusting lumbar I’ve ever experienced. You adjust it with a line graph in the touch screen, so you can pinpoint exactly where you want your back support and how much, and it adjusts immediately.

The rear seats are immense, with first-class-lounge seating for the passenger side rear seat, fold-out tray tables, and their own massagers. Oh, and keeping with the Superman theme, the incredible digital headlights project onto the road like Clark Kent’s laser eyes. They can paint light pictures on the street ahead and do incredible light shows upon locking, unlocking, and starting the car. It’s genuinely amazing each and every time you see it.

The AMG S63 isn’t perfect, though. Things like its slightly choppy ride can be forgiven by its sensational handling but there are a few issues that can’t. I kept noticing a weirdly harsh first-to-second gear upshift that was immensely unpleasant and I couldn’t get it to stop. It happened in every setting, in every mode, whether shifting by itself or with me taking control via paddle shifters. And in a sedan that costs a quarter of a million dollars, that’s frustrating. It’s also so tech-forward inside the cabin to the point of being overwhelming, and many of the touchscreen menus are confusing. That’s about it, though.

Mercedes-AMG S63 Features, Options, and Competition

As you can imagine with any vehicle carrying a starting price of over $190,000, there aren’t too many options missing from the S63’s standard equipment list. Most of the boxes you can tick are color and style-related. For example, you can get the steering wheel wrapped in just leather, leather and microfiber, or leather and carbon fiber. The standard list includes all of the absurd luxuries you’d expect, such as heated, cooled, and massaging front seats, a massive sunroof, quad-zone climate control, self-leveling air suspension, and stunning wheels.

There are a few extra niceties to choose from, but they’re mostly just for backseat passengers, such as a few different rear seat comfort and entertainment packages, which change up the rear seats and screens, and the Burmester surround sound system. This test car had the latter equipped and it was excellent. There’s also a rear-seat fridge available for $1,100, which is so worth it especially considering how much money you’d be spending already. My test car lacked it, which was a letdown because my kids would have been blown away by being able to keep their drinks cold in the back seat. Thankfully, the rear cupholders are heated and cooled.

As far as competition goes, I think the S63 is in a class of its own at the moment. The BMW 760i is fast and uses an M division engine, but it isn’t a proper M car and cannot compete with the S63’s level of performance and handling. The Audi S8 is very quick but it’s also more comfortable and relaxed than the absolutely manic S63. Nothing else this big is this fast and this exciting. The Porsche Panamera Turbo S E Hybrid is perhaps the closest in terms of hardware and overall spirit but that’s in a smaller size class than this Mercedes.

Fuel Economy

I’m avoiding the temptation to just write “LOL” here because even with its hybrid setup, the AMG S63 is a pretty thirsty vehicle. The EPA still doesn’t have official figures for the new S63 and neither does Mercedes. However, I saw an average of around 19.6 mpg, which I think is pretty good for something with over 1,000 lb-ft of torque. However, does fuel economy really matter when the car itself costs more than many homes in the United States?

Value and Verdict

It can be hard to put a finger on the value of a car with a sticker price north of $250,000. However, I’d actually argue that the 2024 Mercedes-AMG S63 S E Performance is pretty decent value. Sure, it costs almost as much as my house. But it’s also more car than I could ever need. It has the interior luxury of a Bentley, the performance of a Lamborghini Huracán, enough tech to make Lex Luthor jealous, and four first-class seats with a big enough trunk for a few suitcases.

The S63 S E Performance is possibly the most absurdly capable vehicle I’ve ever driven. It excels at so many things that it really does feel like four-wheeled Superman: it’s unbelievably fast, shockingly athletic, and it even has laser eyes. However, underneath all of its tech-based powers lies Clark Kent and the heart of a genuine sports sedan.

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