Deepal E07 vs Mercedes-AMG S63

What's the difference?

The Deepal E07 is a breath of fresh air. It’s exciting to see a vehicle zig when others zag.

It’s not just a conversation-starter, it is well priced, stacked with gear and has some potent performance. Not to mention that rear end has some real-world practicality, even if it isn’t quite a ute.

That is bolstered by a long warranty and a capped-price servicing program to take the risk out of trying a new brand.

It isn’t the sharpest driving machine out there, the safety tech is still annoying and having all the controls in the multimedia screen is infuriating.

Also, there are question marks on if buyers really want or need that fraken-ute rear end.

Time will tell if this car is fad like the mullet haircut or a real-world game changer.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

Both of these vast vehicles are phenomenally comfortable - this is the kind of car that Mercedes does so well, and has done for decades. The S Class is rarely a disappointment but it's difficult to believe that such a big, heavy GT car can also dance the way the S63 does.

The S560 is far more weighted to being a GT - supremely comfortable with that active suspension, a growly, refined V8 and a cabin full of gadgets and comfort. The S63 is altogether more aggressive, to look at and to drive. Lopping the roof off both of them adds weight but, like any cruiser, also puts you out in the sun, the breeze and into your surroundings. Plus, in the case of the S63, you get more exhaust noise.

They're two very different cars and not just because of the engine. After all these years admiring it from afar, the S63 has delivered on my teenage expectations - fast, smooth and utterly mad.

The E07 stands out from the crowd. It’s design will turn heads and you’ll have strangers coming over for a sticky beak at all times.

It’s a big beast at more than five metres long and close to two metres wide. That puts it in Toyota LandCruiser territory.

The biggest talking point is the rear. What looks like a liftback is actually a retractable roof that converts it to an open tray at the touch of a button.

You can have it open with the rear seats folded flat or the rear seats up and the glass divider still in place to keep the world at bay.

Outside of the rear end, it's a futuristic-looking car with squished LED headlights, flush door handles and a closed-off front end typical of modern electric cars from China.

Inside it borrowed cues from Tesla with its minimalist design with next to no buttons and only a big central screen.

The interior quality feels good, with premium materials covering all surfaces.

The S Class Coupe is obviously related to the sedan but manages a svelte appearance. Slimmer hipped and with a more Coke-bottle shape, the Coupe - if you squint a bit - has a bit of the classic old pagoda about it. Obviously you can't do pillars that slim anymore, but the glass roof takes away some of the visual weight inside and out. 

The cabriolet's roof is nicely integrated and looks good when it's  up, which isn't always the case.

They all look long, though. It's obvious to see why the cars all run on 20-inch wheels - anything smaller would look hilarious.

The cabin is a fairly sensible re-imagining of the E-Class. The big twin-screen layout of the dash and multimedia system seems a bit more at home here. The chintzy Burmester speakers in the doors let down an otherwise classy cabin, which steers clear of otiose vulgarity in looks and materials.

There are two sides to this story.

The convertible back makes it one of the only true dual-purpose vehicles, but let’s not oversell its capabilities.

It only has a payload of 300kg and only has a 1500kg braked towing capacity, so it's not tradie spec.

It is probably best suited for throwing a few surfboards in the back or mountain bikes and heading off to a remote spot where you can sleep in the car in relative comfort.

There is no rugged ladder frame underneath, but it can do a bit of light off-roading in all-wheel-drive guise.

Ground clearance of 223mm is good and it can wade up to depths of 600mm.

It has a vehicle-to-load function that allows you to power appliances, which boosts its potential as a campsite companion.

Inside it has spacious cabins with oodles of head, leg and shoulder room in both rows. That is thanks to its more than three-metre wheelbase — the distance between the front and rear axle that determines how spacious a cabin is.

There are rear air-con vents and USB charging ports for both rows, and the rear seats can tilt backwards for sleepy young-uns.

The boot capacity is 524L, or 1654L with the rear seats folded. A front boot under the bonnet is 131L.

One of my biggest gripes is that nearly every function of the car is controlled through the big multimedia screen.

There are shortcuts and app-like tiles that make it easier to navigate, but it’s still a hassle to dive into the menu to change side mirrors and other functions usually controlled via physical buttons.

Tesla set the precedent by moving all its functions into the screen and other tech-focused EVs have followed suit, but it smacks of cost savings rather than improving the user experience.

Well look, if you end up in the back of the S Coupe, it's not a riot of space. Obviously it has back seats (the SL doesn't even squeeze a jump seat into its considerable length) but they're for occasional, if luxurious, use.

The boot is a reasonably decent 400 litres, obviously the cabriolet loses a few litres with the roof folded. Front and rear passengers will both enjoy a pair of cupholders and the whopping long doors will each hold a bottle.

One thing hasn't changed in nearly 20 years - the S isn't cheap. Available in coupe and cabriolet, the S560 starts at $314,900 for the former and $336,900 for the latter. Step up to the S63 pair and you'll pay from $370,500 for the coupe and $399,900 for the cab. If you're super keen for something spectacular, the twin-turbo V12-powered S65 is available for between $508,900 and $520,500, and features Swarovski crystals in the headlights, for some reason.

As you can imagine, there's quite a bit to cover, so for both cars I'll stick to the edited highlights. The S560s roll on 20-inch alloys, has a 590-watt 13 speaker sound system, digital TV, auto parking, active cruise control, panoramic glass roof, Nappa leather, active seats and power-closing doors.

It also comes standard with a heating pack that not only heats the seats but the steering wheel and centre console. In the cabriolet you also get the 'Airscarf' neck heater.

Both cars also feature's Mercedes' Magic Body Control with curve function. More of that wacky feature later.

The S63 AMG is a step up in power, price and spec. One notable change from the S560 is the loss of 'Magic Body Control', which is replaced with mere air suspension. The 20-inch alloys are 10-spoke forged units, the brakes higher performance composites with red calipers, while an AMG sports exhaust brings the noise.

Naturally, both are swathed in high-quality leather and feature dual-zone climate control, heated and cooled electric seats that adjust in every direction, deep carpets, keyless entry and start, fully digital dashboards and just about every gadget to which you can point your imagination.

Entertainment and sat nav are via Mercedes' 'Comand' system, which is displayed on a massive 12.3-inch slab of glass at the top of the dashboard. The 13-speaker Burmester-branded system is predictably impressive and with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, you only have to use the basic software for the radio or various car controls.

Both versions can be called potent, but the all-wheel-drive is express.

The rear-wheel-drive version uses a single electric motor to make 242kW and 365Nm, and the all-wheel-drive variant adds a second motor to make a combined 440kW and 645Nm.

That extra grunt drops the E07’s 0-100km/h time from 6.7 seconds to about four seconds.

These numbers blow most SUVs and utes out of the water.

All four coupes and cabriolets ship with Daimler's formidable 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. The S560 scores 345kW/700Nm to drive the rear wheels through Benz's own nine-speed automatic. With all of that available, the S560 will crack the ton in 4.6 seconds and make a wonderful racket on the way.

Moving on to the S63, the same engine delivers a massive 450kW/900Nm. The run from 0-100km/h is dispatched in just 3.5 seconds and if I thought the S560 made a good noise, the S63 with its standard sports exhaust makes a better one. Again, Mercedes' nine-speeder is along for the ride.

Both variants use a circa-90kWh Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt (NMC) battery, which is a big unit by EV standards.

It delivers a WLTP-verified driving range of 550km in the RWD version and 510km in the AWD.

The E07’s charging speed is also at the top end of the spectrum.

It has a max DC charge rate of 240kW, which Deepal said can replenish the battery from 30 to 80 per cent in 15 minutes.

AC charging is capped at 7kW, which is below other EVs that can max out at 11kW.

Our test was too limited to conduct a proper real-world test.

The lower-powered 560 drinks 98RON at the rate of 8.5L/100km for the coupe and 9.9L/100km for the heavier cabriolet.

The S63 ups the ante with 9.9L/100km for the coupe and an identical 9.9L/100km for the cab.

Our launch program contained some...er...spirited driving, which would explain the mid to high-teens fuel figures.

The E07 is a big beast, weighing in at 2440kg for the AWD, and the RWD is about 100kg lighter.

Even that fancy air suspension can't hide that bulk. On smooth city streets and well-maintained motorways, the E07 is very pleasant and comfortable. But on pockmarked and undulating country roads travelling at the sign-posted 80km/h or 100km/h, it rocks and rolls considerably.

The monster 21-inch wheels are likely part of the problem, too.

After looking at my phone in the passenger seat for 20 seconds I started to get car sick… I wasn’t the only person who had that feedback.

Switching to sports mode sharpened it up a little, but the comfort mode was far too soft.

There is a custom mode where drivers can find a happy medium.

The E07 did recover much better over small imperfections, though.

The steering was well-weighted and direct, and the brake and accelerator pedal had a good feel to them with sharp responses that inspire confidence.

We spent most of our time in the all-wheel-drive variant.

It’s fast and brutally quick off the mark, but it doesn't suplex you back into your seat like some electric cars do. Instead the power delivery was more linear, with excellent traction control and no wheel slip.

Deepal has gone the extra mile and added quality Michelin EV tyres that improve grip through corners and reduce noise into the cabin.

The E07 was remarkably quiet inside, even by EV standards, with noise and tyre roar kept to a minimum.

Let's start with the S560. That smooth V8 rumble is all you'll ever hear if you just slot into drive and go for a leisurely spin. The nine-speed automatic continues to be a revelation to me - in the GLC63 it's good and here, once again, it's excellent, finding the right gear for the occasion and riding the fat torque curve. Other nine-speed autos are not very good at all.

The test route for the S560 played to the strengths of the car. It had some lovely winding roads, which brought the trick suspension into focus - the Magic Body Control with curve function is hilarious. While the active suspension works hard at all times to ensure the ride is smooth and drama free, the Curve mode (no, really) actually leans the car into corners.

Those of you who remember the video game Wipeout 2097 will be big fans of Curve mode. As you approach a corner, you turn the wheel and then the car leans into the bend. This isn't active damping reading the road, it's the outside suspension lifting the car and the inside lowering it, so the car feels like it's gliding, like a hovercar. It's wild but oddly calming. Mercedes reckons it's great for those who get car sick. As I didn't have my wife on hand to test this theory - she chucks at the first sign of a corner - I couldn't verify this claim. That will have to wait.

The S63 AMG is a completely different proposition. The air suspension is more than up to the job of helping smother the effects of the car's considerable weight, meaning that no matter what you're up to, the car feels reasonably light on its feet. It never feels small, though, commanding the respect of the driver and plenty of space from other road users.

And boy, do you need some space if you kick the S63 into Sport mode. In true AMG style, the electronic reins relax and the big luxury coupe cheerfully kicks off. The tail will wriggle under an unsympathetic right foot, that signature V8 roar, crackle and hiss filling your ears. The S63 is always the harder-feeling car, but it delivers with a more sporting drive than the S560.

Being the generous soul I am, I volunteered to return the S63 to its home for the evening rather than consign it to the back of a truck. On the back roads I took to reach the highway, it was rock solid - fast, predictable and a lot of fun. Once I found the boring straight bits, it turned into a supremely comfortable cruiser, ticking along in ninth at the legal limit (and being Melbourne, it was very much the legal limit), dispatching overtaking with barely a flex of a toe. 

The active cruise took the stress of keeping away from the State Revenue Office's clutches while being quiet and utterly pleasant.

The S-Class coupe comes loaded with eight airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, forward and reverse AEB with pedestrian detection, reversing camera, crosswind assist (I know, right?), traffic-sign recognition and reverse cross traffic alert.

The S-Class Coupe does not have an ANCAP or EuroNCAP rating.

Deepal covers the E07 with a strong but not market-leading seven-year/160,000km warranty, and the battery is guaranteed for eight years/240,000km.

It also has a tempting seven-year/140,000km capped-price servicing program that requires visits every 12 months or 20,000km, with the former on the shorter side for an EV. The RWD costs $2954.59 over the full term, compared to the AWD's $3143.90. Both outlays are competitive.

Mercedes offers a three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with roadside assist for the duration.

The company also offers both service plans (where you pay up-front as part of the vehicle purchase) and capped-price servicing on the coupes. Servicing over three years is in the order $2500.