Mercedes-AMG E63 Reviews

Mercedes-Benz has given its E-Class a facelift together with a combination of price reductions and extra equipment additions that combine to improve their value, according to Benz, from $7000 to $23,000 depending on the model.Earlier this year we were able to preview the coupe and cabriolet versions of the E-Class models in their home territory. They’ll be arriving here late in the year but have been preceded by the more mainstream sedan and wagon variants.STYLINGMore mainstream they may be but in terms of styling the four and five-door bodied E-Class models lose very little in comparison to their sporty siblings especially with M-B Australia’s decision to only bring in the Avantgarde specification with its big, bold three-point star embedded within the aggressive two-bar grille.External changes for the 2013 E-Class are minor with a new front end featuring one-piece headlamps and revised bonnet and bumper. The rear lights and bumper have also been changed with horizontal LED tail lights giving the new E-Class a lower stance that further enhances its sporty look.INTERIORThe interior of the new E-Class retains the same overall design theme as before but detail changes to the colours and finish of the materials work well and increase the feeling of luxury and sportiness.TECHNOLOGYWe’re used to new technology filtering down from more expensive models but in this case many of the latest features are making their debut in the E-Class prior to being passed up to the upcoming new S-Class.Most of this new technology is centred around what Benz calls its Intelligent Drive system which uses twin cameras mounted at the top of the windscreen, angled outwards at 45 degrees.These combine to provide a 3D view of the area around 50 metres in front of the car and work together with a radar sensor system to operate a range of advanced safety features such as Collision Prevent Assist which alerts the driver to a potential frontal collision and applies the brakes where necessary; Attention Assist (it monitors driver inattention and/or fatigue and issues an alert); Distronic Plus (keeps the vehicle centred within its lane on straight stretches); Cross-Traffic Assist (can detect crossing traffic or pedestrians and boost braking where a collision is imminent); Pre-Safe Braking (detects wayward pedestrians and applies the brakes if required); and Pre-Safe Plus which can recognise an imminent rear-end collision, activates the car’s hazard lights and triggers occupant protection features.Once again we just sit back and marvel at the scope and effectiveness of the safety enhancements that modern car makers are providing, effectively at no additional cost to the buyer.MODELSThere are ten variants in the 2013 E-Class range, seven sedans and three Estates. Prices range from $79,900 for the E 200 sedan through to the spectacular E 63 AMG sedan at $249,900.ENGINESAll engines in the standard E-Class models are now either four or six cylinders and turbocharged with the previous V8 E 500 now dropped in favour of a V6 in the E 400 sedan and Estate. Although the new V6 displaces just 3.0 litres it achieves V8-like performance thanks to the use to twin turbochargers with up to 245 kW of power and 480 Nm of torque all the way from 1400 to 4000 rpm, but with fuel consumption officially measured at just 7.4 litres per hundred kilometres.The E 63 AMG sedan is the only V8 model remaining and it also uses a bi-turbo to reach its stunning peaks of 430 kW and 800 Nm. All E-Class models get seven-speed automatic transmission with steering column mounted shift paddles.Another first for the E-Class, indeed for any Australian Mercedes-Benz model, is the E 300 Bluetec Hybrid. While luxury car rivals such as BMW and Lexus also offer hybrids Benz is the first to do so with a diesel rather than a petrol engine. The combination of 2.1-litre turbo-diesel and battery pull fuel consumption down to a frugal 4.3 litres per 100 kilometres.As before all E-Class Estate models are seven-seaters with the third-row bench seat facing rearwards. Benz are expecting a slight boost in sales with the previous seven-seat R-Class no longer being imported here.DRIVINGWith so many model variants in the new E-Class range our test drive options were limited however we will report in more detail when we carry out our extended tests within the next few months. We were able to drive the E 200 and E 250 petrol and E 250 CDI diesel during the launch in and around Melbourne.Expectations are always high whenever we drive any Mercedes-Benz and the new E-Class certainly delivers even in the lower-specced models. The chassis feels solid and tight and the car is superbly balanced. Ride comfort is firm but comfortable even on some of the coarse surfaces that we passed over.As is normally the case we’d opt for the diesel powerplant with the extra mid-range torque that all keen drivers savour. Having said that the 2.0-litre petrol doesn’t fall that much short if you’re planning to operate exclusively in commuter territory.VERDICTSafer, cheaper, stunning looks. All should combine to keep the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class around the top of the shopping list of anyone looking for an affordable prestige car.The complete 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan and wagon range is:E 200 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-door sedan: $79,900E 220 CDI 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-door sedan: $82,400E 250 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-door sedan: $97,400E 250 CDI 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-door sedan: $99,900E 300 Hybrid 2.2-litre turbo-diesel / electric four-door sedan: $109,900E 400 3.0-litre bi-turbo petrol four-door sedan: $129,900E 63 AMG 5.5-litre bi-turbo petrol four-door sedan: $249,900E 200 Estate 2.0-litre turbo-petrol five-door wagon: $86,900E 250 CDI Estate 2.2-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon: $107,700E 400 Estate 3.0-litre bi-turbo petrol five-door wagon: $137,700Mercedes-Benz E200Price: from $79,900Warranty: 3 years roadside assistEngine: 1.8L four-cylinder, 135kW/270NmTransmission: 7-speed automatic, RWDThirst: 6.6L/100Km, CO2 154g/km

As the mist parted to reveal the road snaking away along the side of the cliffs in Spain, it was easy to believe I had died and gone to heaven. Classic roads such as these near the famous Montserrat Abbey perched in the mountains above Barcelona are tailor-made for drivers and our V8-powered AMG super car was certainly up to the task- rarely do the two intersect.The roar of the big high revving V8 cannoned off the rock face that towered above us as the car powered from corner to corner. Thank you God!Australians love their fast cars and it doesn't get much better than this. You get more power and torque than before, but unfortunately we miss out on the new all-wheel drive system. Like Benz's small GLK soft roader, the 4MATIC system was never designed for right hand drive which is kind of silly really. In this model the previous AMG Performance Pack has morphed into a fully-blown 'S' model with even more power and torque, as well as plenty of other goodies.No word on pricing yet, but these cars aren't cheap and, when you see the engineering that goes into them - you can understand why (the current model starts at $240,000). But that still leaves plenty of room for options like the amazing 1200 watt, 14 speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system.AMG is to Benz as HSV is to Holden, with AMG accounting for almost 8 per cent of Benz sales in Australia - one of the highest proportions in the world. Based on the new, facelifted E-Class, the AMG model features a single front facia design, unlike the donor car which offers two, along with the new single headlight cluster that employs LEDs to create the effect of twin lights - a hallmark of the car for three generations.It features a 48mm wider track at he front for improved handling, the front and rear bumpers have also been redesigned, with further cosmetic changes to distinguish the more powerful S model from its sibling, including larger wheels and red brake calipers.Inside there's plenty of logos and the S features contrast stitching on the leather plus contrasting silver coloured seatbelt webbing. Although the cars are limited to 250km/h the speedometer reads all the way to 320.Benz is renowned for safety and this car maintains that reputation, with a host of safety systems amalgamated under the heading of Intelligent Drive. Automatic braking is standard, to prevent rear enders as well as avoiding pedestrians and cameras/sensors provide a 360 degree view around the car looking up to 50 metres ahead, and even warning of traffic approaching from either side.Benz claims the 5.5-litre bi-turbo V8 is the most efficient series production V8 in the world. There's two models, both with the same size engine, but one with 410kW/720Nm and the other with 430kW/800Nm.In left hand drive form, it is also offered with all-wheel drive, split 33:67 front to back, potentially giving the car more grip and faster acceleration. To wit the all-wheel drive, 4MATIC S is able to dispatch the dash from 0-100km/h in a Ferrari-like 3.6 seconds.The rear-wheel drive S version that we are getting is good for 3.8-3.9 seconds - it hasn't been tested yet. While the rear-drive 410kW version is good for 4.2 seconds. Top speed of both cars is limited to 250km/h.18 inch wheels with 255/285 rubber are standard, while the S adds 19s with the same size tyres but with lower profiles, along with a rear diff lock - further aiding in putting all that power to ground.Both models are hooked up to an automatic, AMG Speedshift MCT 7-speed sports transmission, with paddle shifters, that blips the throttle on down changes, together with electro-mechanical variable speed sensitive steering.Start/stop is standard (but can be turned off) and the driver can select from a number of drive modes and the suspension is also adjustable, with air dampers holding up the rear.Despite the increase in power, the 410kW model consumes the same 9.8 litres/100km as its 386kW predecessor, while the 430kW model is expected to consume a fraction more - it too hasn't been tested.Basically, the car could still do with more grip. When you're pushing out this much power, the difference between 410 or 430kW is difficult to quantify, certainly well beyond our knowing.Suffice to say the E63 is mighty quick in either configuration, either off the line, in a straight line or through the twisty bits, as we discovered - although the latter requires some finesse. The sound and feel of the big V8 is almost tangible, especially in sport mode with the exhaust baffles fully open. The throaty roar from the quad pipes sounds like the hounds of hell themselves are approaching.We got to drive both the rear wheel drive 410kW model and top of the line all-wheel drive 430kW S model - both of them sedans. Just like previous E63 that we drove the back has a tendency to step out unless you're careful - traction control or no traction control. And the smaller 18 inch wheels on the standard car don't help matters.After a bit of trial and error we found the best way to drive the car, in fact the only way - is fast in and slow out of corners, braking deep and letting the car complete its turn and straighten up before hitting the throttle again. The beefy AMG brakes are superb but can be upgraded to ceramic discs if desired, at considerable cost however.Even with all-wheel drive to keep the car in check you need to remain watchful. At one point we pulled out to overtake, which can be accomplished in a nanosecond, and the car almost snapped sideways into the car we were trying to pass as we tromped the throttle.

If the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG was a person it would be a lot like Nathan Buckley.  We're talking about a car that's good with a family, pretty mature, intelligent and still able to get up and run. Fast.The belter Benz is not the best looking car on the road, and notably more chunky than the E-Class it replaces, but it's a great new hero.  It shows exactly what AMG can to do make a mid-sized Benz into a thumping go-faster car, without losing the quality and comfort and refinement of the silver star.It's not perfect, but for family motoring with a kick it comes close.  The new E63 is also a long way down the road from the compact C-Class 63, which always feels as if it's going to twist your head around and then rip it off. This car is just as fast when you ask, but much more restrained when you just need comfortable transport.Engine and transmissionThe heart of the car is still the 6.2-litre AMG V8 engine, with an extra eight kiloWatts of power and a new 0-100km/h sprint time of just 4.5 seconds.   There is three-stage ESP for sporty driving and steering with a more-direct control.There is a a seven-speed 'speedshift' automatic gearbox, and the transmission controller is new, and identical to the look in the Gullwing, with a choice of four driving modes.Pricing and market positionOh, but there is the price ... It costs at least $234,900 to park an E63 in the driveway, which is a huge amount of money by any measure. And you don't have to run far into the list of optional equipment to run up to $260,000, the pricetag of the test car.Still, the engineering is excellent and it's built up over a mid-sized luxury car that pretty much sets the standard for its class. BMW has a new 5 Series coming soon, but for now it's Mercedes that sets the standard, with — perhaps surprisingly — Jaguar in second place.Australians have a huge appetite for AMG Benzes and the latest E63 is no exception. There is already a waiting list, although it's not as long as the one for the SLS Gullwing.  The car hit Australia just before Christmas with a long list of improvements over the previous model and some considerable promises.Mercedes-Benz Australia says the new E63 has a value story, with a price that is $4056 below the outgoing model, despite having more than $28,000 of extra standard equipment.Equipment Suspension is AMG developed with electronically-controlled damping and a steel-sprung front end and — just like the C63 — the key to its success is unique AMG design work and parts.  But the E63 is still a Benz and that means it comes with full leather trim, automatic air-con, no fewer than 11 airbags — and both lane-keeping and blind-spot assistance.Driving --  Paul GoverThe E63 is a belter. Such a fun car, but also refined and luxurious.  It is exactly the sort of car that every HSV and FPV buyer in Australia is dreaming about, apart from the price. They get a great deal on their Falcons and Commodores, but the Benz shows the way it can be done.It helps to start with a car as good as the latest E-Class Mercedes, but AMG makes a big difference with everything from the chassis engineering through to its 386kW engine. Each one is assembled by hand and the mechanic responsible gets to sign the motor.I decided to take things easy at first in the new E63, leaving all the settings in comfort positions to assess the car. It has more road noise with big Pirelli P-Zero rubber, and there is more thump over road joins, but it's not unpleasant.  The car also has a brilliant cabin, helped by terrific sports seats, and it's just as easy to park as a regular E with a huge boot and space for three adults in the back.But when I decide to get going it . . . goes. The engine responds brilliantly from 2000rpm and full-power upshifts produce a wonderful 'whump' from the exhaust. It's telling you it's keen.Driving the gearbox as a full manual, with the AMG settings to maximum including the lowered sports suspension, it would take a Porsche to get away from a well-driven E63. And even a poorly-driven one would be way too quick for Australian speed limits.  But it's the flick back to comfort that brings me the real surprise, as the car is still swift and nicely relaxing.I eventually decide the Sport-plus setting is best on the seven-speed gearbox, neatly anticipating the places where I would make a manual shift, with the suspension at soft and the thumping sound system providing a soothing background soundtrack.  There is a lot to like about the E63 and only one thing that really grates — the price.It lifts the bar again on luxury sports sedans and also shows why AMG cars are so good, and so downright popular with muscle car buyers in Australia.She says – Alison WardDo I like the E63? A little. Do I love it? You bet. Actually, I find easier to say what I don't like about this one.  I think the reverse camera is quite poor, because it doesn't have the indicator guidance lines in a lot of other systems including Lexus. And I don't see the point of the night vision — which is a bit dumb and hard to use.And what about the blow-up bolsters in the seats when you go around corners? That's just a gadget.  Other than that, the E63 is a hot item.  It's a really good family car, obviously well built — but you expect that with such a giant price-tag — and it can really go.A lot of people seem to be surprised by just how quick it is, and I like the fact that I have to think when I'm driving because I know it can get away from me. I haven't had that runaway-train feeling in years, probably since I drove the crazy turbocharged Porsche 911 GT2. And that definitely will not carry a pram and baby seat.The Mercedes definitely has space for the baby, with everything from his pram to the giant nappy bag and a baby bouncer, but it is still a car that is great fun.THE BOTTOM LINEA new benchmark, simple as that.Score 86/100MERCEDES-BENZ E63 AMGPrice: $234,900Engine: 6.2-litre V8Power:  386kW at 6800 revsTorque: 630Nm at 5200 revsTransmission: Seven-speed Speedshift automatic, rear driveBody: Four door sedanSeats: FiveDimensions:  Length 4891mm, Width 1872mm, Height 1442mm, Wheelbase 2874mm, tracks front/rear 1625mm/1594mmSteering: Speed sensitive power assisted rack and pinionSuspension: Three-link coil springs; Multi-link rear air suspensionFuel tank: 80 litresFuel type: Premium unleadedFuel consumption: 12.7/100km combinedWeight: 1840kgSpare tyre: spacesaverBrakes:Anti-skid discWheels: 19-inch alloysTyres: 255/35 R19 front; 285/30 R19 rearSafety gear: 11 airbags, electronic controlled damping, electronic stability control, traction control, anti-skid brakes, brake assist, emergency brake distribution, Attention Assist, Adaptive highbeam assist, reversing cameraCO2 emissions: 298g/kmRIVALSBMW M5: 80/100 (from $241,816)Audi S6: 78/100 (from $212,465)Jaguar XF-R 82/100 (from $208,450)

People who think nothing can beat an HSV GTS probably need to get out more. Time in an E63 AMG from Mercedes-Benz would also help ...This car is subtle, like your average sledgehammer. And affordable, like a private jet. But there is no denying the E63 is another benchmark car from the brand with the silver star, thanks to a muscular makeover on the latest E Class sedan that contributes a 386kW V8 engine, AMG's manual-style seven-speed gearbox, massive brakes and tyres, and the sort of body bulges — as well as a twin-pipe exhaust — that step it away from the luxury car schmoozers.Somehow the engineers at AMG Mercedes have even managed to tickle a 12 per cent fuel economy improvement over the previous E63, a result claimed as a class win for sports sedans with more than 377kW in the engine room. Not that most owners will care, except to calm their green friends.Yes, the E63 will cost around $230,000 when it lands in Australia next year. And that's much more than double the ticket for a GTS, even though the silver star car only has an extra 61kW.But once you spend time with the E63, and the people who created it, you appreciate the cost and the complication of doing a job on a car like the E Class.Still, just to keep you going, the belter Benz has to be roped down electronically to a top speed of 250km/h and will thunder to 100km/h in just 4.5 seconds. If it was taken off the leash it could easily do 307km/h and that sprint time is possible with four passengers and some luggage on board."If you look at the car, only the body is still from the Mercedes mother ship," says Mario Spitzner, number two man at AMG Mercedes, speaking at the company's base at Affalterbach in Germany. "It's a real fun car. It should go well in Australia. You people are very emotional about our products."The emotion in the E63 comes from the same sort of engineering makeover that was done first on the pocket rocket C63. The latest go- faster C was the first time AMG was allowed by Benz to really tweak the basics of a car, particularly the suspension, to make more than just a Mercedes with a monster motor.This time, the E has been re-engineered from the firewall forward with everything from unique suspension pieces to AMG steering. As well as the usual brake-and-wheel work at each corner, sports seats and pieces in the cabin, and a thumping exhaust note.The objective is to create — whisper it — BMW-style steering response and cornering balance, but still with the kick you get from a hand- built V8 with 630 Newton-metres of torque.The gearbox is an AMG first, still an automatic but with the torque convertor replaced by a wet clutch for really quick shifts and manual- style response to the paddles behind the wheel. There is even a race- style launch system.Driving The E63 sits solid and relaxed at 200-210km/h on an autobarn run to the Frankfurt Motor Show. There are three people aboard, with a boot full of luggage, and life is relaxed and easy.It would be better if we could find an English-language radio station but the company is great, even if the Benz boss eventually slips off to sleep.So there are no questions about the ability of the E63 on home ground. It is an absolute belter of a performance car yet still has Benz luxury and E Class space.But it is likely to be too firm for broken Australian roads and the performance will be wasted against 110km/h limits. And there is the price . . . "We already have people queued and waiting for this car. They just want it," says David McCarthy of Mercedes-Benz Australia.They will get a vehicle which is blisteringly quick, incredibly refined and more than different enough to stand out from the rest of the Benz family. Particularly when you hear the roar of the 6.2-litre V8 through the car's active exhaust.The new gearbox is also an excellent development and proves that manuals are over-rated in this sort of go-fast car. Although I never managed a full-on race start ... 

This is the car that was responsible for the term 'bahn blaster' due to its ability to rapidly gobble up large tracts of German autobahn. They are so potent as to relegate plane travel between some European cities redundant.It's easier to trundle your E63 out onto the autobahn and fire it in the desired direction than to muck about getting to, parking and waiting at airports, boarding, waiting. flying and landing on a plane then getting to your destination.Over the last few decades it's evolved into one of the most desirable mainstream sedan cars you can get.Mind you at a cool $227,600, the E63's way out of the realms of the average punter but we can dream.The engine is not the only hand made or hand built component on the car because it's pretty much meticulously put together by a crack crew of technicians on a special assembly line.AMG is responsible for a swag of high performance Mercs from the littlies to the biggies including an awesome ML63 4x4. One presumes there will also be an AMG version of the big GL 4x4.The E63 is a four door, five seat sedan with a whopping 378kW/680Nm output. That's sufficient to propel the weighty beast from 0-100kmh in well under 5.0 seconds. It's almost supercar quick and has no real powerband to speak of - it's all go as soon as you push the accelerator.But all this potency is not unbridled - it's delivered by one of the most sophisticated cars around in a silky smooth but stirring manner.The 6.2-litre engine is a techno tour-de-force as is the chassis which features airmatic adaptive suspension and huge brakes. There's even a ride height raise function to get driveway clearance for the low-slung front end.Drive goes to the rear wheels via a seven speed auto transmission with sequential change including steering wheel paddles.It is never caught in the wrong cog.In addition to the performance side of the car, there's also a luxury and safety side. It is blessed with an astonishing array of luxury goodies including gorgeous Nappa leather, a rockin' Harman Kardon audio system with massive sub woofer, TV, DVD, satnav, comprehensive computer, bluetooth and electrically operated everything. The test vehicle's roof was mostly glass with integrated front glass sunroof.It has adaptive bi-xenon headlights, sonar cruise control and 360 degree park assist.We really like the anti tamper, anti tow function that sounds the horn if a vehicle comes within a metre of the E63 when parked. It's a stunning drive, composed, firm, responsive and sounds fabulous. There is plenty of room for five inside and the styling enhancements not only aid aerodynamics, they also look pretty good.Is it better than the previous supercharged E55 AMG?You'd better believe it.

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 reveredM 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.

The florid Yank leaned forward to emphasise his point, no mean feat given his girth."BMWs are fur the fellah whose makin' his money. Mercedes, on t'other hand, are fur the fellah whose made his money," he leered.This good ol' - and no doubt oil-rich - boy was how a certain Merc buyer was described (well, more or less) by a marketing bloke when I asked him to define the marque's demographic.Funny, because only the previous week in Brisbane, a limo driver said much the same thing, except he was talking of oil rich boys from the Middle East."Nah, mate," he said when asked if he'd consider a 7 Series or Audi's A8 to cart his clientele."When they're in town, it's Mercs or nothin'. Same with the Chinese."Stuggart cars remain those sought by the conspicuously status conscious; from those desperately seeking it (the rag trade tsarina double parking her C-Class outside a Surry Hills garment shop) to those who have long since acquired it (the Fortune 500 company CEO in his S 65 AMG).Some things change, but despite Merc's divergence into quaint urban shopping carts, the owner's statement of intent does not. Nor, to a vast extent, has the E Class, the Merc range which begins at a price point that excludes try-hards.The midlife facelift afforded this series of saloons (that's “sedans” to youse and me) and estates (and that's “wagons”) is much in the manner of the cosmetic procedure undergone by a likely owner. The E Class has been uplifted in some places, tightened in others and given a tasteful nose job nose.None of these will frighten the horses. Or the horsey for that matter ...Actually, it's in the equine department that the most significant additions of the claimed 2000 new or revisited E Class parts have been made. Enhanced engine outputs now range from 135kW for the previously anodyne E200K to 378kW for the barbarous E 63 AMG.Eleven variants have segued into showrooms - six saloons and five Estates - for the most varied model range in the executive segment.The most evident and successful gambits are the newly V-shaped grille, and sporty side skirts and bumpers on the Avantgarde (as opposed to Elegance) variants.Where vehicles of this rarefied strata are of most interest to us plebs is in terms of safety - the sort of measures that start in the rarefied reaches of the auto atmosphere and descends to cars we can afford.First of these in the revised E Class is Pre-Safe, a system which responds before an impending collision by activating front seatbelt tensioners and preparing airbag deployment. The second is Neck-Pro, a rear impact anticipator in which the sensors move head restraints forward to protect vulnerable upper spinal columns.May you never need either. What you will have more recourse to is the extra horses now summonable at a tap of the right foot.We drove the E 200K saloon, E 280 diesel saloon, E 350 Estate, E 500 Estate and the mighty E 63 AMG saloon - a back to back experience that reinforced each E Class iterant is entirely different and that there's surely one for all tastes.We'll revisit these soon and stick for now to the entrant E and the top of the conventional range.Driven through a five speed auto (the rest of the range of the sport uber smooth seven speeders), the 135kW/250Nm now in the E 200 K Classic makes the difference between a shetland and - if not a stallion - then a nicely behaved saddle pony.Supercharged or not, a 1.8 inline petrol four is only going to do so much with a 1.6 tonne car, but on a 100km drive at highway speeds (or what passes for them under fascist rule) from Melbourne into the boonies, it recorded an acceptable 7.7 litres.This car does not rock. It's not meant to. For $84,500, it does get you into the E Class without you feeling as though you've lobbed to a white tie event in hired evening wear.Altogether madder, the E 500 now hosts the 5.5-litre V8 from the S-Class - a thumping up-provement from the previous 5.0. With an output of 285kW and 530 Isaacs, it's capable of getting the 1.78 tonne saloon (the estate's 100kg heavier) to 100kmh from standing in a claimed 5.3 seconds.That's 0.7 seconds faster than the previous E 500 and feels every tenth of it.Driving the $166,300 estate (the saloon is $6K less) on narrow downhill twisties, was to wonder quite how something of such heft remains so pliant. Even with eight pots between your feet and the big E's newly nipped nose, the reconfigured suspension sees that you're seldom dogged by understeer. Hard cornering is almost an act of neutrality.Newly standard Direct Control increases the steering ratio by a claimed 10 per cent.Certainly, the steering is not overimbued with feel, but it is accurate, allowing hands to remain where they should and engine braking to be enacted via the AMG-derived wheel-mounted levers.Sure, it's all grand touring rather than sportingly incisive in the BMW or Audi manner, but the main thing is that the E makes you look "money".FAST FACTSMERCEDES-BENZ E 200 KOMPRESSOR SaloonEngine: 4-cylinders/in-line, 4 valves per cylinderOutput: 135 kW/ 184hp at 5500 rpmTorque: 250 Nm at 3500-4000 rpmSuspension: Front axle Four-link suspension, anti-dive, coil springs, gas-pressure shock absorbers, stabiliser. Rear axle Multi-link independent suspension, anti-squat and anti-dive, coil springs, gas-pressure shock absorbers, stabiliser.Braking system: Disc brakes all-round, internally ventilated at the front and solid at the rear, drum-type parking brake at the rear, ABS, Brake Assist, ESP.Gross vehicle weight: 2105kgAcceleration: 0-100 km/h in 9.1sMaximum speed: 210km/hrMERCEDES-BENZ E 280  Saloon/Estate Engine: V6, 4 valves per cylinderOutput: 170kW/231hp at 6000 rpmTorque: 300Nm at 2500-5000 rpmSuspension: Front axle Four-link suspension, anti-dive, coil springs, gas-pressure shock absorbers, stabiliser. Rear axle Multi-link independent suspension, anti-squat and anti-dive, coil springs, gas-pressure shock absorbers, stabiliser.Braking system: Internally ventilated disc brakes all-round, drum-type parking brake at rear, ABS, Brake Assist, ESP.Gross vehicle weight: 2185kg/2360kg.Acceleration: 0-100 km/h s 7.3/8.1.Maximum speed:210km/hrMERCEDES-BENZ E 350 Saloon/EstateEngine: V6, 4 valves per cylinderOutput: 200kW/272hp at 6000 rpmTorque: 350Nm at 2400-5000 rpmSuspension: Front axle Four-link suspension, anti-dive, coil springs, gas-pressure shock absorbers, stabiliser. Rear axle Multi-link independent suspension, anti-squat and anti-dive, coil springs, gas-pressure shock absorbers, stabiliser.Braking system: Internally ventilated disc brakes all-round, drum-type parking brake at rear, ABS, Brake Assist, ESP.Gross vehicle weight: 2215kg/2385kgAcceleration: 0-100 km/h in 6.9s**/7.1s**Maximum speed: 210 km/h**if equipped with the optional Sports package, the 0-100 km/h acceleration time in manual shift mode is shortened by 0.2 s.Gross vehicle weight: 2310kg/2485kgMERCEDES-BENZ E 500  Saloon/EstateEngine: V8, 4 valves per cylinderOutput: 285kW/388hp at 6000 rpmTorque: 530Nm at 2800-4800 rpmSuspension: Front axle Four-link suspension, full-support AIRMATIC DC air suspension with level control, anti-dive. Rear axle Multi-link independent suspension, full-support AIRMATIC DC air suspension with level control, anti-squat and anti-dive.Braking system: Internally ventilated disc brakes all-round, drum-type parking brake at rear, ABS, Brake Assist, ESP.Gross vehicle weight: 2310kg/2460kgAcceleration: 0-100 km/h 5.3s** 5.4s**Maximum speed: 210 km/hr ** if equipped with the optional Sports package, the 0-100 km/h acceleration time in manual shift mode is shortened by 0.2 s.MERCEDES-BENZ E 63 AMG Sedan/Estate Engine: V8, 4 valves per cylinderOutput: 378kW at 6800 rpmTorque: 630Nm at 5200 rpmSuspension: Front axle Four-link suspension, AIRMATIC DC full air suspension system with self-levelling control, anti-dive device, anti-roll bar. Rear axle Multi-link independent suspension, AIRMATIC DC full air suspension system with self-levelling control, anti-squat and anti-lift device, anti-roll barBraking system: Internally ventilated disc brakes all-round, drum-type parking brake at rear, ABS, Brake Assist, ESP.Gross vehicle weight: 2365kg/2460kgAcceleration: 0-100 km/h in 4.5sMaximum speed: 250km/hr Paul Pottinger is a senior roadtester on the CARSguide team, and also editor of the Sunday Telegraph CARSguide. A version of this review, as well as other news, reviews and analysis will appear in the Sunday Telegraph.