Mercedes-AMG E63 2006 News

The new generation E63 is still at least two years away but the German car maker is in the middle of development.In the US, the E63 is sold exclusively with all-wheel-drive and in Germany, where both rear-drive and all-wheel-drive are available, more than 90 per cent of customers opt for all-wheel-drive.“Where we have both (rear-drive and all-wheel-drive) on sale, the demand is so tremendous that we have 94 to 96 per cent all-wheel-drive,” said the boss of Mercedes-Benz AMG Tobias Moers, speaking at the European media preview of the new C63 AMG.“In the US we just have the (all-wheel-drive) system and it was a story of success, and if we see what happened in Germany, where we had both variants in the market, then you have to move business-wise into one variant.”He said this meant “there is no argument to have both variants any more”.There is no argument to have both variants any more.But he said fans should not worry that the next E63 will lose its character.“If we have a sophisticated all-wheel-drive system in the car which provides a nice drifting behaviour then it’s ok,” he said. “All-wheel-drive systems are getting better and better … we have a lot ideas for the future.”Previously, all-wheel-drive versions of the E63 were not available in Australia as it was developed for left-hand-drive only.“The future architecture is feasible for right-hand-drive all-wheel-drive,” said Moers.

Benz has sent the performance community into a spin with news this morning that it will bring its top of the line 430kW E63 AMG sedan to Australia, despite the fact it can't offer the car with four-wheel drive.The high performance, 5.5-litre Bi-Turbo V8 engined car will not be quite as quick off the line as the four-wheel drive, 4MATIC version in Germany, but in all other respects it will be the same - Aussie buyers won't miss out.Just like the compact GLK off-roader, which has never been offered here, the 4MATIC model is not engineered for right-hand drive countries - a decision that has probably cost Benz millions in lost sales over the past few years. You'd think they would have learned from their mistakes?Although it offers larger, four-wheel drive off-roaders like the M and GL-Class, four-wheel drive versions of its passenger cars are still a couple of years away. That's unfortunate, because in the case of the E63 AMG 4MATIC S model, four-wheel drive is required to get all that power to the ground.With a whopping 430kW of power and 800Nm of torque, it is capable of blasting from 0-100km/h in a Ferrari-like 3.6 seconds. While the rear-wheel drive version of the car that we have been promised will struggle, Benz claims it will still be good for 3.8-3.9 seconds - it hasn't been tested yet.This compares with the standard, 410kW/720Nm rear-wheel drive E63 AMG that will also be sold in Australia which does the dash in 4.2 seconds. Benz describes the new and improved version of its engine as the most efficient series production V8 engine in the world.Along with other design and technological changes to the E-Class range, it should cement the car's place as a leader in the market. A spokesman for Benz Australia says the E63 AMG is an important car to Australia, which has one of the highest up-takes of high performance AMG models in the world - at 7.6 per cent of sales.But they are not for everyone, not at a starting price of $240,000. There's no word on prices for the new model at this stage, except to say the figures will be “assertive.” This also applies the rest of the E Class range which arrives in August.Benz also confirmed this morning that the lineup will include the E300 hybrid diesel, which offers fuel consumption of an incredible 4.1 litres/100km - with no sacrifice in performance. The hybrid with diesel and electric motors produces a combined 170kW of power and 750Nm of torque and is expected to replace the both the E350 and E500 petrol models.The small volume wagon will also continue to be offered, in E250CDI and E400 petrol form, as well as an AMG. No word yet on the coupe and cabriolet which are due later in the year.The spokesman told Carsguide this morning the company was convinced the large car market was far from dead in Australia. He said people were attracted by the size of cars like the E-Class, but wanted smaller, more efficient engines - provided of course they did not have to sacrifice anything in terms of performance.He said they were also popular as they benefited from an effective $6000 discount,  because all of the four cylinder models consume less than 7.0 litres of fuel per 100km. Surprisingly, 80 per cent of E Class sales last year were four cylinder models, either petrol or diesel engines. “It's almost a case of build it and they will come,” he said.This reporter is on Twitter: @IamChrisRiley 

The performance sedan was shown in a group photo of the whole E-Class range, shot on Merc’s test track in Stuttgart. The few details released with the image confirm earlier reports that the E63 AMG will offer the brand’s 4Matic all-wheel drivetrain, however it’s too early to determine if this will make it to Australia. The Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG will arrive here around the third quarter, powered by the current 5.5-litre twin-turbo engine developing 386kW of power and 700Nm of torque – upped to 410kW and 800Nm if you option the Performance Pack – mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. There’s no indication of whether there will be a considerable price rise over the current starting tag of $240,985, but even at the performance end of the range Mercedes will be keen to stay competitive against their German rivals.  

That's when you find the changes run way deeper than bumpers and lamps, drilling deep into the body and including engines, transmissions and suspension ...Luxury buyers looking at the latest mid-sized E-Class Mercedes should like what they see, but still deserve some answers.Let's not forget how owners of the previous E-Class cars — without the substantial upgrading, which was done in September — will feel about their cars, particularly when it comes to trade-in time.The update is so substantial, and was so essential, that some carmakers would probably have moved to identify the model shift. To be fair to Benz, the update this year came at a time when the company was ready with new running gear to give the mid-sizer a performance boost on several fronts.It also brought out the E280 and the sledgehammer E63 AMG.The latest E-Class picks up everything from cosmetic changes at both ends and in the cabin to revised steering, improved suspension, power boosts in several engines, and more safety, including the Pre-Safe system — which detects a coming impact and primes the car's safety systems — and Neck-Pro head restraints.Tiny changes include repositioning the GPS antenna and redesigned mirrors. There is much more than can be listed here or that Benz could provide in the press pack, but Mercedes says engine output in the basic E200 is up by 15kW and 10Nm while the E500 is better by 60kW and 70Nm.And the flagship E63 AMG? It has 378kW, up by 28kW over the previous E55, although the torque has dropped slightly but still remains strong at 630Nm.The Mercedes-Benz model update also includes the arrival of the latest E280 CDi.Prices have risen a little. The E200K is now priced from $84,500, a $2000 rise. The E350 starts at $126,500 (also up by $2000) and runs to the E63 AMG at $227,600.Putting a wagon tail on an E-Class car is still a $6000 job.The first impression of the updated E-Class was good. Very good. It felt more substantial, the quality seemed better and it was more inviting in the cabin.The test car was an E280 wagon that came with a sports package, which made it the sort of car we would like to drive — for a long time.The combination of the mid-sized body with the sweet V6 motor made the car enjoyable to drive, all the way from puddling speeds to a cornering thrash. It even did well at the pump — average consumption 8.9 litres for 100km. The V6 E-Class is a sweet and well-balanced package. The engine gives more than enough thrust, even with a load.We have liked the 280 in other Benzes, including the SLK drop-top, and it is best suited to the E wagon, giving more flexibility than a four and avoiding both the price and petrol hikes of a V8.The latest E actually felt more like the lovely CLS to drive, with better feel through the steering, more response from the suspension and more of the luxury stuff to match a price which comes in at a fair bit more than $100,000.Benz won't like us saying it, but the cabin quality is now more like the latest Audis.Those cars were developed very specifically to make a good showroom impression. Lots of people buy on their emotional response to the cabin. Now Mercedes has the right idea with its trim and dashboard combinations.The gearshift paddle change is good, too, and triggers a seven-speed automatic that is probably the best in the business right now.The latest E rides extremely well, even on the sports springs and low-profile tyres, and the braking is great. There is more than enough safety equipment: development included 330 crash tests.The wagon is very flexible and that's great for the families who should be looking at a car instead of a four-wheel drive, but all the basics are the same in the wagon.We enjoyed the previous E-Class but could see and feel its shortcomings, a lot like the previous generation S-Class.These are good cars, but not as good as they could or should have been. Line the latest E up against its rivals and it is back to best in the class, which is all anyone needs to know.

Watch for more orange, brown, gold and yellow cars on streets near you soon as 1970s-style earth tones make a comeback and fuel-sipping cars thrive, industry experts say.Still, neutral colours remain the first stop for risk-averse buyers worried about resale value, and the rainbow will always fade when it comes to pricey rides."The more expensive the car and the higher the value, the less colourful it is," says Sandra Krueger, an auto colours specialist in Germany for US-based chemicals company DuPont. "There are exceptions, such as Ferrari that is classically red, but you are not going to see expensive cars that are orange or bright green. Taste in autos is very conservative."DuPont's 2005 survey of car colours shows silver remained the customers' favourite, accounting for 30 per cent of vehicles in Asia, 29 per cent in Europe, 25 per cent in South America and 18 per cent in North America, although grey and black gained.Corporate fleets that buy millions of cars each year for use as company vehicles or rentals prefer neutral colours because they retain value better. Even retail buyers don't want to be stuck with a car they can't sell at a good price.That means the colour action is mainly to be found among smaller and sportier cars that strive to be cute and peppy. They tend to be second cars driven by women and young people."We see silver crossing over to new colour spaces using tints in cool blue and green or warm, light brown metallic effects. Even grey will take on more hues in red, blue and purple," says DuPont's forecasts for colours through to 2009. Light, medium and dark blues are becoming more popular across vehicle segments, while warmer reds will cross with orange to create new colour trends."And while deep brown has been periodically picked as a luxury fashion colour, new colour highlights and greyed-off effects may finally push the colours' attractiveness for more vehicle models," DuPont says.Bright yellow and orange are also gaining acceptance, which means colours are getting bolder just as smaller fuel-efficient cars are in the ascendancy because of high fuel prices.Effects that make the colour seem to change depending on how light hits them are also the rage.The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class executive car features 13 colours, of which nine are metallic and two have special effects, a Mercedes spokesman says. Its Indium Grey, for instance, seems to shift colour as the light changes.Car companies put a lot ofwork into picking colours. Gert Hildebrand, chief designer at Mini, says developing a new colour takes more than two years. Mini works with suppliers to come up with hues, then tests them in the desert while trying to persuade marketing and production colleagues to back them."We have to make 10 proposals to the board before we get one colour through," Hildebrand says. "It is not just picking a colour and painting it. We paint 20 cars and they pick two."

AUDIThe much-anticipated second generation of the Audi TT Coupe made its public debut at this week's New York International Auto show. Audi Australia spokeswoman Anna Burgdorf says the new TT will be in showrooms here before the end of the year.The new TT features Audi's new magnetic ride-damper system, which uses metal particles suspended in the damper oil and electric current to provide variable damping. The car is also longer and wider than its predecessor while retaining the sleek lines pioneered in the original TT Coupe.DAIMLER CHRYSLERChrysler will unveil the stretched version of its popular 300C sedan. The extended wheelbase adds 150mm to the length while the rear seat environment has been enhanced with illuminated writing tables, more power outlets, footrests and custom-paint colours. Chrysler expects the 300C long wheelbase to attract interest from the limousine industry, as well as retail customers. Its arrival date in Australia is still uncertain.DaimlerChrysler has also showcased the new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, claimed by Jeep to be the most spacious ever offered. Also on the stand is the compact Jeep Patriot.The Dodge Caliber will bring the Dodge badge back to Australia and will provide a second passenger stream for Chrysler. It will arrive in Australia for sale mid year. Dodge plans to release a new vehicle in Australia approximately every six months for the next three years.MERCEDESThe mildly face-lifted E-Class with engine revamps will make its way to Australia in September or October. Other vehicles on display include the R-Class, which had its Sydney launch this week and G-Class, due in Australia in November.HONDAThe next generation of the Honda MDX large four-wheel-drive, sold as Acura in the US, is on show as a concept car. It is expected to be a pointer to the production model that will go on sale in the US later this year.Honda is not giving away much about the second-generation MDX model, which it says is designed, developed and will be built in North America. The current MDX started as a left-hand-drive-only model, but after sufficient lobbying, Honda agreed to build right-hand-drive models for Japan and Australia. Honda Australia says it doesn't know if the second-generation MDX will be made in right-hand-drive but hopes it will be.It is keen to keep the prestige MDX in its line-up because the big crossover wagon, which is about the same size as a Ford Territory, added 829 sales to its tally last year.SUZUKIThe Suzuki SX-4 – a joint Suzuki-Fiat enterprise – is set to be released to markets outside Europe in the coming months. Suzuki Australia will not officially commit the car to Australia but privately is understood to be anxious to add it to the marque's limited garage.The latest generation of the large XL-7 will not make it to Australia with a decision having been taken last year to phase the model out of local sales.FERRARILaunched at the Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari's 599 GTB has embarked on its world tour. Described as the company's most powerful V12 production car, the innovative and technologically advanced performance star is expected to make its first appearance in Australia at the Sydney motor show in October.MAZDAMazda has unveiled the CX-9, a seven-seat crossover sport-utility vehicle. Its arrival in Australia is still uncertain, with Mazda assessing the possibility of making the vehicle available in right-hand drive and getting it to market at a competitive price. Also on the stand – and confirmed for Australia – are the mid-sized crossover CX-7 and MazdaSpeed3 (badged as the Mazda3 MPS for Australia).LEXUSThe LS600h, which Lexus claims will be the world's first vehicle to feature a full hybrid V8 engine, has been unveiled in New York.This new version of its flagship will be available in Australia only in long wheelbase, and is due to be launched in the first half of 2007. Lexus claims the car will be economical for such a large body, averaging 14 litres/100km.PONTIACOne highlight of the New York showcars not destined for Australia is the G6 GXP concept car. It features Pontiac's distinctive nose also seen on the US-version of the now-defunct Holden Monaro. This concept car has 19-inch wheels and boasts a 200kW, 3.9-litre V6 engine.Which of these cars excites you?