2011 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

Far from being sterile, Josh Jacquot at Edmunds Inside Line says the E63 AMG makes him want to play with powerslides and burnouts. On a skinny mountain road where "anything larger than a Porsche 911 is an exercise in frustration … the new E63 AMG seems to shrink around us," navigating the curves precisely and powerfully.

'Justifies its lofty sticker'

From the outside, reviews say the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG looks like any other E-Class sedan, except for a few 6.3 badges (Mercedes-Benz calls it a 6.3-liter engine, but it actually displaces 6.2 liters, according to the official specs.) Inside, testers find the E63 AMG's cabin simple, supremely comfortable and loaded with nearly every goody Mercedes has to offer, including heated and ventilated leather seats, brushed metal trim, a Harman Kardon stereo with HD and satellite radio, iPod/MP3 interface and digital music storage, Bluetooth, dual-zone automatic climate control, sunroof and power rear sunshade.

"The cockpit is a masterpiece," Motor Trend says, but "you pay for such a privilege." For example, the E63 AMG costs far more than the 2011 Cadillac CTS-V sedan (Base MSRP: $62,360) -- but the Mercedes wins that head-to-head test at Motor Trend not only because it's much better-finished inside, but also because it's a better car in nearly every way. Editors say the E63 AMG "justifies its lofty sticker every time you climb aboard."

Estimated fuel economy is 15 mpg combined (13 mpg city/20 mpg highway), making the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG one of the least fuel-efficient luxury sedans you can buy. Crash ratings are very good; the E-Class/E63 AMG sedan earns perfect scores in most government and independent crash tests, dropping to 4 stars (out of 5) in government frontal-crash tests. It includes all of the usual standard safety features -- antilock brakes, traction and stability control, and front, front-side and curtain airbags -- plus front pelvic airbags, a driver-knee airbag and systems that can sense a drowsy driver or an impending crash. The Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG carries four-year/50,000-mile basic and powertrain warranties.

Research sources

Car and Driver and Motor Trend both test the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG against the Cadillac CTS-V (Car and Driver also adds the Jaguar XFR) -- and the Mercedes wins both tests. Edmunds Inside Line and Autoblog.com also fully test the E63 AMG, and Autoblog.com notes new specs for the 2011 European model. FuelEconomy.gov publishes fuel-economy estimates, with crash-test results at SaferCar.gov and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.