"Stop, Hammer time!" Famous lyrics by MC Hammer come from the U.S and so does the nickname 'the hammer' for the Mercedes-AMG E Class. Where the song hit the charts in 1990, the Mercedes-Benz 300 E in its 5.6 AMG tier smashed the market in 1986. Flash forward to 2020 and Mercedes-AMG pulls the covers off their facelift E 63 S, and I'm lucky enough to be testing if this 'E AMG' is still worthy of the nickname 'hammer.'

Niches are a very well know phenomenon inside the automotive industry, some niches are loved and others not so much. High power luxury sedan of German blood is perhaps one of the most loved niches, one that finds its origins deep down the AMG history. But ever since that history started taking shape, Audi and BMW have been competing for dominance in that same niche too. That competition has skyrocketed the development of the insane vehicles we see today, with all three of the brands now boasting 600 horsepower or more in this segment. Along the way some victims were made, Audi stopped making RS6 sedans, BMW's M5 E61 estate only fought shortly (that V10 tho), yet Mercedes-AMG is the only one still competing with both a sedan as well as an estate.

Three brands pushing each other further and further into a niche that is contradictory in its very essence: offering performance and dynamic driving, while being able to offer luxury and comfort too. Updates unveiled late last year are what make the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S Affalterbach's best attempt to keep a foothold in this segment. So what did the people of Mercedes-AMG do to the E 63 to keep it in battle shape for another few years? There's a lot actually, but it doesn't show on paper all too easily. New looks do show easily, but I'll get to the updates in a bit. First I'll feel obliged to explain why there are two facelift Mercedes-AMG E 63 S cars in the photos accompanying this review.

Hares and radiators

Eagerly to test this car, I returned the Mercedes-Benz S 500 l (review here) early that day of the pickup. Nice and clean, parked at Mercedes-Benz Belgium, the E 63 S in a satin blue color was the most anticipated test for a while for me. First on the agenda was the shoot with the pre-facelift E 63 S, of which you can find the article here. A comfortable ride to Mechelen with no cloud in the sky, that was until after the shoot. Happy to have finished the shoot, I engaged the launch control to reward myself with the brutal acceleration this E-Class is capable of. Only for it not to engage, moments later a warning popped up saying the transmission oil needed to cool with the car stationary and the engine running. A good 20 minutes passed and the temperature was no longer an issue according to the computer. I linked this to sensitive sensors overreacting, a harmless issue that dissipates after a restart.

Sadly, it wasn't an overreaction. Previous to my test, someone had the bad luck of mixing two ingredients you don't want to mix: a hare and a car carrying a lot of speed. This kinetic mixture resulted in the death of that hare, the front bumper, and the radiators. Repaired just before my test, all seemed to work again (but the hare). After the repair, the car hadn't run for more than an hour straight. And thus the issue of the car being unable to cool properly didn't arise until my time with the car. A problem I couldn't blame the sensor for after it overheated on a frosty morning on the beach, after spending 1 minute in drift mode.

I dropped the car off at a local dealer which discovered a vacuum inside the coolant system of the gearbox, an unsuccessful repair had been done. Early next morning the dealer had already fixed the issue and the Magno blue E 63 was sent back to Brussels. No proper test, but a lot of worries. But thanks to Mercedes-AMG I was given another few days with a facelift E 63 S, the 'taxi driver' spec you see in the photos. And that Magno Blue E 63 S? That car has been giving smiles to other people since since, one of which is our friends over at AMG in Years. Back to the review now…

Night pack

Unification of design has had a big impact on the aesthetic changes of the facelift. Where the old model has this double AMG grill, the AMG universal Panamericana grille now dictates the facia of the new E 63. A new layout inside the headlights is reminiscent of the Mercedes-Benz current design language, two dots being a hint for the tier level of the E-Class. Also noticeable is the larger star, now being a shell for all the radar equipment. Lower down on the front a new lip (black gloss with ‘night pack’) stretches the entire width of the car and underneath that a there’s a set of reshaped vents. All this results in less drag but also makes that car less aggressive to look at and less unique compared to the rest of the AMG line-up, something the pre-facelift did look like.

Move towards the side of the facelift E 63 and the new front creates a more subtle side profile. Move to the back and again the facelift touched the light units. Pay close attention and you'll see that only the trunk and lower bumper were reshaped to accommodate for the new look. A look, with the sleeker horizontal units, resembles the rest of the brand's gamma. Rest assured, there’s functional work here too. A new diffusor plays a positive part here, one also optimizing airflow..

Inside’s what counts

Inside there's an updated MBUX and that's truly a warm addition to this car, not just fancy gimmickry. A new set of layouts allows for more information to be shown in a fashion that works. No longer is there a unique layout for this car though, it now has the same skin as everything in the AMG universe. Is that a good thing? No, it isn't bad but in the mass amount of AMG products out there right now, a unique dashboard design would make it that bit more special. The biggest notable change inside the cockpit is the AMG steering wheel, it's the first car with this new version of the Affalterbach rudder. New paddles, new buttons, 12 o’clock stripe, and a beefier grip from the combination of leather and DINAMICA microfibre. It's the biggest change but also the best of the updated interior. As for the rest of the interior, it’s still as immaculate as the current E-Class is.

Why the best update? Well, there are two reasons: one being the lovely fat paddles, second is the new drive select buttons. Those paddles are now shaped like a 'C' and allow for your finger to hook between them, which makes using it feels badass. And in a car revolving around emotions, something that makes you feel like that is a golden addition. A solid piece of metal is what shapes both units, pressing those shifters rewards in a nice heavy click. The second big plus are those new 'AMG buttons' on the wheel, upgraded in terms of ergonomics and the displays have improved in brightness and layout. Ergonomics are improved on the left buttons, these now hold separate buttons for changing the function and for activating the selected functions. Although those selector buttons could have been a bit bigger, under driving it is a bit tricky operating them.

Anchors away! AMG Dynamics are at play.

You might be wondering if I'll get back to comparing the new 2021 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S to 'the hammer' again? I won't as I've sadly never driven that old skool V8 E-Class, but I did have the pleasure of driving the current V8 powerplant. No changes were made to it compared to the pre-facelift, there’s still 612 HP and 850 Nm to play with. Performance from the drivetrain is still absurd, capable of trusting this near 2 metric tonne car to a hundred in 3.4 seconds. Zero to two hundred is done in around 13 seconds. Stopping power hasn't changed either, nor has the Vmax. AMG is a bit safe with these numbers, as even in the wet the car managed to drop below the claimed numbers. So the facelift is still a hammer in terms of performance, no doubt there. One less quantifiable thing did change and that's the integration of the particle filter. Unquantifiable here is the impact on the emotions, which sadly seems to impact more than just the ears. Due to a less present exhaust note, the whole experience of acceleration seems less violent, less overwhelming. It's still way more emotional than an Audi RS6, don't get me wrong. The 'hammer' is as effective as ever, it just sounds less hard when it hits. It feels like that too as the gearbox seems less snappy, which objectively it isn't. Emotions change perception, that's what happening here.

That effectiveness of the top-tier E-Class's drivetrain is bizarre and I'm not love-drunk while writing this. Even in terms of something less exciting: fuel consumption. Normal driving meant an average consumption of 10 liters per 100 kilometers. First impressions in the new Mercedes-AMG E 63 S are good for the wallet, but you need time with it to show more. And as I wrote in the GLA 45 S review (review here): it's down to the so-called AMG Dynamics. These alter the air suspension, steering ratio, gas response, and even the engine mounts. There's a lot more but I could summarise it all by saying those setting are the difference between day and night, between comfort and performance.

Calibration of the car's drive modes is deeply influenced by these settings, so much that it feels rewarding discovering them. Comfort gives you the comfort of an E-Class, Sport makes it feel like an E 450 (review here) on steroids, and Sport Plus is when more of the brutality of AMG starts to show. Where the engine mounts in comfort sway to make a soft home for the V8, in Sport Plus they hold it firmly in place to keep additional dorsal and lateral momentum playing a part. The steering ratio tightens, more burbles blow out the back and you're tempted into putting it into Race. For the first time, the whole car seems to come alive, as it shakes loose the emission regulations that keep it down. Literally, every operational part now feels more engaging, a testimony to just how well those AMG Dynamics are calibrated. But there's something else at play here, something the pre-facelift didn't have.

Updated suspension

Marketing a suspension update isn't easy, so during the whole press launch, this almost got covered by the other news. But it in fact another very welcome addition. One that had me being thankful there was a € 7.300 ceramic brake option on the car. All that weight being thrown around laterally makes the brakes heat up fast, so I'd recommend you take that option if you want to enjoy the performance plentifully (bonus feature: they look stunning in gold). But the suspension upgrade doesn't benefit the performance part of the car according to AMG. No, it benefits the comfort part of the E 63 they say, which is true for the most part. But all that comfort made me far more eager to let the beast loose as driving in comfort was relaxing, more energy was left for me to drive spirited later on. In the press release, AMG focuses on the fact that the rework plays a part in the AMG RIDE CONTROL+ air suspension and engine struts to make the ride better. But it also means the camber stability and steering precision are more precise, allowing for more feedback than before. There is more feel than before. How? Because throughout the suspension, the adaptable setup effectively reduces the effect of lateral, roll, pitching and longitudinal forces. Hence a more neutral, predictable, and engaging drive.

Obligatory Muzzle

So is the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S still capable of fighting off the competition? Definitely! This high-performance and luxury car is the same recipe as before, albeit with some very welcome updates. A new steering wheel and updated infotainment are no game-changers but are a fresh addition to a high-quality cabin. Those new light units and reworked body parts boast a less outspoken design than before but that doesn't mean it loses turf here. It might be less emotional than before due to that proverbial muzzle that is the OPG, it is still ahead of its competitors by far. Those competitors cost about the same too. So if you're in the market to spend the €148.000 (BE for this spec) on a sedan or estate, I guess that this will be your favorite one but only if you take it beyond Sport Plus. Its true dynamic nature hides there, inside the AMG Dynamics of the settings 'Pro' or those of 'Master.'

Reviewed: Mercedes-AMG E 63 S Facelift, A True 'Hammer' Still?