Mercedes S-class Coupe Test Drive Review

Date: 05 June 2015   |   Author:

Category: Executive Key rival: Bentley Continental GT P11D: £124,065 On sale: Late 2014

The goal is to combine a high level of refinement and comfort, with some impressive power delivery and performance.

Power ranges from 455hp 4.7-litre to 630hp 6.0-litre petrol engines, with this S63 AMG driven here sitting in the middle with 585hp. While CO2 of 237g/km isn't great, it's better than a Bentley Continental GT, which offers less power and has an output 246g/km. These gargantuan CO2 outputs don't make great reading for running costs or BIK payments though, with the S63 costing a 40% tax payer £1455 a month and 255.4p per mile. While there are cheaper rivals like the BMW M6 Gran Coupe, the S63 is difficult to match in terms of how it surrounds the driver with luxury and state-of-the-art technology.

The seats on the S63 are worth a special mention, with fine detailing and cushioning making them some of the most comfortable and configurable on the market. They are electronically adjustable in a vast number of ways and can even be programmed to provide a hot massage.

Despite weighing 2070kg, the S63 feels quite agile due to clever adaptive suspension technology, which allows the car to lean into corners and predict how the road will change. It means the car is extremely smooth to drive, particularly when cruising on motorways. If you want to accelerate rapidly, the super coupe will hit 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds, but it never feels violent; this is controlled aggression.

The car is equally at home in slow-moving city driving with a Stop and Go Pilot function: when engaged, the car takes over steering, brakes and accelerator in a semi-autonomous way.
Finally, the S63 also comes with a night-vision camera function, which provides an infrared view of the road that's eerily impressive.

Verdict An admirable showcase of luxury and technology				7/10
	Maximum luxury and speed		Eye-watering cost per mile

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