For those who might solely drive one automobile every single day for the remainder of your life, what would you select?

Do not get me incorrect, there are quite a lot of good solutions right here. Porsche 911. Range Rover. I may even get behind a extra frugal alternative just like the pleasant little Volkswagen GTI. However following every week with the Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon — a 603-horsepower station wagon — I may need discovered my new go-to reply.

It actually hauls

Mercedes’ four.Zero-liter twin-turbo V8 is one among my favourite engines. Its brute drive is complemented by a strong growl, and the mix makes for essentially the most muscular angle of all the present German V8s.

In a play to the hearts of fans in every single place, Mercedes shoves that massive engine into its E-Class wagon, the place it is good for a staggering 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. With a 9-speed automated transmission sending that energy to all 4 wheels, this four,700-pound station wagon can dash to 60 miles per hour in simply Three.four seconds. That is a hair faster than Merc’s insane AMG GT R, that means supercar acceleration in household hauler type.

In fact, the E63 Wagon is not nearly straight-line pace. Sure, it’s going to rocket off the road with large authority, the transmission firing off fast upshifts with assertive precision. However throw it right into a flip and the entire automobile hunkers down, the 265/35-series Michelin Pilot Tremendous Sport tires offering unbelievable grip, the traction management strict sufficient to maintain the whole lot copacetic, however not so castrating that it will not enable for somewhat little bit of playful slip.

The E63 S Wagon’s multi-chamber air suspension makes use of repeatedly variable damping, with Consolation, Sport and Sport+ settings. Consolation strikes the perfect steadiness for each day driving, however alongside the canyon roads north of Los Angeles, Sport and Sport+ do not stiffen the journey a lot to upset the very good steadiness, or worse, make the wagon jittery over tough pavement. Mercedes’ Dynamic Choose toggle on the middle console lets the driving force change between an analogous suite of driving modes — Consolation, Sport, Sport+, Particular person or Race — and throughout the form of back-road blasting I am having fun with throughout a heat California afternoon, Sport+ actually strikes the perfect steadiness. It retains the four.Zero-liter engine on boil on a regular basis, and the mode-specific transmission mapping is completely matched to my aggressive habits. Again on the freeway, Consolation nonetheless affords sufficient gusto to remind you that this can be a super-fast AMG. And for those who aren’t driving this factor with the lively sport exhaust open always, nicely, you are doing it incorrect.

Good because the engine and chassis are, they’re matched with properly weighted (although ever so barely numb) steering and brakes are highly effective sufficient to promptly halt you from ludacris speeds. The wagon does not really feel fairly as naturally tail-frisky because the AMG E63 S Sedan, however I am going to chalk that as much as the 184-pound weight penalty, all of which is located over the rear axle. In any other case, it is the identical raucous, hellaciously enjoyable driving expertise you’d count on from one thing with an AMG 63 badge. The wagon even will get the E63 sedan‘s ridiculous Drift Mode. Wee!

No, actually, it hauls

Each model of the E-Class is extremely spacious and cozy, with correct seating for 4 adults (or 5, for those who should). The wagon provides to that versatility with a capacious boot, one which’ll carry 35 cubic toes of cargo with the rear bench upright, or a wholesome 64 cubic toes with the seats folded flat.

Sadly, the E400 wagon’s elective rear-facing soar seats do not carry over to AMG E63 obligation. For those who have been hoping you can nonetheless get away with shopping for an E63 wagon whereas concurrently fulfilling your seven-passenger seating wants, I like the place your head’s at, however you will need to look elsewhere.

The E63 S Wagon is known as a nice various to a conventional five-passenger high-performance SUV (nonetheless “conventional” that could be). Think about, by comparability, Mercedes’ personal AMG GLE63 S. It prices about $Three,000 extra to begin, however affords Three extra cubic toes of area with its rear seats erect, or an extra 16 cubic toes with the bench folded flat. That mentioned, it is also heavier, much less highly effective, handles worse and does not look half as cool. Essential issues to think about, pals.

Comfy and stuffed with tech

The brand new E-Class’ inside is great, although it is maybe at its finest in AMG type. The slim AMG Efficiency seats are as snug as they’re supportive, although they’re additionally a $2,500 possibility. Open-pore wooden accents and actual aluminum trim match the wealthy leather-based appointments, and each single floor is each stunning to behold and wonderful to the touch.

Whereas baseline E-Class fashions might be had with a set of mounted gauges and one giant infotainment show, the AMG E63 S Wagon solely comes with the full-width, dual-screen setup. Which means you get a pair of 12.Three-inch high-res shows housed in a single lengthy display screen that spans the width of the instrument panel and middle dashboard, utilizing the identical Mercedes’ COMAND interface that is present in lesser E-Class fashions (in addition to the CLS- and S-Class sedans). I am so prepared for MBUX and its touchscreen performance to proliferate the complete Mercedes-Benz lineup, however within the meantime, COMAND is generally effective. The shows are large and brilliant, to not point out reconfigurable, and must-haves like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot are commonplace.

How I might spec it

As you’d count on, the almost $107,000 Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon already comes with a fairly stable record of normal tools. However surprisingly, quite a lot of options — specifically driver’s aids — are nonetheless à-la-carte selections.

Whereas I really like the Dakota Brown exterior coloration (brown wagons, you guys), I’ve to go for Piedmont Inexperienced, a $720 add-on. Then, I am including the 20-inch matte black wheels seen on my check automobile ($1,700), the Superior Lighting Bundle ($1,500) and AMG Evening Bundle to black out a few of these chrome components ($750). I’m completely not paying $450 for the silly illuminated star. Inside, I need the Nut Brown/Black inside with aluminum accents (no price), the $1,050 Heat & Consolation bundle (heated the whole lot) and the $2,500 AMG Efficiency seats. Lastly, I am going to take the $Three,600 AMG Premium Bundle, which is some huge cash, however consists of blind spot help, lane change help, Distronic adaptive cruise management, lively braking help, the surround-view digital camera, lane-keeping tech and much more. Oh, sorry, yet one more factor: I need the $1,250 AMG Efficiency Exhaust. As a result of loud.

All in, I am spending $119,965 on my AMG E63 S Wagon, together with $995 for vacation spot. That is some huge cash, to make certain, however actually, not as a lot as I used to be anticipating.

Like (nearly) nothing else

Regardless of America’s large urge for food for SUVs and crossovers, it is good to see increasingly more automakers embracing the station wagon. There are loads to select from nowadays, with various sizes and value factors. However within the case of the Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon, it basically exists in a category of two.

Porsche will fortunately promote you a Panamera Sport Turismo, and it is rattling good. However if you need one with AMG-battling efficiency, you are trying on the Turbo Sport Turismo, which begins at $154,000, or about $47,000 greater than the E63 S Wagon.

Not that the Merc’s $106,950 beginning value is any type of cut price, thoughts you, neither is the roughly $130,000 as-tested value of the instance you see right here. You would purchase a BMW X5 M, Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR or the aforementioned Mercedes-AMG GLE63 S for across the similar cash, however why? The E63 S is nicer inside, nonetheless has the four-season friendliness of all-wheel drive, seats simply as many individuals with nice consolation and can carry nearly as a lot cargo.

You’ll be able to have one automobile every single day for the remainder of your life. Is it going to be an excellent cool (and tremendous uncommon) station wagon, or simply one other SUV?