Next year will see AMG introduce a hybridised turbo four-cylinder powerplant for the C63, but the larger, pricier E63 is set stick with tradition by hanging onto its twin-turbocharged V8. Saloon and estate versions of the facelifted model - the latter in development form here - will receive design changes particularly at the front, but for the next few years at least it'll be a V8 where it counts.
That being said, it's likely that the engine will continue with its current output; where the normal and S variants produce 571hp and 612hp respectively. A few years back we might have speculated about an incremental improvement, but with the pressures of WLTP to content with, the priorities have somewhat shifted during mid-life updates. Expect AMG's engineers to do be doing everything they can to maintain the current level of performance while adhering to the limits - the same ones that have ensured the deletion of four cylinders from the E63's little brother.
As for the car's aesthetic changes, this is set to be quite a significant update because the whole front fascia of the E-Class and its AMG performance variants is changing. Spied test cars show that Mercedes has simplified the look, completely ditching the previous design language with lights and a grille that take clear influence from the A-Class. Saloons have been seen with widened taillights, but the spied wagon test cars have stuck with more familiar features.
The updates as a whole are intended to bring the E-Class range into line with the CLS, meaning the tweaks to the tech will mirror the newer kit provided to that swoopier model's cabin. A design which itself is based on that of the E-Class, just with the very latest software. So there's a decent amount of new stuff to look forward to, although for the most part, it's the continuation of what is already great that we're happiest about.
1 / 4