The woman in charge of AMG
communications said rather curtly that the 12-cylinder S65 test-cars
have all been assigned to writers from "our most important markets".
And this was after a senior executive personally extended an invitation to Life! to try the V12.
"You'd have to wake up early though," I remember him saying. "There are very limited number of cars."
So, there I was at the front desk, before the birds were in full
song, hoping to secure the key to one of Mercedes' hallowed rocket
limos.
But Ms Uptight said nein. Take the eight-cylinder S63 instead. Not
wanting to go into a discourse on Mercedes' sales ranking in Singapore
and the Republic's inordinately high per capita ownership of luxury
cars in my pyjamas, I nodded.
As it turns out, the S63 AMG is amply suited to popping bleary eyes.
Not with a jolt like a bottle of Red Bull, but like a freshly brewed
cuppa. You feel the warm caffeine coursing through your veins, from
your belly to your chest, your neck and then bingo - you are wide awake.
The car is furnished even more elaborately than a non-AMG S-class.
The leather-lined cockpit, cushy seats and sound room-like insulation
would have lulled anyone into a slumber.
But the 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 simmering beyond the dashboard
counters the snooze-inducing cabin by offering a performance worth
writing home about.
With a tremor-inducing torque of 900Nm from just 2,250rpm, the
forced induction V8 turns the Mercedes flagship sedan into a limo with
an attitude.
More lethal than the Audi S8, the German juggernaut flies to 100kmh
in four seconds flat, courtesy of an all- wheel-drive system that
minimises wheelspin during ballistic take-offs.
While the sprint timing is not quite in the league of supercars, it
is astounding for something that is over 5m long and weighs about two
tonnes.
Top speed is limited to a relatively tame 250kmh, but the S63 AMG feels like it can manage 300kmh without panting hard.
Yet, at the wheel, the rarefied Merc comes across more like a cruise liner than a cruise missile.
Power delivery is satiny, with plenty of reserves across its relaxed
rev range. Its ride is incredibly pliant, not unlike what a normal
S-class offers. The difference is detectable only with generous shoves
of either pedal. The car betrays less dive and squat than a garden
variety S-class.
Hard acceleration brings forth a restrained guttural growl from the
engine. This is less booming than what you expect of an AMG, but
preserves the dignity and standing of the luxury model.
The drive of less than 100km, offered on the sidelines of the
Mercedes AMG-GT S test drive, is but a taste of what the S63 is capable
of. Still, it is enough to convey the specialness of the steroidal
S-class.
The car is not available in showrooms in Singapore, but well-heeled
Mercedes AMG fans can place special orders with Cycle & Carriage if
they desire the rare and revvy land yacht. Those who want the V12
version might have to get past Ms Uptight first, though.
Specs
MERCEDES-BENZ S63 AMG
Prices: Price on arrival
Engine: 5,461cc 32-valve twin-turbocharged V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic with paddle shift
Power: 577bhp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 900Nm at 2,250rpm
0-100kmh: 4 seconds
Top speed: 250kmh (electronically limited)
Fuel consumption: 10.3 litres/100km
