2012 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

AMG, the high-performance car division of Mercedes-Benz, sells more of its hotted-up cars in the United States than anywhere else in the world, and in recent years, has accelerated the pace of change to its lineup of C, E, CLK, CL, and S-Class offerings, each time bringing more horsepower, more torque, better handing and braking, and more features to the AMG-branded cars.For 2012, AMG has come up with still more magic for the E-Class sedan body, starting with a brand new engine package. Instead of the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 engine that has been used in all of the E63-branded cars of recent vintage, AMG has chosen to build a smaller engine, a 5.5-liter V8, and add twin turbochargers to it, for a rating of 518 horsepower and 516 foot-pounds of torque. Don't look for them to rename it the E55, however.The resulting car will be called the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG.The new engine uses direct fuel injection and an automatic start/stop system to maximize fuel economy while providing such prodigious power. It also uses a stop/start system to save fuel. The engine is backed by a 7-speed multi-clutch automatic transmission with four shifting software packages and a RaceStart mode. An optional AMG engine performance package raises the rating to 550 horsepower and 590 foot-pounds of torque from 2000 to 4500 rpm, and raises the car's electronically limited top speed from 155 to 186 mph. The extra power is generated by raising the turbo boost from 14.5 psi to 18.8 psi and altering the fuel and spark curves.The rest of the performance package includes an AMG steering wheel, an adaptive, semi-active sport suspension with active shock absorbers, a carbon-fiber decklid spoiler and engine cover, and a set of red brake calipers. For the true enthusiast, AMG offers carbon ceramic brakes, 18-inch alloy 10-spoke AMG wheels, an AMG carbon-fiber exterior trim package, and ear side window sunshades.Underlying all of the AMG special equipment is an absolutely loaded E-Class sedan. The package includes AMG 14-way adjustable heated sports seats with the multi-contour system on the driver's seat, an AMG leather interior with Alcantara headliner, an AMG performance steering wheel with aluminum shifter paddles, a special AMG instrument cluster with the addition of a Racetimer lap-timing system, and AMG aluminum door sill plates.The sound system in the E63 is as complete as they come, an HD radio with AM, FM, weather band, Sirius satellite, a six-CD changer, DVD player, MP3, an iPod and MP3 media interface, an in-dash memory card reader, an AUX input and USB port, and Bluetooth, all playing through a 14-speaker Harman/Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system with Dolby digital 5.1 displayed on a 7-inch control screen.The new E63 AMG sedan will be on sale shortly, we're guessing at a price hovering close to $90,000.