For sheer oomph, the new E63 from Mercedes's high-sport AMG division trumps both of its rivals. Under its hood lies a new, handbuilt V-8 displacing 6.2 liters (yes, that "E63" badge is a tad optimistic). Unlike the outgoing E55's supercharged engine, the new 6.2 is normally aspirated. You won't feel cheated. While torque is down (from 516 pound-feet to 465), horsepower is up-from 469 to a staggering 507 horses at 6800 rpm. What's more, the torque dip has allowed Mercedes to replace the previous five-speed automatic transmission with its brilliant seven-speed auto and still maintain durability standards. Like the M5, the E63 throws all of its Herculean muscle to the rear wheels, the better to torture the standard 18-inch Continental Sport Contacts stuck back there.
Each of these luxurious, convenience-loaded machines is capable of performing feats of time/space distortion totally unbefitting an automobile with more than two doors and no rear wing. Which is precisely why we love them all. But after putting our trio through a grueling trial of screaming hot laps, rubber-burning track tests, hundreds of road miles, and thrilling blasts through the cinematic Los Angeles River, one of them has earned the distinction of being our favorite Terminator of them all.
You'll need mil-spec firepower to fend off any of these brutes in a straight line. Not surprisingly, the all-wheel-drive S6 was quickest out of the gate, putting down its power without a hint of wheelspin, but with the trio's lowest power rating and, at 4528 pounds, the highest curb weight, it quickly dropped to third in the drag race. Still, it sprints to 60 mph in just 5.1 seconds and runs the quarter mile in 13.6 at 104.4 mph. That's when the tarmac is dry. It's worth remembering that of the three Terminators, the S6 is the least affected by changing road surfaces and weather conditions. On wet tarmac, it'd suffer the smallest performance drop-off-and would likely wind up in front.
Shoehorning 500 horsepower into a BMW body that does just fine with 255 (the 530i) made wondrous digits appear on our test equipment. Launched well-and it takes a skilled driver to produce the perfect whiff of wheelspin-the M5 scorches from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds and nails the quarter in 12.7 at 114.6 mph. That's when it's running in full commando mode: engine set to max power (by default, the M5 starts up delivering a "docile" 400 horsepower), stability/traction control switched off, suspension firm, SMG configured to shift with all the subtlety of a rear-end collision. All these variables-and many more (an incredible 279)-can be adjusted using the standard iDrive controller (while parked, thank you). The driver can even store his favorite setup and then summon it later with a single push of the "M" button on the steering wheel. So cruise along in 400-horse comfort mode with complete confidence: A 500-horsepower, tire-shredding cyborg is just a push of an "M" button away.
The E63 AMG allows a little driver customization-the shocks can be set to three levels of firmness; comfort and sport modes alter the transmission's responsiveness and shift points-but mostly this big Benz asks only, "What do you want to do with your right foot?" If your answer is "Stand on it," hang on: The E63 rockets from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds. In the quarter mile it's dead-even with the M5 (12.7 seconds), though it's moving a tick slower (113.0 mph) when it gets there. Like the M5, the E63 demands sensitive pedaling when traction/stability control (ESP) is off-or the rear tires will go up in smoke. But with its huge torque advantage it's the most willing to pin your ears back in any gear, at any rpm. "E63" is apparently how you say "street rod" in German.
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