Revealed on Wednesday ahead of a world premiere at next month’s Los Angeles Auto Show, the duo of 2018 E63 sedans have dropped the outgoing models’ 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8 for AMG’s smaller displacement, but more potent, 4.0-liter force-fed V8, and now get standard 4MATIC four-wheel drive across the range. 

In the base E63, the eight-cylinder lump churns out 563hp (571PS) and 553 lb-ft (750Nm) for a 0-60mph in 3.4 sec (0-100km/h in 3.5 sec), while in ‘S’ guise, it produces 604hp (612PS) and 627 lb-ft (850Nm) allowing Merc’s M5 rival to reach 60mph in 3.3 sec (100km/h in 3.3 sec). Both models have a restricted top speed of 155mph (250km/h), though the available AMG Driver’s package raises the limit to 186mph (300km/h).