Sweet dreams

To oohs and aahs of admiration, Mercedes unveiled the new S 63 AMG Coupé at a posh venue in Umhlanga last week.

This is the sort of vehicle that is practically worshipped by performance-luxury fans, and it is packed with futuristic features too. You have to know it's something unusual when one of the options are headlights containing dozens of Swarovski crystals.

It has undeniably brutal, purposeful looks, with small design tweaks that had Mercedes management and guests alike in a state of near-ecstasy.

The AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo is the most powerful member of the BlueDIRECT engine family, with an astonishing 430kW and 900Nm of torque and claimed fuel consumption of 10.1l/100km.

It also boasts a first in the shape of the curve-tilting function, which sees the vehicle lean over while cornering in the same way that a motorbike would. This is apparently not so you can go faster through corners, but to enable you to do so in more comfort and safety.

The two-door car incorporates the latest features from the S-Class and C-Class. Although we did not get to drive it we were allowed to sit behind the wheel, admire the futuristic but functional interior, start the mighty engine and peer into the boot and engine bay.

The car will be launched in South Africa towards the end of this year. Although you'll need a healthy bank balance to buy one (exact prices have not yet been announced) the reality is that there are enough rich people who will want this dream car and will be queuing to sign the purchase orders.

The latest model has more standard equipment than its predecessor but weighs 65kg less, partly because the outer skin and front end are made of aluminium. The weight loss is said to boost the driving experience and cut fuel consumption: the car roars from 0 to 100km/h in 4.3sec, and has a top speed of 250km/h.

Compared to the previous CL 63 AMG model, engine output has been increased by 30kW and torque by 100Nm.

The AMG sports exhaust system produces a variety of thrilling sounds, depending on which mode the driver chooses, from Controlled Efficiency, to Sport, to Manual.

The eight-cylinder biturbo engines are assembled at the AMG engine shop in Affalterbach.

The seven-speed sports transmission, used exclusively at AMG, allows drivers to configure personal setups, according to driving styles. The ECO start/stop function is fitted as standard.

The AMG sports suspension includes Road Surface Scan and Active Body Control, hi-tech functions that allow the car to read the road ahead and make tiny, high-speed adjustments, which improve safety and comfort.

The system detects curves in the road using a stereo camera behind the windscreen and an additional lateral acceleration sensor.

The front end is dominated by the three-dimensional AMG "twin-blade" radiator grille in silver chrome and three-pointed Mercedes star.

Down below, the front splitter in silver chrome optimises the flow of air to the cooling modules. This design feature also optimises aerodynamic balance.

Eye-catching features of the side design include the large AMG forged wheels.

The chromed twin tailpipes of the AMG sports exhaust system with sports flaps are integrated into the diffuser insert.

Inside the luxurious cabin, the instrument panel blends into the doors in a wrap-around design. Safety and assistance systems are the same as for the S-Class.

The S 63 AMG Coupé will come standard with a six-year/100000 PremiumDrive maintenance plan.