Stuttgart, Germany – AMG – the mission: Combine pure sports car dynamics with day-to-day Mercedes suitability. In case the purpose was unclear, that’s the messaging from Kai Marten, Director of AMG Operations in Stuttgart, Germany.

Engine manufacturing at the heart of AMG
Before jumping into my ‘First Impressions’ of the formidable E63 AMG, let me share a word or two about the process adhered to by the high-performance company responsible for fortifying Mercedes-Benz machinery. Their facility, located in little town Affalterbach, Germany, employs 64 mechanics to hand-build engines in a dust-free sanitized assembly plant.

“One engine, one mechanic,” is the protocol in which a single mechanic builds an engine from start to finish, and lays his reputation on the line by applying his ‘John Hancock’ to the completed product.

Each AMG 6.2-litre engine is comprised of some 493 bits and pieces, and takes in the neighbourhood of 3.5 hours to painstakingly put together. All components are coded and bar-scanned prior to being bolted, and no robotic aids are utilized in the process.

Now, let’s leave the clinical environs of AMG and examine their latest contribution to automotive dominance.

2010 E63 AMG – more power, improved economy
Heavily revised for 2010, the E63 AMG is referred to by Mercedes-Benz as a dynamic sports saloon combining outstanding performance with exhilarating driving dynamics thanks to a technology transfer from the high-performance SL63 AMG Roadster.

At the heart of that technology is a high-revving 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 developed entirely by AMG. This monster roars with a peak output of 518 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque while achieving a 12-percent increase in fuel efficiency over last year’s version. Simply put – more power from less fuel.

The average overall fuel economy for the 2010 E63 AMG is rated at 12.6L/100km; but hey, who’s fooling whom? With an MSRP well over $100K, people don’t buy such extremity to exemplify their frugality, or their “greenness” for that matter. Save those ideals for buyers of hybrid cars. This rocket is all about power, prestige and performance – full stop.

New wet clutch transmission
AMG backed-up the toughened V8 with their new, SPEEDSHIFT MCT (Multi-Clutch Technology) 7-speed sports transmission. A wet start-up clutch replaces a conventional torque converter in this sophisticated autobox, which supplies four drive modes and a Race Start function.

AMG RIDE CONTROL extends ride and handling thresholds
Many suspension and chassis alterations have gone into maximizing the ride and handling capabilities of the E63 AMG. These innovations include a wider front track and an all-air suspension system in use at the rear along with automatic height control.

The AMG RIDE CONTROL setup features electronically controlled variable damping, which is dependent on road conditions, speed and driving style. Without driver input the system optimizes the juxtaposing dynamics of ride and handling.

-100kph in 4.5 seconds says it all
The AMG design team worked feverishly to embolden the latest E-Class with visual aggression suitable to authenticate an ‘AMG’ badge. This would all be for not if the vehicle’s performance didn’t also merit the coveted distinction; but trust me, it does and then some.

From any speed, drop the hammer and the E63 AMG will pull with uninhibited brute force that knows no boundary. The vehicle is factory-limited to a 250km/h top speed unless the Performance Package is ordered, at which time 300km/h will register before sanity returns.

Our limitless Autobahn experience allowed my driving partner and I to easily clock 241km/h with nary worry or bead of sweat, from the car that is. At high speeds, the E63 AMG is secure, composed and rock-steady.

E63 AMG wrap
This isn’t a car for the masses or the many. It’s a highly specialized sedan imbued with some pretty amazing talent that includes outrageous performance thresholds and big car luxury. It’s sufficiently civilized to serve as an executive daily driver while barely concealing its bare-chested bravado, which it’ll gladly back-up when challenged.