As one of the event’s world premieres, the Mercedes-Benz S 63 AMG Coupé took center stage at the German carmaker’s New York Auto Show booth today. The big AMG coupe debuts 60 years after the legendary 300 SL “Gullwing” had its world premiere in the “Big Apple”.

One of the most important features of the new S 63 AMG Coupé is the available all-wheel drive system, offered for the first time on a big Mercedes luxury coupe. The optional AMG 4Matic all-wheel drive is of particular interest in the U.S., the largest single market for Mercedes-Benz, because of demand from the Snow Belt states.

The optional AMG 4Matic all-wheel-drive system has a 33-67 percent ratio (front-rear) to achieve a sporty feel. The 4Matic model gets the full air-suspension system Airmatic with the adaptive damping system ADS Plus, while the standard RWD model gets the Magic Body Control system.

Compared to its predecessor, the CL 63 AMG, the S 63 AMG Coupé is 65 kg (143lbs) lighter and 40 hp more powerful, as the 5.5-liter bi-turbo V8 engine produces 577hp (585PS) and 900 Nm (663 lb-ft) of torque.

The standard S 63 AMG Coupé sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds, while the S 63 AMG Coupé 4Matic does it in 3.9 seconds. Both models have an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

Fuel economy is improved too, with the S 63 AMG Coupé averaging 10.1 l/100 km (23.3 mpg US), 0.4 l/100 km less than the CL 63 AMG.

By Dan Mihalascu

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