With the latest generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class receiving so many accolades from the media after test drives, could we really have expected anything less from the flagship AMG model?

In a nutshell, no. At least not according to Auto Express editor Steve Sutcliffe, who’s one of the most experienced journos on the web. He got to drive the new E63 S on both road and track, though he does state that the car feels better on the road where you get that AMG-specific mix of performance and comfort that you’d expect from a large saloon.

To get the data out of the way, here’s a quick reminder of what the new E63 S brings to the table. It starts with its 4.0-liter force-fed V8 churning out 612 PS and 850 Nm (627 lb-ft) of torque, allowing this mid-size premium saloon to hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in as little as 3.4 seconds.

For performance sake, thankfully all that power is transmitted to all four wheels with the help of a nine-speed Speedshift MCT automatic gearbox, though if you’d start missing the old E63’s rear wheel drive characteristics, you’ll be happy to know there’s a special ‘Drift Mode’ setting that will send power exclusively to the rear wheels.

Predictably, there are plenty of things to say about the new E63, and Sutcliffe sums it up pretty well in this clip. He even goes to say that this is his type of car, though we reckon plenty of people would feel that way after toying around with that much power behind the wheel of a luxury car.

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