The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is an icon, a benchmark in its class. In many ways it epitomizes the brand. It's the company's best-selling line worldwide, and one of the best-selling Mercedes models in the United States. The E-Class represents the middle range among Mercedes-Benz sedans: larger than the entry-level C-Class, but more trim and practical than the imposing S-Class. Nonetheless, today's E-Class is as big as an S-Class was in the 1970s. The E-Class sedans are big, roomy cars that are solid, safe, practical, comfortable, luxurious, and fast. The E-Class features some of the industry's most advanced safety technology, and it expresses what most people think of when they think of Mercedes: status in an elegant, understated fashion. Yet the cost of operating the popular Mercedes E350, in terms of fuel consumption and maintenance, can be quite reasonable. And there is no better example of how far passenger car diesel technology has advanced than the Mercedes E320 Bluetec. With its advanced common-rail direct-injection turbodiesel engine, the E320 Bluetec accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.6 seconds, while delivering EPA-estimated fuel mileage of 23/32 city/highway mpg, and producing minimal exhaust emissions. The Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec was named World Green Car at the 2007 New York International Auto Show, and NewCarTestDrive.com chose it as one of its Best Commuter Cars that same year. The 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class includes six models (nine, if you count the all-wheel-drive variants separately). Buyers can choose a sedan or wagon. They can choose among two V8s, a V6, and a turbocharged V6 diesel, and between rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. For 2007, the Mercedes E-Class was freshened with more powerful engines, along with subtle styling changes, new interior elements, and a few tweaks for handling and safety. These changes helped the E-Class keep pace with such outstanding luxury competitors as the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Acura RL. Also new for 2007 were the super-high-performance E63 AMG sedan and wagon, powered by a 507-hp 6.2-liter V8 that made the E63s the fastest E-Class models ever built. And though capable of monstrous acceleration (0 to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds) and a top speed of 180 mph (were it not for electronics that limit top speed to 155 mph), these latest AMGs retain the touches of luxury expected at the upper end of the market. For 2008, there are few changes to the E-Class lineup except for a new AMG Sport Package for the Mercedes E350 and Mercedes E550.

Model Lineup
The 2008 Mercedes E-Class lineup can seem daunting and complex, yet there is only one primary choice: four-door sedan or wagon. From there, it's a matter of choosing the engine and whether you want 4Matic all-wheel drive. The E350 models are powered by a 268-hp, 3.5-liter V6 engine. The E350 sedan ($51,200) comes with a seven-speed automatic transmission, while the all-wheel-drive 4Matic ($52,700) has a five-speed automatic. E350 sedans are available in Sport or Luxury trim, for the same price either way. The E320 Bluetec ($52,200) is equipped identically to the E350 Luxury version, but features a 210-horsepower 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6. The E350 4Matic wagon ($55,950) is equipped comparably to the Luxury sedan. A power liftgate and cargo organizer are standard, along with a folding third seat that increases passenger capacity to seven. Standard features on the E350 include a glass sunroof, six-disc CD changer, harman/kardon Logic 7 premium audio with nine speakers and surround-sound, fully automatic dual-zone climate control, 10-way power front seats with memory, real burl walnut trim, a power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, power windows with one-touch express up and down, auto-dimming mirrors, and rain-sensing windshield wipers. Luxury trim comes with 17-inch wheels, comfort suspension, green-tinted glass and burl walnut wood interior accents. Sport trim includes 18-inch twin-spoke wheels, sport rear bumper, dual exhaust pipes, lowered sport suspension, blue-tinted glass, black bird's eye maple wood trim, white gauges, and a matte chrome gearshift surround. Options include the Premium 1 package ($2,410) with DVD navigation, Sirius satellite radio, power rear window sunshade and heated and active-ventilated front seats. Premium II ($4,320) adds headlamp washers, a bi-xenon active light system, cornering fog lamps, and Keyless Go to that list. Also optional: leather upholstery ($1,550), a panorama sunroof for sedans ($1,010), electronic trunk closer ($530), split/folding rear seats ($350), wood/leather steering wheel ($550), iPod integration kit ($425), and Parktronic obstacle warning ($1,120). Radar-controlled Distronic adaptive cruise control is no longer available on these models. New for 2008 is the AMG Sport Package ($2,000), which adds deeper front and rear aprons, unique 18-inch AMG wheels, and an AMG leather-covered steering wheel with manual shift paddles to E350s with Sport trim. The E550 ($59,700) and E550 4Matic ($61,200) sedans are powered by a 382-hp 5.5-liter V8, and offer more standard equipment than the E350. Leather upholstery, a four-zone climate control system, and Airmatic variable air suspension come standard. Options are similar to those offered on the E350, including the Premium I ($2,860) and Premium II ($4,770) packages, as well as the AMG Sport Package. The E63 AMG sedan ($85,300) and wagon ($86,050) come with the 507-hp 6.2-liter V8, a seven-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles, massive 18-inch tires and wheels, performance brakes, a lowered chassis, and a more aggressively tuned Airmatic suspension. They're distinguished by unique body touches and interior trim, deeply sculpted sports seats, and AMG markings. Distronic cruise control ($2,200) is still available on these models. The AMG wagon does not come with a third-row seat, but one can be ordered ($1,010). Otherwise, options are similar to those on the other E-Class models. Safety features that come standard on all models include eight airbags: dual front airbags, side-impact airbags for front and rear passengers, and head-protection curtains that run the length of the cabin on both sides. The airbag management system employs multiple impact sensors designed to more precisely control the timing and rate of deployment. The system accounts for the weight of a front-seat passenger and controls seatbelt pretensioners according to the force of impact. Active safety features start with anti-skid stability electronics and the latest evolution of ABS. Safety is further enhanced by the Pre-Safe system, standard on all E-Class models, and engineered to recognize critical situations as they develop and prepare both the passengers and the car for the crisis. If braking deceleration exceeds a certain level or the vehicle threatens to skid, the system tensions the front seatbelts, adjusts the front passenger seat for optimum positioning relative to the airbags, and closes the side windows and sliding sunroof, leaving only a small gap. In the event of a rear collision, the front head restraints move forward nearly two inches and upward by more than an inch, helping to support the head and reduce whiplash injuries.

Walkaround
Before the launch of the gorgeous CLS sedan/coupe, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class was widely considered to be the most successful design among the company's current sedans. The slight increase in overall length and wider front and rear tracks introduced on the 2007 models did nothing to dispel the car's suave look. The four-headlight theme was refined for 2008, with transparent louvers over their top sections, a striking effect, and white LEDs used for the parking lights. The front bumper and radiator grille were given a pronounced V-shape, and the spoiler stretched lower. The front end's new look was carried to the rear along deeper side skirts to a new rear bumper and taillight configuration. New mirrors provided a better view with even less wind resistance. These changes have kept the E-Class looking fresh and youthful, yet elegant. No further appearance changes have been made for 2008. The current E-Class introduced many innovations not necessarily apparent to the eye. This was the first Mercedes sedan to use aluminum body components extensively, starting with the hood, front fenders, trunk lid, front crossmember and front subframe. Aluminum is lighter and potentially stronger but more expensive than steel. Aluminum amounts to 10 percent of the body's weight. About 37 percent of the total is modern high-strength steel alloys. From the aerodynamic perspective, the E-Class is one of the slipperiest sedans extant. Its 0.27 coefficient of drag is a benchmark for sedans and helps minimize wind noise and maximize fuel economy. The E-Class wagon, available only in E350 and E63 AMG versions, will never be mistaken for anything but a wagon. Nonetheless, it is impressively sleek, and some critics find the tear-drop taper of the rear roof more aesthetically pleasing than the trunk deck on the sedans. Certainly, the wagon's added cargo-passenger flexibility is welcome. If the E350 wagon is too stodgy for your taste, there's always the E63 AMG version. The E63 AMG sedan and wagon look meaner than the other E-Class cars. With their lower body cladding and 18-inch wheels, the E63s look racy and aggressive. As is often the case, the body add-ons add slightly more drag, if you can call a super slippery 0.28 Cd more drag. The aerodynamic aids are for downforce, to improve grip in fast corners.

Interior Features
We really enjoy the Mercedes E-Class interior. Like its exterior styling, we consider the E-Class cabin to be some of the marque's best design work, with a successful mix of attributes. The E-Class sedan delivers plenty of passenger space, yet it maintains some level of intimacy. It's luxurious, yet functional, and loaded with features without being excessive. The E-Class has all the traditional Mercedes interior cues, starting with its standard dark stained burl walnut trim. The cabin is conservative in some respects, daring in others, and impressively executed throughout. The freshened styling introduced for 2007 gave the car a more elegant look, distinguished by sweeping curves, soft surfaces and effective use of chrome trim. A handsome four-spoke steering wheel with elliptical thumb-operated buttons was new as well, along with revised controls for the automatic climate system and additional interior color choices. The dashboard sweeps from each side and blends into the doors and center console. The wood trim is complemented by splashes of chrome. Plastic panels are generally rich in appearance and have a soft-touch finish. All are sprayed with a polyurethane coating that delivers impressively consistent color. The instrument cluster uses black script on white gauges with LED lighting. There's a big speedometer in the middle, with a menu-operated display for diagnostics, feature selection, ambient temperature, date and other information in its center. To the left sits a large analog clock, to the right the tachometer. On either end of the cluster are neat bar gauges that resemble thermometers, displaying fuel level and coolant temperature. A cluster of switches between the visors on the headliner controls cabin lighting and the Tele-Aid SOS call button. The panel also includes a switch to operate the sunroof. HomeLink buttons are located on the bottom of the rearview mirror and can be programmed to control garage doors, house lighting, gates, etc. Redundant controls on the steering wheel hub operate the phone, radio and information display. A single row of switches at the bottom of the center stack operates door locks, flashers and seat heaters. The main audio, telephone and navigation controls are located in a Comand module, spread around a 16:9 ratio LCD display screen. The system is a big improvement over Mercedes' previous control center, and while it still requires some learning, it probably takes less time to master than the menu/joystick system in many E-Class competitors. The CD changer is located behind a flip-up switch panel in the center of the dash, which, at the touch of a button, opens for access. The changer can play audio CDs and MP3s, and an auxiliary input plug in the glove box allows personal audio devices to be played through the 12-speaker sound system. An optional kit connects an Apple iPod to the audio system and provides information in the center display while allowing control via the multi-function steering wheel. Mercedes re-learning that people who drive cars carry stuff with them. This E-Class has less storage space than some of its competitors, but acres more than any Mercedes did five years ago. The center console has a funky pop-up cupholder and a large storage bin (two bins if you don't order the telephone package). Storage bins are also located in each door along with map pockets on the front seatbacks. The 10-way adjustable front bucket seats are firm enough for good support when driving fast, but not hard on the back when cruising. They grip bodies of various sizes nicely, and there's more than enough adjustment via Mercedes' patented door-mounted seat controls to accommodate just about everyone. The sport seats have enough bolstering to keep a bronze bust in place. But if you don't dive into corners like Stirling Moss, you probably don't need them. They make getting in and out a little more difficult. We especially enjoy the optional Active-Ventilated seats on hot days, when they provide a welcome measure of comfort. Gripes? Mercedes' cruise control is still managed with a stalk on the left side of the steering column, above the turn signals. At some point, no matter how long you've driven the car, you are going to hit the cruise control when you intend to turn on the blinker. Mercedes engineers insist that theirs is the most effective cruise-control operation going. We've yet to meet anyone who prefers it. The E-Class was one of the first cars to feature ambient cabin lighting. These strips of soft, low-level lighting in the headliner remain on during darkness, like a fancy nightlight in the bathroom. It's disconcerting while driving at night, at least initially, because we're used to nothing but the instrument lights. The distraction goes away as you become accustomed, but we're not sure the benefit of being able to see around the cabin outweighs the perceived loss of night vision and focus on the road. Ambient lighting is convenient for passengers who want to be able to see inside the cabin, however. A power glass moonroof that tilts and slides comes standard, but a Panorama roof can be ordered (on sedans, at least) that offers twice the glass surface area. It features continuous glass that slides along the top of the body from the windshield to the rear window. The back seat has all the comforts of home. Separate air vents for both sides, a fan-speed switch and separate temperature adjustments help keep rear passengers comfortable. A 12-volt power point, reading lamps, and a wide, fold-down center armrest with cupholders and divided storage are provided. Headrests are provided for all three rear seating positions, yet the driver can retract them with the press of a button when there's no one riding in back for a greater range of rearward vision. The optional split/folding rear seat adds utility; get it if you haul stuff. The trunk is one of the largest in the class, with nearly 16 cubic feet of space. The trunk floor is as long as it is wide, with load height just above the bumper. The E-Class wagon offers 24.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second-row seats and 69 cubic feet with all the seats folded down. That's nearly as much volume as in the all-new 2009 Mercedes M-Class, and with its lower load height, the space in the E-Class wagon is much easier to reach than it is in an SUV. The folding third-row seat will accommodate pre-teens without complaint, but most adults won't like it back there.

Driving Impressions
All of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class cars are enjoyable to drive. Smooth, serene and quiet are the dominant impressions at the wheel of any E-Class, unless you have the accelerator floored. There's very little vibration anywhere in the cabin, and almost no wind noise. Improvements to the geometry of the front suspension for 2007 has given the E-Class a crisper, quicker turn-in while cornering, perceptibly increasing the sporty nature of the car's handling. All of the E-Class cars corner responsively and provide a smooth, if slightly firm, ride, a balance we like in luxury sedans. The four-link front suspension is similar to that under the expensive S-Class models, and the five-link rear suspension does a superb job of controlling unwanted wheel movement, which is crucial to handling and ride quality. The variable-power steering system was improved for 2007 with a 10-percent quicker ratio for more precise control of front wheel direction. The system provides more boost for easy turning at low speeds and less for more progressive steering response and feedback at higher speeds. With 2.6 turns lock-to-lock compared to the previous system's 3.3 turns, we found the new steering makes maneuvering through crowded parking lots easier and more pleasant, and it's far more responsive in the corners. The Sport models are tuned for those who like to feel in closer touch to the pavement, as they are fitted with shorter springs for a slightly lower ride height, stiffer shocks, and low-profile performance tires on 18-inch wheels. On V8 models, the Airmatic Dual Control suspension replaces the standard steel coil springs with air springs. This computer-managed system adjusts the air pressure to the spring at each wheel, based on road conditions or driving style, to slightly soften or firm the ride and to add or decrease body roll (lean) in corners. In combination with electronically adjusted shock absorbers, the air suspension can automatically improve ride quality or handling or optimize the balance of the two, depending on where the car is traveling and whether the driver is cruising or driving quickly. The system works automatically, without switching suspension settings between sport and comfort. The previously touchy brake system was simplified for 2007, and now provides an ultra-smooth grasp, even at slow speeds. Each E-Class model has progressively larger brake rotors and more complex piston designs to complement the engine's power and corresponding speed potential. The E-Class wagons give up almost nothing to the sedans in performance, fuel economy or handling dynamics. The E350 comes with a 3.5-liter engine, the first Mercedes V6 with dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. The 3.5-liter V6 generates 268 horsepower, and it mates well with the high-tech seven-speed automatic transmission that comes standard. The E350 is as responsive as any V6-powered car we've driven. This engine also features fully variable valve timing, so it delivers an impressive amount of torque from idle all the way to redline. The E350 responds immediately, no matter how fast it's already traveling when the driver dips the gas pedal. The 3.5-liter engine is also appreciably smooth, particularly at high rpm. And thanks to the seven-speed automatic, it delivers decent fuel mileage. The E320 Bluetec diesel gets vastly superior fuel economy, with EPA ratings of 23 city/32 highway mpg. With predominantly highway travel, this gives it a range over 600 miles per tankfull. The Bluetec is designed to run on the ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel introduced into the U.S. starting October 2006. Mercedes' first V6 diesel, the Bluetec features all the latest high-tech goodies, including turbocharging, a variable nozzle turbine, four valves per cylinder, exhaust gas recirculation and a third generation of CDI, the common-rail direct-injection system that delivers fuel to the engine at an incredible 23,000 psi (compared to 100-250 psi in a typical gasoline engine). Yet the technology matters less than the results. The diesel V6 puts out a modest 210 hp, but is backed up by a resounding 400 pound-feet of torque that begins as early as 1600 rpm. In other words, this baby hauls. There's no smoke to be seen or smelled. Four after-treatment units in the exhaust stream help make the Bluetec V6 the cleanest diesel powerplant in the world. Initially, the Bluetec was sold in 45 states only, but Mercedes-Benz expected that a further evolution of Bluetec will allow diesel Mercedes to be sold throughout the United States in 2008. We drove the E320 Bluetec sedan through the deserts and mountains surrounding Las Vegas, and it exhibited all the attractive traits of the gasoline-powered Benzes, and more. As well as being as smooth and quiet as any of the world's luxury sedans, Bluetec comes with a powerful character all its own, owing to the massive yank of torque that pulls the car from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.6 seconds, only a tenth of a second behind the gas-powered E350 sedan. In other words, forget everything you know about diesel-powered cars built in the 1970s, '80s or '90s. Slow starting? Not anymore. Like all diesels, the Bluetec still needs electric glow plugs to heat the combustion chambers before starting, but we never noticed. Unpleasant odors? You'll still experience that oily diesel smell at the truck stop when you fill the E320 Bluetec's tank, but once the filler cap is back on and the car is running, there will be no unpleasant fumes inside or out. Excessive engine noise? At idle, during warm-up, we heard the rapid tick-tick of diesel noise more loudly than anything coming from the gasoline-powered E350's engine, but once underway, there was zero difference in the amount of engine noise reaching the cabin compared to other E-Class models. That extra bit of noise is more than offset by the Bluetec sedan's excellent benefits. With 400 pound-feet of torque, more even than the E550 boasts with its V8, the turbodiesel V6 makes a winner of the E320 Bluetec in almost any stoplight derby. The 3,860-pound sedan, though no lightweight, jumps forward quickly enough to spin the back tires just by jabbing the right pedal, if you've switched the traction control off. Its turbocharger also provides a level of immunity from the power-robbing effects of high elevation, as we discovered in our climb up Mount Charleston northwest of Las Vegas. And on one quiet desert road, we reached the electronically limited top speed of 130 mph without breaking a sweat. That said, there's nothing like the E550's V8 power for smooth, exhilarating acceleration. This V8 is sweet from idle to the 6000-rpm redline, and with 382 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque, the E550 flies. From a stoplight or from 70 mph, there's a deep well of torque underfoot and plenty of acceleration, good enough to rocket from 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. Throughout our first drive of the E550, on the high-speed autobahns of Germany and over the twisting roads of the Bavarian Alps, it provided a stellar combination of performance and luxury, sharp handling and passenger comfort. In short, the Mercedes-Benz E550 is as nearly perfect a sports sedan as has been developed by anyone. The seven-speed automatic transmission improves acceleration, performance and response, but it also enhances fuel efficiency when compared to a more common five-speed automatic. Gear changes are barely noticeable, especially in the higher gears. This transmission allows significantly quicker acceleration for highway passing situations. And it doesn't have to go through every gear: Step on the gas and the transmission will skip down to the appropriate gear, switching from seventh to fifth, for example, and from there directly to third, meaning two downshifts instead of four. Both this transmission and the five-speed also offer three individual driver-selectable shift programs to alter the shifting characteristics from comfort to sport to full manual gear selection. The E63 AMG sedan and wagon operate on another plane entirely. Their race-bred naturally aspired 6.2-liter V8, which replaces the supercharged E55 V8, is now being offered in a variety of Mercedes models. The new big V8 delivers 507 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, and catapults the E63 models form 0 to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds. The 6.2-liter V8 is the first Mercedes engine to be totally engineered and built at the AMG facility, and the firm put every bit of its long motorsports experience into it. The all-aluminum engine features four valves per cylinder, a variable intake manifold made of magnesium, variable camshafts and a special low-friction cylinder wall treatment, but the most important part is it performs and growls like a big V8. The E63's transmission is an efficient seven-speed automatic with AMG-tuned Speedshift programming. It shifts quickly up or down (though without the throttle blip of some manu-matics), doesn't hunt back and forth for the right gear, even in hilly terrain, and it rarely shifts unless the driver changes the angle of the gas pedal, which is good. When the driver prefers, an auto-manual shift mechanism allows a high level of control over gear selection. Either by toggling the shifter left or right or using the paddles on the steering wheel, the transmission shifts quickly up and down at the driver's discretion. The system will hold the selected gear indefinitely just below the 6000-rpm redline, but it won't let you bump the engine off its rev-limiter without shifting up a gear. Should the mood strike, a driver can run through the gears or challenge a curving stretch of road almost as if it was a fully manual transmission. Drivers who like that sort of thing might gripe about the lack of a blipped throttle during downshifts like some other transmissions of this type deliver, but that's a minor point that will be moot to almost everyone else. Most of the time, we simply left it in Drive. Even the high-performance E63 AMG is so quiet that the driver forgets just how powerful and fast it is until the throttle is opened up.

Summary
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class offers a wide range of choices, but all have the attributes that have made them a benchmark among luxury cars. Every model delivers a combination of safety, luxury, practicality, performance, status, and cost of operation that's difficult to match. The redesigned E-Class introduced for model year 2007 improved on this car. This remains an iconic car in a market segment crowded with good cars.

Walkaround
It's remarkable how the Mercedes box has evolved into the aerodynamic C63 AMG. But that's what it looks like, an evolution of the box. It's still boxy compared to the new Jaguar XF sports sedan, whose 420-horsepower supercharged version is a competitor to the C63 AMG, although it costs nearly $10,000 more. The C63 AMG is all sweeps and bulges, and profile. It's an AMG body, with almost no sheetmetal common to the Mercedes C350. It's clearly not your father's Mercedes. The nose, for example, is nearly four inches longer, in pursuit of high-speed aerodynamics. The roofline is low and windshield steeply, sleekly raked. There are two eye-catching creases in the aluminum hood, like fat speed lines flowing back from the three-pointed star emblem in the grille. AMG calls them power domes, and, along with the oversize front fender flares, these bulges say the car is hot. The airdam under the grille in the front fascia is all business, with big dark openings, pencil-beam foglights, and wing tabs at the corners like you see on racing cars. There are nasty-looking shark-like gills just forward of the front wheels, but only the right one does anything, it sucks in air for the oil cooler. The shark on the left is toothless. Chrome is limited to the grille and trim around the windows. And a thick ring around the foglights, making them like zits on the AMG's chin. There's also a silver-dollar-sized tri-star emblem on the otherwise beautiful sleek hood, located mere inches above the big tri-star in the center of the grille. You'd think AMG should be allowed to take the little one off their beautiful hood if they want to, but maybe not. The lines under the headlights begin the upward sweep that picks up the pace at the oversized front fender flares, flies under the body-colored door handles, then tapers and ends at the high hips at the top of the cool LED taillights. Two twin-tip exhausts discreetly poke out under the rear bumper and through a black diffuser that helps keep the car on the ground at high speed. The 18-inch alloy wheels, painted titanium gray, are star-shaped, too simple we think, but the wide spaces allow a view of the massive brake calipers, and maybe that's the idea.

Interior Features
The best view of the C63 AMG might be from the driver's seat, looking down over the muscular hood. Even though it's longer, you can still see the front corners of the car. The front seats, especially the driver's seat, are certainly the most comfortable in the house, with integrated head restraints. The standard leather has nice grip, and the seats are thoroughly and perfectly bolstered, adjustable both for your back and sides. The steering wheel is hot, three-spoke and flat-bottomed so there's more room for your knees. The leather is fine as it is, but with the AMG Performance Package you get grippy Alcantara. There are steering wheel controls, and the paddle shifters are good because you can reach them with your middle fingers when your hands are at 10 and 2 o'clock, resting on the bumps there. Or, if you grip the wheel at 9 and 3, the paddles fall right under your fingertips. We found we used the paddle shifters more in this car, because the shift lever position puts an awkward bend in your wrist. There are nice pads to rest each elbow, on the door and center console, for relaxed driving. There's plenty of legroom in front, although there's no excess headroom for the driver if the seat is jacked up for best visibility. And there's a big dead pedal, curiously carpeted over the aluminum. There's aluminum trim on the center stack and around the shift lever, and in the doors. Carbon fiber is an option. The AMG instrument cluster is disappointing, and puzzling. The new dials with red needles do not impress. The tachometer, especially, is small and not easy to read, as if engine revs aren't a priority in this high-performance sports sedan. The speedometer is larger and its numbers go to 200 mph, if that's a consolation. Rear seat legroom is marginal, although not if the driver has his seat moved way back. The specs say 33.4 inches and that's not much: six inches less than in the Pontiac G8, for example. The navigation system is easy to operate, but doesn't have enough street detail; if that detail is in fact there, we sure couldn't find it, not even with the help of a fellow automotive journalist who's a geek. Too many streets were just white lines, with a gray background, and the Arizona road we were on, a big and long two-lane, wasn't even on the system. The air conditioning was okay for Phoenix in February, but we wouldn't want to be running errands there in summer. It was 73 degrees out, and it took nearly 15 minutes at max before it got too cold. The next day was 80 degrees, and it took 10 minutes at full blast for the cabin to get as cool (but not icy) as we preferred.

Driving Impressions
Each C63 AMG engine is assembled by hand, emblematic (literally, as each engine gets a signature plate) of the attention that AMG gives each car it builds. The C63 engine is magnificent, hulking under that muscular hood in all its compact glory, 6.2 liters, 451 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. Too bad it's totally covered by plastic chambers, runners and plenums, making you feel pretty silly to pop the hood and admire it. You can't see pieces like the magnesium variable intake manifold. All you can say is: Well, the engine is in there somewhere, and it's real powerful. With a redline at 7200 rpm, it sounds good, especially when your listening point is from another car and the C63 AMG passes you at 100 miles an hour. It so