Any CLS63 AMG owners or past drivers here?

[hubris]

Well I have decided to get into something a bit sportier. Trading in the S6 soon, very likely for a CLS63 AMG S, but still keeping an RS7 in the back of my mind.

I mentioned the CSL63 in another thread and saw a response but figured a thread with the specific topic would garner more replies.

Any current or past CLS63 AMG S owners here? Thoughts on how it compares to S6 overall, and in terms of performance, comfort, quality, longevity, etc.?

[subterFUSE]

I'm not a fan of the CLS body. The windows are too small, and roof line too low.... especially in the back seat.


I recently purchased a 2012 S63 AMG as a 2nd daily-driver for myself. Absolutely love it. Particularly on the highway, the S63 is much more stable and planted than the S6 or A8. The ride is smoother and more quiet, with almost no road noise. All you hear is the growl of the engine, and a little wind.

[hubris]

I'm not a fan of the CLS body. The windows are too small, and roof line too low.... especially in the back seat.


I recently purchased a 2012 S63 AMG as a 2nd daily-driver for myself. Absolutely love it. Particularly on the highway, the S63 is much more stable and planted than the S6 or A8. The ride is smoother and more quiet, with almost no road noise. All you hear is the growl of the engine, and a little wind.

I am average height and fit ok in the backseat, but I could see it being an issue with taller people. I did notice the windows are smaller, even the windshield, but not Camaro-esque small. Still has great visibility as far as I could tell.

*whistles* That S63 is one heck of a car, congratulations

[MikeDwerks]

Never owned one, driven a few, but have always been a big fan of the CLS63. Way more attractive back end that the A/S/RS 7 IMO.

Don't know if I would call the CLS more "sporty" than an S6, I think of sporty as smaller, quicker, more nimble. Certainly signifcantly more powerful though. They feel like tanks with with rocker blasters attached, and I am not saying that as a negative.

I have gone back and forth on if I could ever own one... they just feel a tad pretencious for some reason. But geez, with a wide set of rear tires they just look menacing from the back.

Again, this is not from first hand experience, but I have always had a sense they are overpriced problems waiting to happen. Like them a lot though.

[yvnrg1981]

I'm not a fan of the CLS body. The windows are too small, and roof line too low.... especially in the back seat.


I recently purchased a 2012 S63 AMG as a 2nd daily-driver for myself. Absolutely love it. Particularly on the highway, the S63 is much more stable and planted than the S6 or A8. The ride is smoother and more quiet, with almost no road noise. All you hear is the growl of the engine, and a little wind.

I don't know about the 2012 but my brother currently leases the w222 s63 and after driving it i absolutely hated it. His business partner has he s550 amg auro pkg w222 and that one drives much better. The 63 was just weird! Felt all over the place. I tried all the sports settings, comfort settings it's just not a car that supposed to be sporty. There is a reason it's manual classifies as a luxury limousine.

Just my 2 cents.

[AndreNY]

well as a 6"6 guy I fit in my CLS perfectly fine (first Gen) however to fit comfortable in back you have to be 5"11 or shorter. it is after all a 4 door coupe. As far as sportiness and speed goes a CLS63 will smash an S6 its almost as fast as a RS7 in terms of performance. It looks better feels better and sounds better then a S6. and its AWD. In reality a CLS63S should be compared to an RS7 as its in the same class and not a S6

[yas]

well as a 6"6 guy I fit in my CLS perfectly fine (first Gen) however to fit comfortable in back you have to be 5"11 or shorter. it is after all a 4 door coupe. As far as sportiness and speed goes a CLS63 will smash an S6 its almost as fast as a RS7 in terms of performance. It looks better feels better and sounds better then a S6. and its AWD. In reality a CLS63S should be compared to an RS7 as its in the same class and not a S6

You're right. I'm pretty sure that the 7s were designed to compete with the CLS.

[subterFUSE]

I don't know about the 2012 but my brother currently leases the w222 s63 and after driving it i absolutely hated it. His business partner has he s550 amg auro pkg w222 and that one drives much better. The 63 was just weird! Felt all over the place. I tried all the sports settings, comfort settings it's just not a car that supposed to be sporty. There is a reason it's manual classifies as a luxury limousine.

Just my 2 cents.

Mine is a W221.

I've got an S6 to zip around town. The S63 is my favorite on long trips, though.

[HeelBuff]

Saw an S63 coupe on the streets of Berlin today and it was stunning. It's a step up in price from a CLS63S but it may be worth it IMO.

[Brooklyn]

On a recent trip overseas a guy's S63 coupe was parked outside of my hotel for the entire week. Gorgeous car. Sounded mean as hell when he fired it up. I like Audi for the total package of their cars, particularly in the S and RS lines, but IMO, no one does German muscle car engine quite like AMG. If Audi doesn't release the RS6 Avant here in the next couple of years, I'll be in an E63 Wagon. My vote for you, Hubris, is the S63 coupe. Stunning car.

[agent47]

Agreed with @Brooklyn and @HellBuff..the S63 coupe is just OMFG. A very svelte way to say FU to people who always relate MB to old people. @ Brooklyn- I have been watching the E63 myself. A few are available in low 70k with 10-15k mi on them!

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[hubris]

S63 coupe only has two doors though! No doubt it is gorgeous but the added practicality of 4 doors in the CLS63 are a must.

RS7 is indeed a better direct comparison, after all they are the same body style (4 door coupe) and much more relatable in power. I was not comparing CLS63 to S6, more looking for thoughts as a next car.

I'm still stuck on RS7 vs CLS63. I will be driving both soon to make a concrete determination. Unfortunately there isn't an RS7 or CLS63 within 200 miles of me so it will be a full day's activity lol.

[PKmode]

You're right. I'm pretty sure that the 7s were designed to compete with the CLS.

The A/S/RS7 chassis was built to directly compete with the CLS in the Coupe sedan body style. A CLS63S should be compared with an RS7. A S7 should be compared with a CLS550.

[MikeDwerks]

A CLS63S should be compared with an RS7. A S7 should be compared with a CLS550.

Yes and No. Yes, those technically compare better to each other in terms of the class they fall in, price point, and power levels. But I would guess that more often that not a lot of people who are considering the Audi 7 and the CLS platforms would look at a new S7 vs a 1-2yr old CLS63 to be in the same price point, not against a new CLS550. Some just want to be in that manufactures performance line, whether that be S, RS, or AMG and simply won't consider a CLS550 vs S7 or a E550 vs S6.

I think the E550 vs S6 is a great example of two cars that should technically be directly compared but are simply for two different buyers. Ownership experience between a E550 bi-turbo and S6 Bi-turbo are just not the same.

[druss]

tried to reply earlier and lost my missive
as a long time amg owner and now a smitten owner of a rs7 (my first audi) I think you would be happier with a rs7 over the cls, recognizing that both are very late cycle models,and both soon to be updated in the next 24 months. other than its sleek looks, the e class offers more room/comfort and if you can wait a bit, will be introducing the e43 and early 2017 the e63, both entirely new.
incidentally, I came to my rs7 from a 2015 s63 which was more opulent inside than my audi and had somewhat better electronics, but overall I find the rs7 more enjoyable to drive and it is quieter on the road and handles high speed turns probably 5-10 mph faster than the s63; thus far build quality seems about equal.

[hubris]

tried to reply earlier and lost my missive
as a long time amg owner and now a smitten owner of a rs7 (my first audi) I think you would be happier with a rs7 over the cls, recognizing that both are very late cycle models,and both soon to be updated in the next 24 months. other than its sleek looks, the e class offers more room/comfort and if you can wait a bit, will be introducing the e43 and early 2017 the e63, both entirely new.
incidentally, I came to my rs7 from a 2015 s63 which was more opulent inside than my audi and had somewhat better electronics, but overall I find the rs7 more enjoyable to drive and it is quieter on the road and handles high speed turns probably 5-10 mph faster than the s63; thus far build quality seems about equal.

Thanks very much for your thoughts. That is interesting and it's great to hear from someone who has thoroughly experienced both. I thought for sure the CLS63 would have been quieter on the inside. How do you feel about the steering and ride quality in the RS7 compared to the CLS63?

[pez81]

My friend has the cls63 amg s. It drives beautifully. The noise is something else and the torque is endless. It's so well insulated and well made you reach high speeds v quickly. We took it to le mans last year and did 2000miles sharing the driving so I got a lot of seat time. Massage seats would be a must for me having experienced them. Only thing missing is a happy ending. We are going to goodwood festival of speed next week and will hopefully get some pulls against my stage 1 s6 and his 570hp monster. I'll try get some go pro footage. But a great car. His fuel economy is better than mine too.

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[Serpent]

So I did just what you are planning on doing OP, I test drove the CLS63 AMG before I bought the RS7 - I was a little biased because my RS7 was ordered and the CLS is what they had in the lot.

Like someone else a couple of posts above me said, RS7 drives a lot better than the CLS. It did not feel sportier like the RS7 does, for some reason the steering feel wasn't there for me - mind you I only did a short test drive. I thought the interior gadgets were better than the RS7 - for example the CLS came with sport seats that also had ventilated and massaging seats that the RS7 doesn't give me unless I get the comfort seats. CLS sounds good and there's always a ton of power that makes it go like a bat out of hell, but so does my RS7. Unless you really want the RS7/CLS look I would wait until next year and get the new E63S - that interior is going to be really nice.

[druss]

serpent's remarks were very thoughtful. had a cls63 and was excellent car, but not as roomy, fast or quiet as rs7. when the cls goes to awd it may be much closer on performance. both of these are very near end of cycle, with e63 coming in winter and rs7 in 18 or so months. new cls will be 12 or more months behind the e63.
frankly both of these cars are superb and in your quandary you really can't make a wrong choice.

[hubris]

Thanks very much for your feedback everyone. Ended up in the CLS63! Compared to my S6, I feel it is superior in every way except seating capacity and fuel efficiency. In the CLS63: The dynamic bolsters on the driver seat make you feel very engaged with the road and the car, and the massage function is excellent (no comfort seat option on my S6). Speed is very comparable, CLS is a bit slower on the highway but also a bit snappier at low speeds compared to S6. CLS sunroof is bigger. Handling is night and day better in the CLS, and the steering is much firmer and more responsive. The car seems more stable and requires less intervention at highway cruising speeds. Brake pedal feels much nicer. There is significantly less wind noise on the highway in the CLS. The ride is definitely stiffer in the CLS but I like it.

I could go on but the long and short of it is I am very pleased with my purchase. I didn't actually get a chance to drive the RS7 as I was planning on doing that if the CLS failed to impress, however that option was not necessary.

I don't think I will be checking in much here going forward, so thanks for all the information and collaboration here. This is a great community.

[janthony6]

I cross shopped the RS7 and the CLS63. Here is why you will want the RS7:

The CLS63 uses Mercedes MCT Transmission. I had it in my 2013 C63 and it's garbage. It was the worst thing about the car and they keep dropping it into other cars. AMG makes some outstanding engines, but the transmission is terrible. The RS7 8 speed is no DCT but it is awesome in it's own right. You will hate the MCT in the AMG.

The interior of the CLS63 is nice but not on the level of the Audi. The COMAND unit in the CLS feels old. The touch sensitive thing in place of a shifter lacks the Apple level refinement and you'll find yourself frustrated with it more often than not. If you care about the vehicles electronics and user interface, the CLS is dated. The AUDI's telematics are far superior. The Audi MMI app is also a big winner in comparison to the Mercedes app. Mercedes essentially gives you a made for iPhone 5 app of the key fob and a way to send an address to your car. It's really bad in comparison to the Audi offering.

Performance - no comparison. The Audi wins.

[janthony6]

Yikes - just missed that you already got the CLS. Sorry for my post then.

[yeuchau]

Congrats on the car

[MBrock]

Congrats but that's a 2012-2014. I thought you were looking at the face lifted model.

Either way enjoy.

[hubris]

Congrats but that's a 2012-2014. I thought you were looking at the face lifted model.

Either way enjoy.

I was only looking at CPO, and there weren't any facelifted models available with B&O or the interior color I liked. I still like the 2014 model although the 2015 facelift is undeniably a bit sexier. Options are restricted when you're looking CPO but this particular 2014 had every option I wanted so I couldn't be picky and wait for a '15 to possibly come along with similar options. After seeing how much depreciation this 2014 with 14k miles took (121k sticker, sold CPO for 79k) I would have a hard time justifying buying a similar model from MB-AMG new!

[mbk2017]

Slightly off topic, but having looked at both a CLS550 and E550, could not find a CPO 63 with AWD, one of the most frustrating aspects about the non AMG products is the bizarre column shifter. I guess I'm a creature
pf habit, and my right hand just wants to go to the console to shift.

[hubris]

Slightly off topic, but having looked at both a CLS550 and E550, could not find a CPO 63 with AWD, one of the most frustrating aspects about the non AMG products is the bizarre column shifter. I guess I'm a creature
pf habit, and my right hand just wants to go to the console to shift.

Yeah I think all the 2014+ models have AWD

Ha that makes sense, now I know what someone was talking about above with the shifter woes... On an AMG I have a standard center console shifter so I was unsure of what he was griping about lol

[Sport Line]

Funny , I could say pretty much the opposite in comparison cls63 and s6! I test drove cls63,s8 as well,s7 and the s6 I currently own. Cls63 it was my first option until the test drive! CLS63 interior and headlights looks old (except the 2015 model) .S6 steering it is one of my favorite ,especially since I installed the 12,5mm spacers and bf Goodrich comp 2! It's just a completely different car and those new tires have so much better grip comparing the pzero that it is unbelievable ! Ride quality it's so much better as well! Also, the bf Goodrich comp2 seems to be wider comparing pzero (both tires with same specs 255/35/20") .At least you got the 4matic model , they start the 4matic on cls63 since 2013 and this is a huge improvement,but still my personal preference goes to s6

Congratz on the car :)

[fairbird]

Sold S6 2015 got 2014 E63AMG .
No regrets




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[Dguth]

Sold S6 2015 got 2014 E63AMG .
No regrets




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Fairbird, anymore commentary you can provide for the comparison. I initially was looking for a gently used E63 but they are hard to find.


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[Serpent]

Fairbird, anymore commentary you can provide for the comparison. I initially was looking for a gently used E63 but they are hard to find.


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Don't let the picture fool you, that is one bad ass E63!

[fairbird]

Don't let the picture fool you, that is one bad ass E63!

I still remember when it was stock lol
http://mbworld.org/articles/e63-amg-...s-like-nothin/

[fairbird]

Fairbird, anymore commentary you can provide for the comparison. I initially was looking for a gently used E63 but they are hard to find.


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fuel : MB<S6
performance MB>S6
fun to drive MB>S6
comfort MB>S6 , suspension reminds me 911 , little tight , but for my taste it's perfect
Reliability I think S6 >MB
tuning MB way > S6
Launch S6>MB but nothing even close after .
Ask , I'll help if I can .

[dab]

I still remember when it was stock lol
http://mbworld.org/articles/e63-amg-...s-like-nothin/

front end looks like a honda

[fairbird]

front end looks like a honda

If this looks like honda for you , then you have a problem .
I personally don't like rear end though

[Chris Morales]

Fairbird,

So are you just tuned on stock turbos? Have you run it in the quarter? When I was looking at those cars I saw that tuned cars were running high 10s and low 11s (trapping in the high 120s) and that there was no race gas tune for them because the turbos can max out on pump gas. I saw a turbo swapped car ran a 10.7 around 135.

[fairbird]

Fairbird,

So are you just tuned on stock turbos? Have you run it in the quarter? When I was looking at those cars I saw that tuned cars were running high 10s and low 11s (trapping in the high 120s) and that there was no race gas tune for them because the turbos can max out on pump gas. I saw a turbo swapped car ran a 10.7 around 135.

Stock turbo I ran 10.9 /127 I think , I'm at elevation , 2500 above.
Stock mod turbo I ran 10.7/134
Now I have ball bearing turbos , shooting for low 10s , will see.



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[Ze_Nardo6]

Your stage 2 S6 is quicker than the CLS AMG..not sure what you mean when you refer to the Benz as sportier..

EDIT: I now see this is an old thread and you've already made your purchase. Still don't see how the AMG with 570hp/570tq could match the feeling your stage 2 S6 had with 600hp/700tq

[Chris Morales]

Stock turbo I ran 10.9 /127 I think , I'm at elevation , 2500 above.
Stock mod turbo I ran 10.7/134
Now I have ball bearing turbos , shooting for low 10s , will see.

Very impressive. What did you have on the car in the videos? It's odd to see a bunch of AWD cars roll racing.

[yeuchau]

Your stage 2 S6 is quicker than the CLS AMG..not sure what you mean when you refer to the Benz as sportier..

EDIT: I now see this is an old thread and you've already made your purchase. Still don't see how the AMG with 570hp/570tq could match the feeling your stage 2 S6 had with 600hp/700tq

He wants 1000HP and with his new turbo it's probabaly going to be faster than S2 RS7