Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG (2005 model)
The delivery driver is early, which is hardly surprising with over 600bhp at his disposal. Actually, he’s got 612bhp from a twin-turbo 6.0-litre V12 under his right foot, which might suggest that we’re about to drive a hypercar like a Ferrari Enzo or a Porsche Carrera GT. But we’re not, all that power is in a luxury saloon - the Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG.
It seems that Mercedes aside, 600bhp+ remains the preserve of ultra rare, super expensive hypercars. Cars like AMG’s own 1997 CLK-GTR, a Le Mans racer for the road that cost $1m and was only built for a handful of extremely wealthy customers. It delivered 612bhp, but such is the pace of their progress Mercedes can now offer the same output in a saloon, a roadster and a coupe in the AMG S65, SL65 and CL65 respectively. Throw in the 626bhp Mercedes McLaren SLR and the German company has more models offering 600+bhp than rival manufacturers can muster combined.
First Drive: Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG
Yet, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that such power in a saloon is unnecessary and unusable, and until I’d driven the S65 I’d have been inclined to agree. I’d have argued that the S-Class really has all the power it could ever need in S600 guise, its 5.5-litre twin-turbo V12 offering 500bhp and huge pace. But AMG customers clearly demand more and are willing to pay £142,000 for the privilege. That’s over £50,000 more than its hugely capable S600 relative so the AMG needs to be very special indeed.
Max power
So, as well as every conceivable electronic aid, and all of Mercedes’ cutting edge safety, entertainment and navigation equipment, the V12 engine is enlarged to 6.0-litres - hiking the power by 112bhp to 612bhp. Torque increases too, from an already enormous 800Nm in the S600 to 1000Nm, comfortably ahead of any rival.
It’s that torque figure of 1000Nm, which makes the S65 so rapid. AMG claims that the engine could comfortably produce 200Nm more, but to ensure longevity of the transmission it’s been electronically capped. Still, 1000Nm of torque gives the AMG S65 quite staggering pulling power, the engine able to produce outrageous thrust from any point in the rev range. Prod the accelerator and after a slight pause you experience the kind of constant, linear surge that you get when a jet plane takes off. Only in the S65 it doesn’t seem to ever tail off.
Surprisingly, given the figures the power delivery isn’t savage. Unlike the supercars its performance matches it remains remarkably civilised in the way it goes about its business. Numerous electronic systems ensure it produces its prodigious thrust with the minimum of fuss. Only a squirm from the rear and a brief flashing of the traction control light highlight just how hard the tyres are working to transfer all that power into forward motion. Switch it off and it’s a different story, the rear tyres succumb to the engine’s might and spin away merrily, but such behaviour most unbecoming for a luxury saloon, nor the best way to achieve the possible 4.4 second 0-62mph time.
On the road
Where the S65 really excels is in the way that it gathers pace while moving. Motorway slip roads hold no fear and overtaking is a cinch - just point and prod and the S65 gets you to where you want to be effortlessly. It’s dragster quick, it scarcely believable how swiftly the needle sweeps around the speedometer. However, allow that speedometer needle to do it’s party trick and the fuel one drops just as spectacularly – you’ll struggle to match the official combined consumption figure of 19mpg.
But the real reason for restraint is that it’s just getting into its stride at UK limits, meaning if you can’t resist the temptation to press on it’ll be straining at its electronic 155mph limiter in no time - and you’ll be looking at jail time. With such absurd performance it’s unsurprising that more than just the engine has been revised over lesser S-Class models.
The brakes are heavily revised, the front discs constructed of a composite material, giving the S65 retardation to equal its acceleration, while its ABC (Active Body Control) suspension responses have been tuned, too. The result is that body roll, pitch and dive virtually eliminated, but not at the ultimate expense of ride which, while firm isn’t too comprised. The steering is as devoid of communication as its S-Class relatives, but the S65 isn’t a car you’ll be hustling down a back road, its size reigning in your enthusiasm, rather than its lack of ability.
Interior
Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG interior
Inside it’s all familiar S-Class, details like the perforated leather active seats, wheel-mounted shifters for the smooth five-speed automatic transmission and the speedometer calibrated to 220mph hint at something a bit more special, but otherwise it’s little different. Exterior styling follows the usual AMG route, too. A bigger, more aggressive front end feeds air to that mighty engine and brakes, there’s deeper side sills and under the rear bumper nestle four large oval exhausts.
Verdict
Remove the badging on the bootlid and wings and opt for less aggressive looking wheels and the S65 could easily pass as just another S-Class. That’s perhaps the point. For the day when you can’t take your helicopter or jet, or one of your many supercars is too impractical then the AMG S65 covers all bases. In the rarefied world of the super rich, that’s more than enough to justify buying one, however silly it may seem to those of us with normal bank balances.
