The AWD-Only Mercedes-AMG E63 Will Have A Drift Mode

Earlier this year, AMG’s big cheese Tobias Moers confirmed what we’d all been expecting: the new E63 would not be available in a rear-wheel drive format. It makes sense given that 90 per cent of previous-gen E63 buyers opted for all-wheel drive, but Moers has just announced something that might placate the 10 per cent: drift mode.

Speaking to several outlets at the Paris Motor Show, Moers confirmed the mode’s existence. Autocar quotes the man as saying the following of the new E63: “It is four-wheel drive and we’re going to have a Drift Mode.” It’ll apparently be able to send up to 100 per cent of the E63’s power to the rear wheels, so smokey burnouts and massive drifts will still be possible.

Judging by some leaked stats we’ve already seen, it should have plenty of power to send to those rear boots. We’re talking 563bhp and 553lb ft of twist from the base model, while the S will put out a monstrous 603bhp and 627lb ft of torque. 0-62mph in the standard car will take 3.7 seconds, with the S managing the same two tenths quicker. Each will use the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 already doing service in the C63.

Expect the car to say its big and smokey hello early next year.