2018 Mercedes S Class Under the Hood: A new family of engines debuts in the 2018 Mercedes S-Class, and the available Active Body Control suspension gains improved Road Surface Scan technology as well as a curve-tilt function designed to lessen the centrifugal force felt by occupants as the car rounds corners. In the S450 and S450 4Matic, a twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V-6 engine makes 362 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft. of torque. The S560 and Mercedes-Maybach S560 4Matic get a twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V-8 engine making 463 horsepower and 516 lb.-ft. of torque. Mercedes claims the S560’s power plant is one of the most fuel-efficient V-8 engines ever built and says it improves fuel economy by 10% over the engine it replaces, thanks in part to cylinder-deactivation technology. The Mercedes-AMG S63 receives a hand-built, twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V-8 engine making 603 horsepower and 664 lb.-ft. It also includes cylinder-deactivation technology and sees a significant improvement in fuel efficiency. Performance, however, does not suffer. Acceleration to 60 mph requires just 3.4 seconds, according to Mercedes. 2018 Mercedes-AMG S63 Sedan engine photoThe new engine is bolted to a new AMG-Speedshift 9-speed transmission, which powers all four wheels through a new fully variable AMG Performance 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system. When placed in Sport or Sport+ driving mode, a new Race Start function ensures maximum acceleration. Additionally, the AMG S63 is equipped with a performance exhaust system that emits different sound depending on the selected driving mode, speed-sensitive steering, and a sport suspension based on the company’s Airmatic technology. The Mercedes-AMG S65 continues with a twin-turbocharged, 6.0-liter V-12 engine good for 621 horsepower and 738 lb.-ft. of torque. It powers the rear wheels through a 7-speed transmission, and this AMG-tuned version of the S-Class is actually slower than the S63, requiring 4.2 seconds to get to 60 mph. Otherwise, the S65 is outfitted similarly to the S63, except that its AMG Sport Suspension is based on Magic Body Control with its new curve-tilting function and adjustable ride height. 2018 BMW M760Li xDrive: An M7 Light: Twin-turbo V12, all-wheel drive and extended wheelbase: those are the key ingredients for the 2018 M760Li xDrive, the latest variant of the sixth-generation BMW 7 Series sedan. Our first encounter with this twelve-cylinder missile took place near Palm Springs, California, where we were allowed to put the car through its paces at the private circuit known as The Thermal Club. Say what? On a track? Obviously, none of this car’s potential buyers (who are primarily über-rich North American and Chinese drivers) plans on pushing the M760Li to its limits on a race track. The reason why a V12-powered BMW 7 Series has existed for 30 years is because there are people out there who want to be seen driving—or being chauffeured around in—the most powerful and luxurious of all BMWs. It’s all about prestige, right? However, the fact that BMW invited us to take it for a spin on the track demonstrates the engineers’ enormous confidence in the dynamic capabilities of this full-size luxury sedan worth $159,000. Even though the M760Li xDrive was produced by Motorsport Division engineers—the same people behind the Munich-based brand’s various M versions—it doesn’t answer to the name M7. According to BMW, that’s because it’s the 7 Series’ “first M Performance car.” Basically, an M7 Light. What it has, and what it doesn’t: What it lacks becomes immediately obvious. Unlike real M versions, the M760Li doesn’t have a limited-slip differential or torque vectoring since the xDrive all-wheel drive system does the work. There’s no twin-clutch gearbox either. Instead, there’s an eight-speed automatic whose handling is more in tune with the M760Li’s luxury sedan side. What it does have is a twin-turbo V12 that generates 600 horsepower and 590 lb.-ft. of torque. That means it takes just 3.7 seconds for the 0-100 km/h sprint, with help from the all-wheel drive and launch control systems. Select Sport mode to enjoy the V12’s more authoritative sound courtesy of its exhausts with active flaps. It’s hard to imagine that it offers twice as much output as the first V12-engined 7 Series, which came out in 1987 and delivered just 300 horsepower. The adaptive roll bars do a superb job of controlling roll when the car is negotiating a curve. The M760Li xDrive weighs a whopping 2326 kg and doesn’t claim to attack corners with as much gusto as a true sports car. Having said that, you can’t help but smile at the idea of driving that fast on a track with a sedan that tips the scales at more than two metric tonnes.
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