The Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG: A Modern Day Red Sow

It's been nearly forty years since the first surprise debut of the four door AMG saloon. At present, history repeats itself. This time, it is with the "off track special" which is based on the amazing 420kW S63 Red Sow.

The four door 300SEL 6.8 was known as the Red Sow because of its colour, which was red. During the 1971 24 heures de Spa-Francorchamps race, it was the heaviest and fastest monster by a good margin, and it eventually finished in 2nd place. To commemorate the comeback of the Red Sow, Mercedes-Benz invited the prime car lovers and media to Bernie Ecclestone's Le Castellet circuit at the southern region of France. The main attraction of the pit were the re-engine 2011 S63 AMG that was liveried up to match up the 1971 racer, along with seasoned time travelers Hans Heyer and the driver of the first Red Sow, Clemens Schickentanz.

Even though the 2011 vehicle basically utilizes a stock body, it also exhibits flared wings, a twenty inch wheel and tyre which is the widest pairing available, a slightly customized spoiler kit, and low-drag mirrors. Nice period details which are similar to the first Red Sow include front and rear end that has no bumpers, rubber latches to fasten the lids, and a fairly conditional roll-cage that offers a significant single transverse column, which did wonders in reinforcing a particularly inflexible four door system.

In contrast to the original Red Sow that has four Bosch football sized auxiliary driving lights, the 2011 S63 AMG manages with round Bosh decals that have no less than LEDs. Adequate to accelerate the automobile that weighs in at a massive 2.1 tons from --100km/h in 4.4 seconds, is its twin turbo 5.5-liter V8 engine, which collects 420kW at 660 rounds /minute and 900Nm from 2500 to 3750 rpm. Moreover, the Performance Kit provides compound brakes, a 275/35 front and 325/30 sports suspension that involve 45mm flares all around. The same seven-speed automatic transmission as the Mercedes-Benz SL63 is utilized in the S63.

The theory is that, the modern Red Sow can easily break the 200 mph or 320 km/h barriers with no sweat. Yet, the considerable weight which is put into the heavy downforce would likely set lots of tension the front and back tires.

Design wise, the new automobile is a luxury car rather than a race car. Its gear shifting is column mounted, and the instrumentation could only be regarded as contemporary if we were in the design freeze in 2001. Dimensionally, the revolutionary Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG has clearly been put through a fattening diet regime to put it mildly. Nevertheless, when you have 420kW and 900Nm to control, you truly can not complain.