The S63 actually retains the V8, 6.2 litre engine from the previous version, allowing the almost two ton car to reach 62 mph in just 4.6 seconds. The seven speed automatic gears shift seamlessly and smoothly and the AMG division of Mercedes has tried to offset the massive weight of the car by introducing the Torque Vectoring Brake system. This has been designed to make cornering as smooth as possible – no easy task in a two ton beast! What this system does is brake the appropriate inner rear wheel while the car is cornering, therefore helping it along its way with more conviction. Although a step in the right direction, it is still noticeable during cornering that this is actually a very heavy car.

From a mechanical point of view, a crosswind stabilisation function has been added, along with a variable ratio steering set-up. At £98,000 you can expect a super quiet ride when driving sensibly – hit the pedal and you’ll sound like the Luftwaffe approaching! Great stuff…

The 2010 E-Class has all the safety features of the 5-Class, including the night vision and blind spot assist systems. Those interested in this new Mercedes will have two engine options: a E350 V6 or the E550 V8. Neither gets great mileage, but then, that’s not the point of this car; the luxurious leather seating and other features are!

Mercedes SLR Speedster special

Chances are, you won’t see many of these… This limited edition model with only 75 being made available to current SLR owners will blow your socks off, and quite possibly your hair. Production for this one will start in June through till December, and will get you from 0-60 in 3.5 seconds.

You might think that this is primarily a track car, with the ergonomic elegance and the lack of windscreen, however the interior is lavish. For the racers though, the brakes are particularly good and the aerodynamics ensure that handling is decent.

It will be interesting to see a review when someone gets their hands on one, as this is an intriguing car specimen!