Appearing on the Mercedes-Benz stand at this year's Geneva Motor Show (assuming that it still goes ahead in spite of Coronavirus worries) will be this, the new Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 Coupe with EQ mild-hybrid boost.
Up to 612hp
Mercedes describes the GLE 63 Coupe as "a high-traction all-wheel-drive vehicle offering exceptional everyday comfort." Sounds good to us. It's powered by a 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol engine developing either 571hp (for the standard model) or a whopping 612hp (for the S model). Now, the UK will only get the high-power S model, but no official word has yet been given on what's happening with the Irish market.
As well as all that grunt, the GLE 63 Coupe can lay (faint) claim to being a saintly hybrid. It now comes with the EQ Boost starter-alternator system, running off a 48-volt electrical setup. As with other such systems, it can add a little extra power (12hp) or a lot more torque (250Nm) to the engine when needed, and it also works the stop-start system a little harder, with Mercedes claiming that the system has "virtually imperceptible restarting of the engine with the start/stop function." It can also take some strain off the engine's electrical demands to boost fuel economy a little.
Speaking of fuel economy, this mighty V8 also gets cylinder shutdown. Under light throttle loads (yeah, right, in an AMG?) cylinders two, three, five and eight are deactivated to help save some fuel. The system only works when the driver has selected 'Comfort' from the drive select programmes, and between 1,000- and 3,250rpm.
0-100km/h in 3.8 seconds
Right, enough about economy - what about performance? Well, how does 0-100km/h in 4.0 seconds (standard) or 3.8 seconds (S model) grab you? The top speed is limited to 250km/h for the standard model and a rather more senior 280km/h for the S. The S also gets active engine mounts that tension up to control the engine's movement of mass when coming on and off the throttle, which improves front-end traction and handling balance. Oh, and an active performance exhaust for unleashing all that glorious V8 roar.
For the rest of the car's handling balance, there's AMG Ride Control air suspension as standard, with pneumatic self-levelling. That's backed up by an active anti-roll bar setup, also controlled by the 48-volt electric system. This uses two independently operating, electromechanical actuators at the front and rear axles, each with an integrated planetary gear. That means that it can individually tweak the roll characteristics of the front and rear suspension, to better smooth out the handling and keep the body under control during hard cornering. It's also good for ride comfort, because when you're not hurling it about, the suspension can be softer and more absorbent. Mercedes says that the electric anti-roll system responds much more quickly than an equivalent hydraulic system.
To help you set the car up to your tastes, there's the AMG Dynamic Select system. From this you can choose from Comfort, Sport, Sport +, Individual, Trail and Sand modes. The S model also gets a Race mode that basically turns everything up to Finnish rally driver level. Trail is designed to allow you to go quickly on gravel tracks by raising up the air suspension and tweaking the traction and throttle control. Sand is designed to allow a little more wheelspin so that you can keep up momentum on soft surfaces.
AMG Dynamics Control system
There's also the AMG Dynamics Control system, which is basically a sub-set of all the above settings, and which basically allows you to select your bravery level, choosing from Basic, Advanced, Pro and Master. This system also allows you to select the all-too-tempting 'Slide' mode for the Sand function. We want to try this now...
All of that also affects the functions of the nine-speed AMG Speedshift automatic gearbox, which, naturally, drives all four wheels and which is said to react and respond 'directly' to paddle shift inputs when you have it in manual mode. The drivetrain also has a locking rear differential for better acceleration coming off a corner.
The brakes are as serious as you'd expect, with six-piston fixed brake callipers and 400 x 38mm brake discs at the front, plus single-piston floating brake callipers and 370 x 32mm discs at the rear. The S variant is characterised by red brake callipers, while the base variant has grey brake callipers.
On the outside, the GLE AMG 63 Coupe can be told apart from its more plebeian diesel siblings by the AMG grille, finished in gloss chrome, the 21-inch wheels (22s are optional), the power bulges on the bonnet, the ducktail boot spoiler, the huge, ground-scraping bumpers and the rectangular exhaust pipes.
Inside, aside from the still-awesome full-width MBUX multi-screen dashboard, there are high-backed bucket seats with Nappa leather, an AMG Performance steering wheel and AMG-specific switchgear and controls.