Is the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Worth $130,000?

For many buyers mulling over the purchase of a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, money simply isn’t part of the purchase consideration process. The Affalterbach-built super sedan starts at $91,475, has a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 under the hood, puts out over 500 horsepower, and is rated by the EPA at 16/24 mpg city/highway. However, with an option list that can easily send the sticker soaring north of $130,000, the E63 AMG might make even the ultra-rich consider which options are absolutely necessary.

The 2012 E63 AMG sedan we recently had in for testing would set you back $131,045. That sticker includes options like the $7300 P30 Performance Package which bumps power up from 518 hp to 550 hp and torque from 516 lb-ft to 590 lb-ft, the $2950 driver assistance package, a $2030 limited-slip differential, the $1780 nightview assist system, a $1790 set of 19-inch wheels, and the $12,625 carbon ceramic brake kit  – among other things. That’s some serious dough, even for a Mercedes. For that money one could pick up some serious metal, like a 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S, Audi R8, or even an Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Similarly-equipped executive super sedans also ring in at much less; the 2013 BMW M5 costs $90,695 to start, and the 2012 Cadillac CTS-V comes in around $70,000 loaded.

That brings us to today’s Thread of the Day – is a fully loaded Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG worth $130,000? If so, why? If not, what one car would you opt for instead? Let us know in the comments below.

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