2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG S 65 Coupe

The AMG S 65 takes everything that has been great about the range-topping S-class and takes it up a notch higher by adding an AMG sourced V12 engine that generates a whopping 621 horsepower which powers the rear wheels and propels this behemoth to 60 mph in just under four seconds, and does that while keeping the elite men and women cocooned in the apex of luxury and technology. 

With Mercedes' Magic Body Control system and the superior quality interiors with almost every creature comfort that you can imagine in your car, the AMG S 65 just floats down any road and matches the comfort levels to that of the Bentleys and the Aston Martins. Mercedes has also thrown in every possible safety and driver assistance features to make the over $200,000 price tag feel worth it. That also means, this saloon is reserved only for the elite businessmen and officials and people like us can just watch it in awe as one passes by.

The AMG S 65 stands at the summit of the Mercedes-Benz luxury car lineup which also features one of the most powerful engines that AMG produces. What this does, you could opt for the Executive Rear Seat Plus package which adds folding tables and aircraft like seats which you could use to work and then take a nap all the while the Magic Body Control would scan the road ahead and adjusts the suspension accordingly as your chauffeur might actually be having some fun behind the wheel. 

Trims	Mercedes Benz AMG S 65
MSRP	$232,550
Key Features	Air-ride adaptive suspension
	Airscarf neck heating
	Premium leather upholstery
	16-way power-adjustable and ventilated front seats
	Auto-dimming and power-folding mirrors
	Adaptive LED headlights
	Night View Assist
	Automated Parking System

Mercedes does not really believe in having multiple trim options for their luxury cars and the S 65 gets no different treatment. It is available only in a single-spec trim but one can add-on various packages that adds all sorts of comfort and assistance features, to make your experience in this luxury car even more admirable. 

When investing such exorbitant amounts of money, one always wonders if the investment would come to haunt them in the long run, as such cars have a reputation of not drinking fuel like a thirsty camel but also needing a lot of love and care just to keep them in perfect condition. The repairs could definitely become a nightmare as it’s not just about the money, but the trouble of having them repaired and taking them to service centers that feel tiresome. Therefore, let’s have a look at how the AMG S 65 holds up in this aspect and will this turn out to be a gem or a headache if you happen to buy one. 

What's the 2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG S 65 Reliability ratings and Ownership costs?

The best way to assess the reliability factor of any car is by going through the reliability report of J.D. Power, which specializes in rating the cars in different categories of ownership based on the honest opinions of hundreds of thousands of genuine buyers. J.D. Power has not been able to review the AMG S 65 for obvious reasons of being too exclusive, but the S-Class on which the S 65 is based gets an overall rating of 75 out of the possible 100. 

When purchasing any car, we have to think about the other expenses that would be incurred in the process of buying and driving the car over the years, This fact becomes even more important when an uber-luxurious and performance-oriented car like the AMG S 65. Apart from the hidden expenses, people overlook the obvious expenses and end up regretting their decision, which is what we are going to address here.

Categories	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	Total
Insurance	$1,854	$1,919	$1,986	$2,056	$2,128	$9,943
Maintenance	$241	$3,318	$416	$8,231	$4,230	$16,436
Repairs	$0	$0	$0	$1,013	$1,553	$2,566
Taxes & Fees	$9,629	$111	$111	$111	$111	$10,073
Financing	$12,430	$10,042	$7,467	$4,693	$1,705	$36,337
Depreciation	$27,179	$22,651	$18,508	$20,750	$18,129	$107,217
Fuel	$2,429	$2,502	$2,577	$2,655	$2,734	$12,897
True Cost to Own	$53,762	$40,543	$31,065	$39,509	$30,590	$195,469

The true cost to own any vehicle includes a lot of other parameters other than the initial cost of the car. There are taxes and finances that we all know of, other overlooked things include fuel, maintenance and repairs costs, the depreciation cost, which you don’t actually spend but lose over the period of time of ownership. Taxes, Finance, and Depreciation costs, all are higher in the initial years while the maintenance, repairs, and fuel costs increase gradually over a period of time. Although, one can offset a part of these costs by opting for extended service plans or annual maintenance packages which would increase the initial investment slightly but will definitely be useful in the long run. For the AMG S 65 sedan, the True Cost to Own for a period of 5 years is $195,469 which is apart from the buying price of the car. So unless you have the bank balance to buy two S 65s, it would not be a smart choice to invest in a car of this caliber.

What is the Warranty Coverage on the 2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG S 65?

Warranty plans play a crucial role in making the buying decision and owning premium luxury cars. But Mercedes seems to have overlooked the importance of it, as it covers all bases equally well, but is way behind on some aspects from the competition. Like the Drivetrain, the warranty is usually longer than the basic limited warranty, which is not the case here. The Corrosion warranty too is usually oblivious to the miles the car has run and is usually covered for way longer than the 4 years or 50,000 miles coverage that Mercedes provides.

Criteria	Period
Basic Limited Warranty	4 years / 50,000 Miles, whichever is earlier
Drivetrain Warranty	4 years / 50,000 Miles, whichever is earlier
Corrosion warranty	4 years / 50,000 Miles, whichever is earlier
24-hour roadside assistance warranty	4 years / 50,000 Miles, whichever is earlier

What are the Miles per Dollar cost of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG S 65?

Miles per dollar of any particular car is basically the cost of running the car on a daily basis. It takes into consideration the fuel costs and the distance the car has been driven for. Considering the fuel expenses from the previous table and 12,000 miles of running as per the warranty card, the MPD figures is around 4.9. This means the S 65 can be driven for 4.9 miles for every dollar you spend. Although it might seem low, it is actually not that bad considering the segment this car falls in, luxury performance sedan.

Since there is only one trim and variant to choose from, there isn’t much to decide here and the job here is done for us in this aspect. Mercedes decided to discontinue the Coupe and Convertible body styles for the 2020 model year so the only other option is the much cheaper and lower-powered S63 which is a different ball game altogether.

Is buying a used Mercedes-Benz AMG S 65 a good idea?

Buying a used car from this segment could turn out, either way, boon or a bane. Cars like these are dream buys for many of us and buying them seems impossible, but buying an old car could be a disaster as any small issue or fault in the car could mean writing a cheque of thousands of dollars to the dealer. Thus it is in your best interest that you wait for a suitable time and go forward with buying a brand new S 65. 

The S 65 gets the coveted AMG V12 bi-turbo engine that is reserved only for the best of the best cars from Mercedes, and the S 65 is lucky to get one of those. The performance of this engine is so incredible that the components of the 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system won’t be able to handle its power.

Hence, the S 65’s V12 propels the car by only the rear wheels via a 7-speed automatic gearbox, which also does a phenomenal job in transferring the colossal amount of torque effectively down to the asphalt. The output of 621 horses and 789 lb-ft is a testament to the AMG engineering team’s capabilities and is one of the most powerful engines in this segment. 

Models	Mercedes - Benz AMG S 65 Sedan	BMW M760i xDrive	Audi S8 L	Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo
MSRP	$232,550	$157,800	$129,500	$140,000
Engine	6.0L, Bi-Turbo, V12	6.6L, Premium V12	4.0L, Twin-Turbo V8	3.8L, Twin-Turbo V8
Drivetrain	RWD	AWD	AWD	RWD
Transmission	7-speed  Automatic w/OD	8-Speed Automatic w/OD	8-Speed Automatic	8-speed ZF automatic
Power	621 hp @ 4,800 rpm	601 hp @ 5,500 rpm	563 hp @ 6,000 rpm	580 hp @ 6,750 rpm
Torque	738 lb-ft @ 2300 rpm	627 lb-ft @ 1,550 rpm	590 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm	538 lb-ft @ 2,500 rpm

There is no competition to the sheer power and torque the AMG V12 generates as no car comes even close to the Mercedes, except for the BMW V12. The Maserati has good enough power but its over 500 lb-ft of torque looks petty in front of the AMG. The Audi has the least amount of power while the Maserati has the least amount of torque. 

What is the 2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG S 65's 0-60 MPH Acceleration and Braking Performance?

Even though the on-paper numbers of the AMG V12 might look staggering, the on-road performance is far away from the expectations we all have preconceived in our heads. The 3.9 seconds time to achieve 60 mph and a quarter-mile timing of 12.7 seconds leave us confused, but put the notion of having a huge AMG V12 engine aside and have a look at the car, and you would actually start appreciating the engineering prowess needed to propel this large sedan at such breathtaking speeds.

The top speed is limited to 151 mph, but one can get the limiter removed from the dealer and the car can then achieve a speed of 186 mph, provided you find a road long enough for that. 

Models	Mercedes - Benz AMG S 65 Sedan	BMW M760i xDrive	Audi S8 L	Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo
0-60 MPH	3.9 sec	3.5 sec	3.8 sec	4.2 sec
Quarter Mile	12.7 sec	11.7 sec	11.9 sec	14.7 sec
Top Speed	186 mph	194 mph	155 mph	203 mph
60-0 MPH	156 ft (70-0)	109 ft	105 ft	116 ft

BMW continues to shine in terms of performance in every test it features in and is the case here too. It is the fastest car here in this comparison, while the S8 L with its world-renowned Quattro system is right on its tail at second. The lack of brute power in the Quattroporte means it is the slowest car here, but it has the highest top speed of over 200 miles per hour, which nobody is able to achieve despite high power outputs.

Has the Ride and Handling of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG S 65 improved?

The technology that Merceded has implemented in the S-65 to offer the best ride quality and the highest level of comfort is just unimaginable. The Magic Body Control system uses a camera at front of the car to scan the road ahead for impending bumps and prepares the adaptive suspension for them and also boasts of a curve tilting function that reduces body roll in high-speed corners and allows you to carry much higher speeds through the twisties than you would expect from a car this size.

The refinement and cabin insulation is extraordinary as it disconnects the occupants from the outside world and the silence is scary. But then there are also a few kinks in the shining armor of this S 65. The ride is choppy in sportier suspension modes and a lot of the bumps filter in if you opt for the larger 20-inch rims. The steering too offers very little feedback and the driver is mostly disconnected from what is happening with the car. 

A long heavy luxury sedan with a performance-oriented V12 engine under the hood is not really a recipe for high fuel efficiency figures. The fuel efficiency figures of 13 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highways and the overall combined fuel economy of 16 mpg is modest and is the best you can expect from an almost 5000 lbs car. Although, Mercedes has managed to fit in a large 24-gallon gas tank that helps the car achieve a highway cruising range of over 500 miles before needing to be refueled. 

Models	Mercedes - Benz AMG S 65 Sedan	BMW M760i xDrive	Audi S8 L	Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo
MPG (City)	13	13	13	16
MPG (Highway)	22	20	22	23
MPG (Combined)	16	16	16	18
Fuel Capacity	24.3 gallon	20.6 gallon	21.7 gallon	21.1 gallon
Range (City / Highway / Combined)	316 / 535 / 389 miles	268 / 412 / 329 miles	282 / 477 / 347 miles	350 / 515 / 412 miles

The Maserati with a lower-powered engine due to the lesser number of cylinders, has the best fuel economy here, while the Mercedes gets the best driving range thanks to the larger fuel tank. The fuel economy figures of BMW M760i and Audi S8L are similar and also have a similar-sized gas tank with only a marginal difference, hence have a similar range as well.

One look at the interiors of the S-class or in this case, the S 65, and anybody would know why it is considered as the benchmark at this elite end of the market. Seating only four, so as to not need to sacrifice on space and comfort levels of any of the esteemed occupants, the seats offer utmost support and comfort and have more than enough space at the front. At the back, the legroom could have been a bit better but apart from that, there is nothing to complain about the exquisite interiors. 

Despite the already high price of the car, Mercedes-Benz also offers expensive add-on features such as the Magic Sky Control which you can use to alter the transparency of the panorama roof or the refrigerator box for the rear cabin. Apart from that, the standard S-class features like 12-way power-adjustable seats with a memory system, six massage programs, heating and ventilation, the soft-close doors, surround-view camera system, a head-up display amongst others, all come in as standard with AMG S 65.

Models	Mercedes - Benz AMG S 65 Sedan	BMW M760i xDrive	Audi S8 L	Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo
Seating Capacity	4	5	5	5
Front Row (Head / Shoulder / Leg) (inch)	42.1 / 59.7 / 41.4	39.9 / 59.2 / 41.4	38.3 / 59.1 / 41.5	NA
Rear Row (Head / Shoulder / Leg) (inch)	39.2 / 59.1 / 43.0	38.9 / 57.7 / 44.4	38.5 / 57.6 / 44.3	NA
Luggage Capacity	16.6 cu-ft	18.2 cu-ft	12.5 cu-ft	18.7 cu-ft

At the front, there is no match to the space and comfort of the seats on the S 65 and that shows in the numbers too. At the back, things are equally comfortable but there's more legroom on the other two German brands, although the headroom and the shoulder room are still the best in the Mercedes. Maserati has the largest trunk capacity which is almost identical to the BMW M760i. The trunk on the S 65 is also of a respectable size while the S8 L has to compromise with a smaller boot capacity. Below are the noticeable features in the 2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG S 65:

• 12-way power-adjustable seats with a memory function and six massage programs, heating, and ventilation functionality
• Four-zone automatic climate control
• Nappa leather upholstery
• 64-color and 3-zone LED ambient lighting
• Soft-close doors
• Power rear-window sunshade
• Mercedes Me connect Assist Services
• Magic Sky Control Panoramic sunroof

How's the 2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG S 65 infotainment system?

Get inside the cabin at the front and the first thing that grabs your eyeballs other than acres of space and leather are the dual 12.3-inch displays. The customizable digital instrument cluster displaying all vital information to the driver is matched by a high-resolution screen in the center of the dashboard which is powered by Mercedes' Cockpit Management and Data (COMAND) system. Although it isn't as slick as the new MBUX systems in other recent models, it still has an intuitive interface that gets better with familiarity with the combination of a touchpad, a rotary knob, and one-touch keys. 

When spending such exorbitant amounts of money, you would expect each and everything to be over the top and audiophiles would not want to leave the car even for a minute. The S 65 Coupe gets a Burmester high-end 3D surround sound system which comprises a 26-speakers setup, that includes a trunk-mounted subwoofer with its own 400-watt amplifier and a pair of rotating & illuminated tweeters. One of the many ways to answer anybody asking why this car is so expensive.

• Dual 12.3-inch COMAND system instrument panel and infotainment display
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility
• HD radio and SiriusXM radio with a six-month all-access trial
• COMAND navigation with no-charge online navigation map updates for the first three years
• 10GB music register and an SD card reader
• Enhanced Voice Control and Bluetooth Connectivity
• 26-speaker Burmester high-end 3D surround audio system
• Optional rear-seat DVD player with wireless headsets

Not much has changed for the exterior looks of the S 65 and we understand why, the imposing grille, a long hood, the extra-long wheelbase, the iconic three-layered headlamps, and taillights, all mark the arrival of somebody really important like nothing else. The proportionate body dimensions with strong shoulder lines convey strength and confidence.

The S 65 rides on majestic-looking 20-inch AMG five-spoke wheels with black accents, a panorama roof, and the sizable quad exhaust outlets complete the simple yet classy signature Mercedes design language. 

Models	Mercedes - Benz AMG S 65 Sedan	BMW M760i xDrive	Audi S8 L	Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo
Curb Weight	4,960 lbs	5,159 lbs	5,302 lbs	4,189 lbs
Length	208.5”	207.4”	209.0”	207.2”
Width	75.4”	74.9”	76.6”	76.7”
Height	59.0”	58.2”	58.6”	58.3”
Ground Clearance	5.0”	5.3”	5.0”	4.9”
Wheelbase	124.6”	126.4”	123.2”	124.8”

The Audi S8 L is the longest and heaviest car here, but it is the BMW M760i that has a longer wheelbase. Even the S 65 and the shortest Quattroporte have a longer wheelbase than the Audi. The Maserati Quattroporte is the lightest thanks to a smaller engine and is also the widest and low slung to the ground. BMW offers the best ground clearance in this comparison but is the leader by just a fraction of an inch.

Cars like these are never really tested by the NHTSA or the IIHS for obvious reasons of being atrociously expensive and not having any substantial sales to be worth crashing such high-class beauties. But if the super powerful and super-rich consider these cars as safe for them to put their lives on the line, who are we to question the safety standards from a brand that has been in existence for over a century. 

That being said, the list of standard safety and driver assistance features on the S 65 is as long as the road trains of Australia and then there are the additional packages that you can add, as per your choice and needs. 10 airbags, brake assist, tire pressure monitoring, LED lighting, and a rearview camera is just the tip of the iceberg. A highlight of other available features is listed below. 

• Mandatory driver assistance features include Blind-Spot Monitoring, Active Lane Change Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and Adaptive High-beam Assist
• Attention assist that monitors up to 70 parameters of driving behavior with both visual and audible warnings
• Distronic adaptive cruise control
• night view assist, crosswind assist, and evasive steering assist
• Car-to-X Communication and Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call
• Pre-Safe and Pre-Safe Sound

2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG S 65 Vs BMW M760i xDrive

BMW has put forward their best step with the M760i to put forward a luxury saloon with the performance to match the quintessential BMW sedan, but the crown for the most premium luxury sedan is still maintained with Mercedes.

Although there is a lot more technology on offer on the BMW, in the battle of comfort and luxury, there is no touching the crown that lies with a Mercedes-Benz.

2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG S 65 Vs Audi S8 L

The Audi S8 L is a lot cheaper, in fact almost half the price of the S 65, and offers a decent amount of performance and an extensive list of technology for all the millennials to enjoy alongside their parents.

But it just doesn’t match the exquisite and premium cabin of the S 65 and is any day worth spending that extra money for the superlative experience in a Mercedes. 

2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG S 65 Vs Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo

The Quattroporte looks completely out of competition in front of the S 65 as it is neither as powerful nor as luxurious or has as many features and creature comforts as available on the Mercedes.

Therefore, it is a no brainer about who is the king of this segment. 

After going through the long and thorough review of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG S 65 luxury sedan, if you are thinking of the verdict that if the car is worth buying or is it a good car, the answer to that is NO. The car is just exceptional despite being expensive, heavier, fuel gulping, and slower than the AMG S63. The S 65 just oozes opulence and utmost luxury alongside its phenomenal semi-autonomous driving capabilities which sets it apart and cannot be compared to other cars on the basis of any of these factors, after all the king can never be compared with its subordinates.