2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Video

Mercedes-Benz's redesigned 2014 E-Class lineup comprises a coupe, convertible, wagon and sedan, but it's the absurdly quick E63 AMG that gets Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays' pulse racing. The luxury sedan, bowing this week at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, gets 550 horsepower from its twin-turbo 5.5-liter V-8, and paired with the automaker's new 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, that translates to a zero-to-60 time of 3.6 seconds.

More 2013 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

To knock a half-second off of the 2013 model's 4-second zero-to-60 time, speed enthusiasts will have to upgrade to the E63 AMG S-Model, which will make a Porsche 911-rivaling 3.5 seconds. While the average law-abiding citizen may consider that measure of power luxurious, Mays imagines an unconventional application for getting misbehaving children to sit still in the backseat during car trips.

Watch the video below.

2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Photo Gallery

Like all families, Mercedes-Benz's E-Class lineup continues growing and changing through the years. The automaker brought the whole clan to the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week for a reunion. The revised-for-2014 E-Class family portrait includes the sedan, coupe, cabriolet and wagon — and each one still looks great.

More 2013 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

A cohesive design boasts a more flowing silhouette, along with a new four-eyed stare from LED headlights and a pair of grilles that display the Mercedes star upright on the hood or integrated into the grille. A new four-cylinder diesel engine joins a pair of V-8 gasoline engines and a hybrid powertrain. Inside, design, materials and overall feel have returned to a distinctive, luxurious quality that in some ways has been missing.

Check out the gallery below.

2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Up Close

One of Mercedes-Benz' higher volume vehicles is the E-Class midsize family, and the company took the opportunity of the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit to unveil the updated lineup of E-Class models in one felled swoop.

More 2013 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

Available at varying points in the coming year will be the new E-Class sedan, coupe, cabriolet and wagon. The design changes for 2014 are certainly evolutionary in nature with a more flowing silhouette, along with LED headlamps providing a new four-eyed stare that retains a distinctive look. Two grille treatments will be available: the Elegance model that puts the famous three-pointed Mercedes star upright on the hood, and the Sport model, which integrates it into the grille. The result is a more cohesive design that improves upon the previous generation while still keeping repeat customers happy.

2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG: Photo Gallery

Though you can get a look at the 2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG this week at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, you won't get to enjoy the luxury sedan's most exciting feature until it hits dealerships in the summer. Mercedes-Benz's 4Matic all-wheel-drive system harnesses the E63 AMG's ramped-up horsepower and torque for a zero-to-60-mph time of 3.6 seconds.

More 2013 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

In addition to the face-stretching quickness of its 550-hp, twin-turbo 5.5-liter V-8, the E63 AMG's new front introduces all-LED headlights and gaping air openings below the bumper. It also adopts the automaker's A-Wing family look. Inside are a host of available upgrades like sport seats and a unique gauge cluster; there's also wood, lacquer or carbon fiber dash and door trim.

Check out the gallery below.

2013 Detroit Auto Show: What To Expect

As what is widely regarded as the most important U.S. auto show of the year opens next week in Detroit, an automotive icon returns to the claim the spotlight.

The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette is poised to be the star among the more than 50 production and concept vehicles slated to debut at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The show runs Jan. 19-27 — with press, industry and charity preview events on Monday-Jan. 18 — at downtown Detroit's Cobo Center. Last year's NAIAS attracted nearly 771,000 people, according to organizers.

Sunday night's press debut of the seventh-generation Corvette is hotly anticipated, and for nearly the past three months Chevy has done much to fan the flames, teasing us with tidbits of information and blink-and-you-missed-it video images. The automaker has disclosed that the new 'Vette will have a new 6.2-liter V-8 engine that's good for 450 horsepower and a zero-to-60-mph time of less than four seconds — all while improving on its 2013 predecessor's 26 mpg; Chevy also has said the 2014 model's aerodynamics were designed with Corvette's years of racing in the American Le Mans Series in mind.

Check back for full coverage of the 2013 Detroit auto show. Until then, here are the vehicles we know about now:

2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show

• Competes with: Audi S6, BMW M5, Cadillac CTS-V
• Looks like: More aggressive styling, dramatic wheels, LEDs aplenty
• Drivetrain: 550-hp, twin-turbo 5.5-liter V-8 (optional 570-hp S-Model), seven-speed automatic transmission and standard 4MATIC all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: This summer

Mercedes-Benz is planning to use next week's 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit to unveil its refreshed 2014 E-Class lineup, and it has published details about two models that are sure to get some hearts beating faster. The 2014 E63 AMG 4MATIC and E63 AMG S-Model 4MATIC will make their global debuts at the show, wearing updated sheet metal and new interiors. They will feature more power and the first-ever standard all-wheel-drive configuration for the North American market.

2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet: Photo Gallery

The revised-for-2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet will hit U.S. dealerships just in time for summer. Fresh styling joins more safety equipment for the new year.

The soft-top convertible has seating for four passengers and an acoustic top that Mercedes-Benz says gives it "the lowest noise level in its class." The automaker's standard Aircap system, which it says reduces interior turbulence and wind noise, automatically deploys at speeds over 25 mph. Optional neck-level heating means convertible season doesn't have to end in fall.

Check out more photos below.

2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet: First Look

• Competes with: BMW 6 Series and Jaguar XK
• Looks like: Redesigned front end and restyled bumpers give the pair a more muscular look
• Drivetrain: 302-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 and a 402-hp, twin-turbo 4.6-liter V-8
• Hits dealerships: Summer 2013 

The coupe and convertible versions of Mercedes-Benz's E-Class get striking styling updates for 2014, but the face-lift is more than skin deep. The automaker also has refined the interior and is adding several safety systems to the pair, matching the equipment offered on the sedan and wagon versions.

Outside, new single-lens headlamps with LED accents give the front a more streamlined look. Mercedes says a full LED setup is an option "for the first time in this segment." A V-shaped front bumper and larger air intakes give the car a more aggressive appearance than the outgoing model, as do a wider rear bumper, new taillights and more chrome trim. The overall look is more muscular and ties the pair to its sedan sibling.

Recall Alert: 5,800 Mercedes-Benz Vehicles

Mercedes-Benz is recalling 5,800 model-year 2011-12 S400, S550, S550 4Matic, S63 AMG, C300, C300 4Matic, E350, GLK350, GLK350 4Matic, CL550 4Matic and CL63 AMG vehicles because of a problem in the fuel system that could cause fire, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The affected vehicles were manufactured from April 18, 2011, through July 12, 2011. The problem is due to an irregularity stemming from the molding process; the fuel filter flange could crack when operated under high temperatures. If cracking occurs, fuel may leak and cause a fire if an external ignition source is present, NHTSA stated.

Mercedes-Benz will notify owners starting in January, and dealers will replace the fuel filter at no cost. For more info, owners can contact Mercedes-Benz at 800-367-6372 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236, or go to www.safercar.gov.

Related
Recall Alert: 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
More Safety News on Cars.com
Check out Other Recalls

2013 Mercedes-Benz E550 Cabriolet: Car Seat Check

It sometimes seems that editor Jennifer Geiger and I are gluttons for punishment when it comes to installing child-safety seats into cars with cramped backseats like the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet. Our rule of thumb for Car Seat Checks is if it has a backseat, we install safety seats in it. The E-Class comes in four body styles: sedan, coupe, wagon and Cabriolet. The Cabriolet is a four-seater with a comfortable backseat, but it quickly became cramped when we added our gigantic car seats to the mix.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.