831 Horsepower and a BidBetter Reality Check

I've spent the last week running all over Southern California in AMG's sledge-y-est hammer, the GT63 S E-Performance sedan. The huh? Remember the old CLS 63, swoop-backed sibling to the mighty E63? Well, it became an AMG-only product a while back, not to be confused with the GT63 Coupe. The 4-door got a better biting front end, a stiffer rear subframe and when AMG electrified it a couple of years back, the horsepower shot up from 630 to 831, and the torque jumped up from only 664 lb-ft of twist to 1,032 lbs! Nuts, and of course I'm in love, but sadly the sticker on the Green Hell painted version in my driveway is $231,000.

This car and my lack of funds got me thinking about AMGs of yore that I've craved. Top of the list is of course the AMG CLK Black Series, but that's sadly a six-figure car. I fondly recall a 2010 E63 AMG I once drove. It had the M156 6.2-liter naturally-aspirated V8 that's really one of the greatest factory powerplants ever built. It was my first ever time driving an E63. I was writing for Autoblog at the time and I recall being shocked at how such a large, luxurious machine that seemed hewn from solid pewter could tear up a canyon road. Plus it had air springs on the rear axle and that both amazed and weirded me out. Wasn't cheap either, costing $93K back in 2009 dollars.

Oh look, there's one listed on Cars & Bids! It's got 83,000 miles on it, is sitting at $16,000 with fourteen hours to go. Seems to be unmodified and in great shape. Time to ask BidBetter! Good intel, as BidBetter is saying the target bid is $16,000 to $19,500. It's a tight range based on 12 comparable auction results. The floor has been met. Do I dare up the bid by a $1,000? Or another $2K if someone comes back at me? Maybe if a few more of you subscribe! Still, good to know that depreciation isn't just for late model Maseratis.

— BidBetter