Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the new 2012 Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG sports sedan at the New York International Auto Show. The car features the new AMG 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 which brings hikes in torque and reductions in fuel consumption.

Although the car won’t be available in Australia until November, recently released specifications prove the new sedan to be one of the most fuel-efficient per kilowatt sports sedans on the market. By fitting AMG’s new 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8, the E 63 will produce the same 386kW of power but it will offer 700Nm of torque (up from the existing model’s 630Nm). Like the existing model, AMG will offer a Performance Package which takes peak power to 410kW and peak torque to 800Nm.

More significant, however, is the considerable reduction in fuel consumption compared with the existing model. The 2012 E 63 AMG will use 9.8L/100km compared with the outgoing model’s 12.7L/100km. With this comes a reduction in CO2 exhaust emissions, from 299 grams of CO2 per kilometre (6.2-litre V8) to 230g/km for the sedan and 234g/km for the wagon.

Acceleration times for the new E 63 have also improved, with the new model capable of sprinting from 0-100km/h in just 4.3 seconds in sedan form and 4.4 seconds in wagon. In Performance Pack guise, Mercedes-Benz says these times are slashed by one-tenth of a second in both layouts. Both figures easily beat the existing model’s time of 4.5 seconds.

On top of the upgraded engine, the new E 63 will come equipped with Mercedes-Benz’s electromechanical AMG speed-sensitive steering which also contributes to the car’s reduced fuel consumption. With normal power steering set-ups, the power steering pump is constantly running off engine belts. The new electromechanical system works in a way that it only uses engine power when the steering is actually in use. So out on the highway, little power is drained from the engine.

Other features include stop/start technology (engaged when the seven-speed SPEEDSHIFT MCT gearbox is in Controlled Efficiency ‘C’ mode), new AMG Ride Control suspension with increased negative camber on the front wheels (includes ‘Comfort’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Sport Plus’ modes), as well as new composite and ceramic front brakes which are 40 percent lighter than those on the existing model.

Inside, the new car gets a revised interior setting including a new AMG three-spoke steering wheel with aluminium shift paddles, new leather inserts and a full colour TFT 3D screen inside the speedo cluster.

Safety-wise, the package now provides standard Active Blind Spot Assist and Active Lane Keeping Assist which warns the driver if the car veers over into another lane and uses sensors to detect if another car is in the blind spot. The system also applies brakes to the appropriate wheel to help counter any possible accident if the driver continues to veer over.

As mentioned, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG twin-turbo will be launched in Australia in November this year, with prices to be confirmed closer to its on sale date. The current Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG is on sale in Australia for $234,900 (manufacturer’s list price).