Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XXIII

2 6 4 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I Power is delivered to all four wheels via AMG’s seven-speed automatic Speedshift gearbox and a 4Matic four-wheel drive system engineered to provide a nominal 33/67 front-to-rear torque split. There are three driving modes to choose from: controlled efficiency, sport and manual. Thanks to a new version of the Mercedes Airmatic air suspension that’s been recalibrated for the sportier driving dynamics of the S 63 AMG, its ride height can also be raised and lowered by 30mm, making the notorious speed humps in our part of the world less of a headache without sacrificing optimum grip on the open road. Due to my own fault enjoying the hospitality of the chateau and catching up with a few friends, I’d found myself the last to leave and running a bit late. And as I was also flying solo, I had to rely completely on the car’s navigation system to pilot me for a few hours through an unfamiliar country – which was good for two reasons. It gave me the chance to throw myself at the mercy of theMercedes infotainment system and it worked a treat, not getting me lost and calculating its route on the move quickly. It also meant that I had no choice but to put the foot down, and when you’re on a lonely mountain pass that very well could have been used as a stage of the Monte Carlo Rally with the roof down on a stunning spring day, all was good in my own, top-down world.