Page 11 of 50

1Steering wheel gearshift paddle →
18
2 Combination switch
3 DIRECT SELECT le ver
4 Displ ay(multimedia sy stem)
5 Start/ Stop button
6 Control panel forth e multimedia sy stem
7 Climate control sy stems
8 Glovebox
9 Hazard warning lights
A Stow age compartment
B Controls forth e multimedia sy stem
C AMG Performance exhaust sy stem (Mercedes-
AMG E 63 4MATIC and E63 S 4MATIC only) →
14
D ECO start/ stop function
E Parking Pilot
F Toactivate/deactivate ESP
®→
21
To activate/deactivate SPO RThandling mode →
21
GAMG RIDE CONTROL (suspension tuning) →
25
H Manual gearshifting (permanent setting) →
18
I DYNA MIC SELECT switch
J PASSENGER AIRB AGindicator lamps
K Cont rol panel forth e multimedia sy stem
L Toadjust thesteering wheel
M Control panel forth e on-board computer
N Cruise control le ver
O Tounlo ckthe hood
P Elect ric park ing brake
Q Light switch
R Cont rol panel for:
St eering Pilot
Ac tive Lane Keeping Assist
Pa rking Assist PARKTRONI C
Head-up Displa y
Ataglance – Cockpit 9
Page 24 of 50

If SPORT handling mode is activated:
RESP®only improves driving stability toa limi‐
te d deg ree.
RETS/4ETS traction control is still active.
RThe engine's torque is on lyrestricted toa
limited degree and the drive wheels can spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut‐
ting action for better traction on loose sur fa‐
ces.
RESP®continues toprov ide assis tance when
th e brakes are firm lyapplied.
Cha racteristics when ESP
®is deactivated
&
WARNING Risk of skidding if ESP®is
deactivated
If yo u deactivate ESP
®, ESP®cannot car ry
out vehicle stabilization.
#ESP®should only be deactivated in the
fo llowing situations.
ESP®is deactivated if the ESP®OFF å warn‐
ing lamp lights up continuously in the instrument
clus ter:
RDriving stability will no longe r be improved.
RCrosswind Assist is no longer active.
RThe drive wheels could spin.
RETS/4ETS traction control is still active.
% Even when ESP
®is deactivated, you are still
assis tedby ESP®when braking hard .
In thefo llowing situations, it may be better to
activate SPO RThandling mode or deactivate
ESP
®:
RWhen using snow chains
RIn deep snow
Ron sand or gr avel
% Spinning the wheels results in a cutting
action which pr ovides better grip.
% Activate ESP
®as soon as the situations
described abo veno longer apply. ESP®will
ot herwise not be able tostabilize theve hicle if
th eve hicle starts toskid or a wheel starts
to spin.
If th e ESP
®÷ warning lamp lights up continu‐
ousl y,ESP®is not available due toa malfunction.
Observ e any information which may be displa yed
in the instrument clus ter:
RWa rning and indicator lamps
RDisplay messages
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction Sy stem)
ETS/4ETS traction control is pa rtof ESP
®.
ETS/4ETS can impr oveth eve hicle's traction by
inter vening in thefo llowing ways:
RThe drive wheels are braked individually if
they spin.
RMore drive torque is transferred tothe wheel
or wheels with traction.
22 Driving and driving saf etysy stems
Page 25 of 50

Activating/deactivating ESP®(Electronic
St ability Prog ram)
#To activate SPO RThandling mode: briefly
press button 1.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument clus ter lights up. The
SPORT handling mode messageappears in
th e multifunction displa y.
#Todeactivate SPORT handling mode: briefly
press button 1.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument clus ter goes out.
#To deactivate ESP®: press button 1until the
å ESP®OFFwarning lamp lights up in the
instrument clus ter.The ÷ OFFmessage
appears in the multifunction displa y.
#Toactivate ESP®: brief lypress button 1.
The å ESP®OFFwarning lamp in the
instrument clus ter goes out. The ÷ON
message appears in the multifunction dis‐
pla y.
Obser vethe information on warning lamps and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument clus ter.
RACE START
RA CE STAR T function
RACE STAR T is onlyav ailable for
Merc edes‑AMG E 63 4MATIC and
E 63 S 4MATIC models. RACE
START enables optimal vehicle accelera‐
tion from a standstill. Forth is, a suitably high-
gr ip road sur face is required, along with the tires
and vehicle being in good condition.
% RACE START is only available af terth eve hi‐
cle has been broken in (
→page 13).
% RACE START may not be used on normal
ro ads. RACE START must only be activated
and used on dedicated road circuits, not on
public roads.
Be sure toread the saf etyno tes and infor‐
mation on ESP
®(→page 21).
&
WARNING Risk of skidding and having
an accident from wheels spinning
When you use RACE STAR T,individual wheels
could spin and you could lose cont rol of the
ve hicle.
Depending on the ESP
®mode selected, there
is an increased risk of skidding and having an
accident.
#Make sure that no persons or obs tacles
are in the close vicinity of your vehicle.
Driving and driving saf etysy stems 23
Page 30 of 50

Selecting Comfort mode
In Comfort mode,the driving characteristics of
yo ur vehicle are more comfor table. Select this
mode if youpr efer a more comfortable driving
st yle, but also when driving at speed on a
st ra ight road, e.g. on a stra ight stre tch of free‐
wa y.
#Press button 1repeatedly until indicator
lamps 2and 3go out.
The AMG Suspension System COMFORT
message appears in the multifunction dis‐
pla y.
Selecting Sport mode
The firm er suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact wi th thero ad.
Select this mode when employing a sporty driv‐
ing style, e.g. on winding count ryroads.
#Press button 1repeatedly until indicator
lamp 3lights up.
The AMG Suspension System SPORT mes‐
sage appears in the multifunction displa y.
Selecting Sport Plus mode
Thevery firm suspension tuning in Sport Plus
mode ensures the best possible conta ct with the
ro ad. Select this mode only when driving on
closed race circuits.
#Press button 1repeatedly until indicator
lamps 2and 3light up.
The AMG Suspension System SPORT + mes‐
sage appears in the multifunction displa y.
Settingtheve hicle le vel
&
WARNING Risk of accident because
ve hicle le vel is too high
If yo udr ive at a higher vehicle le vel,th e driv‐
ing characteristics may be impaired due to
th e higher vehicle center of gr avity.
The vehicle may tip over more quickly on a
bend, forex ample.
#Alw ays select as low a vehicle le vel as
possible and adapt your driving style
accordingl y.
&
WARNING Risk of entrapment from vehi‐
cle lo wering
When lo wering theve hicle, people could
become trapped if their limbs are between
28
Driving and driving saf etysy stems