IT IS a mystery up there with the waters surrounding Bermuda: why Australians will likely love this turbo V6-powered Mercedes-AMG E43 but never liked the V8-engined, chrome-tinged E500.

Prime any vehicle with a sporting badge, sporty looks and the usual promise of sports performance, and said model will likely sport healthy sales numbers. With the E43, perhaps as Mercedes-Benz becomes more mainstream, its AMG offshoot is now the badge for aspiring types.

Either way, the new E43 lowers entry to AMG large sedan ownership by almost $100K. It is also wedged between the E500’s old (but new) BMW 540i rival and the pricier and invisible Audi S6.

With a fast drivetrain served with all-wheel drive, subtle styling and an opulent cabin, local executives freely admit that some buyers turned away by the smaller, brusque, similarly priced but rear-drive C63, will find a medium of Mercedes-Benz refinement and AMG aggression right here.

But can the Mercedes-AMG E43 turn on-paper promise into on-road reality?

Click here for the full review...