Jump LinksThe S 65 AMG Comes With Pretty Much Every Option On The MenuYou Get A Silly Amount Of Kit For The MoneyMercedes' Air Suspension Ensures The S 65 AMG Works In A Variety Of DomainsFor most gearheads, being able to combine plush luxury with face-ripping performance is the ultimate combination. The luxury aspect means you can cruise around town and the highways in perfect comfort and serenity, while the performance aspect means you can get your pulse to quicken when you want to feel alive on a twisty back road or racetrack. The trouble is, these elements tend to juxtapose each other, with one getting muddied in favor of the other. Mercedes-Benz has always done a stellar job with its fastest S-Class models, though.An AMG-tuned S65 is one of the best combinations of the two you can buy, as it provides supercar levels of power in a large sedan that is kitted out more like a luxury manor than a car. The model we're talking about was very expensive when brand-new, but used examples of the modern W222 variant can now be had for a quarter of its original MSRP - which topped out at about $236K for the 2020 model.This piece explores the Mercedes-Benz W222 S65 AMG, and why it provides such great value despite still costing around $60,000 on the used market. We focus on the MY2015 S65 AMG - the model year the car was launched in the US. The S65 AMG Was The Range-Topping Version Of The Sixth-Gen S-ClassMercedes-AMGThe Mercedes-Benz S-Class has acted as the German marque's flagship model since it debuted way back in 1972, the manufacturer pouring all its most up-to-date and revolutionary technology into it. The S-Class is synonymous with engineering and technological progress, and has built a reputation for being the car to look at when predicting the kind of kit more affordable vehicles would feature ten years down the line.Seven generations of the model have been developed by Mercedes over the decades, with the latest W223 having made its introduction in 2020. The subject of this piece is the sixth-gen W222 though, which made its debut in 2013. Like most luxury models, there are several different variations of S-Class you could have, depending on the kind of budget you had access to. For the W222, the range-topping version was the S65 AMG. The S65 AMG Came With Pretty Much Every Option On The Menu Mercedes-AMGThe S 65 AMG, as the name suggests, is one of the sportier numbers available. Mercedes' legendary AMG department worked on the engine, transmission, and underpinnings to ensure the S-Class is as engaging to drive as it is comfortable to travel in. As a result, it was also the most expensive version you could get before production ended in 2020. Purchasing it brand-new in 2015 would have cost you $225,000, which translates to just over $300,000 today, and that increased by more than $10k by 2020. Early Examples Are Ridiculously Good Value Mercedes-AMGDespite being a thoroughly modern machine, S65 AMGs built around 2015 can be had for around $44,000, according to Kelley Blue Book, which is less than a sixth of the cost its original owner paid for it just a decade ago. Even later 2019 models can be had for well under $100,000, less than half what they cost just six years ago. This is backed up by Classic.com too, which reports that the average auction sale price for a W222 S65 AMG currently stands at $78,480.Higher-mileage models can be had for as low as $33,000, as evidenced by a 99,000-miler sold through Cars and Bids for just $33,700. Tidier and lower-mileage examples are still great value though, such as a 2015 specimen that covered just 14,000 miles when it was sold by Perfect Auto Collection in late 2024. It ended up selling for less than $85,000, an amazing saving for such a low-mileage and well-looked-after S65 AMG. You Get A Silly Amount Of Kit For The Money Mercedes-AMGAside from the planet-shifting powertrain, which we'll get to soon, the S65 AMG provided a huge number of features for you to sink your teeth into. Larger and sportier 20-inch AMG alloy wheels were included for a kick-off, while a nifty 3D sound system was present to take listening to relaxing whale songs to another level. A rear-seat entertainment system, which consists of a pair of ten-inch screens with built-in aux and USB sockets, was also thrown in alongside slick AMG Nappa leather roof lining.This is all in addition to the usual refinements, like leather climate comfort front seats with massage control, soft-close doors, a panoramic sunroof and a host of other kit. One thing is for sure, you'll live like royalty when climbing inside an S 65 AMG. The S65's Huge V12 Ensures It Shifts Mercedes-AMGSo it's clear the S65 takes care of the comfort side of things, but its whopping twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 engine mounted over the front axle means you barely have enough time to enjoy it before reaching your destination. The powerplant produces 621 hp and 737 lb-ft of torque, which allows it to sprint to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, an impressive effort given the cruise ship-on-wheels weighs just shy of 5,000 pounds. It'll also hit 186 mph, making German autobahns a breeze should you ever decide to ship your pride and joy across the Atlantic if you're feeling flush.The S65 AMG came loaded with an AMG-tuned seven-speed automatic gearbox too, which transmits the V12s might through the rear wheels. Mercedes' Air Suspension Ensures The S65 AMG Works In A Variety Of Domains Mercedes-AMGAlongside the nuclear plant of an engine, the S 65 AMG also came stocked with an advanced air suspension setup, which was combined with a variable damping system. Rather than using traditional steel springs, a set of four rubber bags of compressed air works to keep the car stable and smooth across whatever nastiness you'll come across on the road. As these can be inflated and deflated, the S 65 AMG can alter the ride height of different corners of the car whenever it needs to, meaning it can keep itself level at all times.Combined with Magic Body Control, this pretty much cancels out body roll, and results in a smoother, more comfortable and more engaging drive. For $60,000 or less, good luck finding something with as much forward-looking tech and performance as the S 65 AMG. The W222 S65's Older Sibling Can Be Had On An Even Tighter Budget MercedesShould north of $30,000 still seem a bit steep, especially as you'll have to have a high-mileage example for this price, then perhaps the fifth-gen W221-based S65 AMG may be better suited. KBB values the model at just $14,435 for earlier 2006 versions, with later 2013 examples demanding closer to $30,000. It's not quite as well-stocked and powerful as its W222 successor, but its twin-turbocharged V12 still brings 604 hp to the equation in earlier versions, with post-2010 cars coming with the more powerful 621 hp version of the unit.You'll have to deal with a less modern cabin, though those who are more concerned about comfort will likely not miss the touches added to later S65s, and the W221 still comes with air suspension after all. Buying one on the used market isn't as special as purchasing one in a showroom, so you'll just have to console yourself with the $100,000+ you'll save by doing so. Every cloud, eh.