V8, Twin Turbo AMG, AND NO PEDALS! E63 Bi-Turbo with HAND CONTROLS (My First Experience)

Today I'm going well out of my comfort zone as I drive this E63 Mercedes Benz with over 500hp, and no pedals! This car has been converted to hand controls by its owner Andy, who invited me up for the chance to experience his mighty Merc.
#Petrolhead #Disability #AMG
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[@amfoy5919]

I've honestly never met another petrolhead that's in a wheelchair. It's rather surprising actually. For me, driving my car takes my mind off everything and I forget about my issues, both physical and emotional. Then I get whereever I'm going and it all comes back. Great video.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Cars are a great escape from all sorts of things, and I think it's another reason people need to stop demonising them - when they're gone, we will miss them

[@lukazupie7220]

JayEmm on Cars where are cars going??:o

[@BibTheBoulderTheOriginalOne]

My wife is blind, and she tells me she never feels more alive than when we go swimming in the sea. Sometimes we will swim half a mile out and she loves the freedom.

[@Portuga71]

I drive an amg for over a year with 700 hp with hands control

[@74aamer]

Totally relate to this

[@yazooog]

Columbias finest produce? You're telling me these cars are used for coffee export?

[@ApothecaryTerry]

No, he means he's kidnappedJames Rodriguez and Carlos Valderrama.

[@rosstee]

​@@ApothecaryTerry Only half a kilo of them though? Bit messy.

[@andoletube]

Interesting topic, but it would have been nice to see a bit more footage of the operation of the controls doing real braking/accelerating.

[@matgoodwin]

I was paralysed in a car accident (mini 850) back in 96 at the tender age of 18. Cars have been a passion before and after. Many people with disabilities seem to be into cars. For me it’s the only time my disability is invisible, I’m just another road user which is a really welcome break from always being seen as a wheelchair user. Really good to see some content including interesting adapted cars. There are plenty out there. One more reason this channel is fast becoming the best car channel on KZbin. I have had loads of cars from rally replica classic minis to range rovers, all on hand controls. Nothing beats pulling into a disabled bay in something unusual, watching people’s reactions and mutterings, then whipping out the wheelchair. 😂 Aside from a mundane daily I currently have a modified 996.1 C4. Great drive. For a living I drive tractors with hand controls!

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Funny you mention the 996, a friend of my dad's lost an arm in a motorbike accident about 20 years ago and the thing he bought with the payout was an automatic 996!

[@matgoodwin]

I know of a few people with physical impairments that have gone down the 911 route. Just enough room in the back for a wheelchair leaving the front passenger seat clear. Have wondered about Gallardo’s, looks just about doable. Evora another car that lends itself well. One day!!

[@chuckbiscuito]

Saw a hand-controlled Noble M12 years ago, at the 'ring, no less, and was thoroughly impressed in every way.

[@iaintdonknow]

Maybe it was the same man as the owner of the green Ford GT with hand controls? Sounds epic!

[@ReconsOfficeal]

@@iaintdonknow Jason Watt ownes the Ford GT with hand controls

[@markchip1]

Thank you very much for, what seems to be, one of the first petrolhead KZbin reviews of a hand controlled car! I bought a 2005 Aston Martin DB9 just a few years ago and, owing to my being a wheelchair-using MS sufferer, my wife begrudgingly consented - but only if I had hand controls fitted AND training AND assessment from a disabled-experienced instructor in an adapted car first. I eventually succeeded in meeting these demands (finding an adapted vehicle instructor was tbh an absolute nightmare, however the very nice lady I eventually found was entirely happy with my skills) and likewise found the switch to hand controls pretty weird! In the end - because my main disability was a weakness raising my right foot (weak shin muscles) - I was able to get around this by putting a 3cm block under the driver's floormat and using a foot-brace that helped my foot from dropping. Thus I was entirely able to fully enjoy my Aston's V12, although there was an inherent delay between of a fraction of a second in switching my right foot between pedals. Years of motorcycling a few decades before had taught me a lot about good roadcraft and maintaining an extra level of caution did the rest! So my tale is more one of how to avoid hand controls rather than actually using and living with them. Sadly the car was written off (not by me, but a friend) just as I was almost finished with individually fixing all of the (40+!!) large and small areas of bubbling paint flaws that early DB9s were famous for - all by hand with wet-n-dry paper and an airbrush - again, in a wheelchair! As they say, "life's a bitch" and that particular friend is no longer on my Christmas list, having wasted several hundred hours of my life! All in all, I'd say it was entirely manageable and enjoyable, although I would add that finding an appropriately sized folding wheelchair to fit in small capacity boot-spaces (trunks?) can be as big a problem as finding the right-priced car! Lastl, I wonder if you'd ever consider doing a series of videos on advanced training - or doing a course(s) yourself?? Your approach, manner and style might be better suited than most other automotive KZbinrs....

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Thanks for your comment Mark. I think that chap would be off my christmas card list too if he did that to my Aston!

[@visionist7]

Damn that friend to Hell

[@markchip1]

@@visionist7 - Thank you for your sympathy, Felice! Would you, by any chance, be related to the Graziano gearbox manufacturing company?

[@dylan4972]

My father is in a wheelchair, it's very cool that you featured this.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Thanks Dylan

[@lanmastersassistant659]

Makes a difference from the usual motibility option

[@GadtuningCoUk]

I have a customer who has SL63 AMG, Aston Martin DB11 Volante and AMG GTR all with hand controls lol the guys a hero!!!

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

LANMasters Assistant you would be surprised what cars people buy on motibility, when my parents were buying their Mazda CX-5 there was a couple in picking up their MX5, apparently that was bought on motibility, and according to the salesman a very high proportion of MX5s are bought on motibility. Obviously because it’s so easy to get in and out of with a disability.

[@CarlGrint]

You really want the turn signal add on for the accelerator/brake, it makes all the difference when you have your hands full with steering and the Push/Pull, a friend recommended it for my first set of hand controls and I am so glad he did, it makes it so much easier.

[@chappy2121]

Used to bump into a chap at Morrisons in Malton years ago. He had some form of dwarfism if I remember, he had a modified evo10 about 600bhp. Trick bit of kit

[@hologram1211]

My dad drove cars all his life with hand controls, was a keen driver and travelled and drove in multiple different countries all using hand control adapted vehicles. The most 'exotic' thing he had was an Astra GTE mk2 back in the 80s, was one of the few cars he had that he (reluctantly) let me drive and looking back this cemented my life long passion for hot hatches, although I remember the Astra was a hideous thing in every way compared to the Golf Gti and Peugeot 205Gti of the day, Dad decided so too and traded it for a run of the mill Toyota Corolla after an eventful year!

[@damientaylor1]

Well done James, in my complete ignorance I would never have thought that this kind of motor would have been bought by someone with such disabilities. Fair play to you and for the owner for having the balls to drive such a monster on hand controls.

[@rajjy1976]

YEEEEESSSSS HE’S BROUGHT BACK THE OUTRO SYNTH TUNE!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🥳🙌🏽🙌🏽

[@MrORLY]

My E34 540i was on hand controls when it first entered the family, the previous owner had Dwarfism yet still wanted to drive a nice car. It was replaced by a W124 Coupe for him and all the controls from the 540 were switched over to that, for me that simply meant a driver's seat that was in perfect condition as he stood at the end of the bottom seat squab.

[@visionist7]

He drove standing up?

[@MrORLY]

@@visionist7 From what I understand yes.

[@ianturnbull5513]

Great review and it adds an entirely different perspective on ownership if you have a disability. Great to see someone enjoying driving and like another person mentioned "driving takes my mind off everything". Thank you for thinking outside the box and doing this review!

[@tomrothwell8433]

Is this the world's fastest wheelchair?

[@clockbait]

The W212 AMG came with only 3 colours for the callipers. The anthracite/silver for the normal E63, red for the E63s model and the a burnt bronze colour for those cars equipped with carbon ceramics

[@DannyTheGFP]

ive had these on all my cars since 1991, the last one being my '94 merc w124 sportline convertible

[@DannyTheGFP]

bit weird that there is a panel blocking the pedals, ive had 10 cars and never blocked the peals off, why would they do that

[@speedysteven123]

I am also a disabled driver with hand controls love driving its my escape.

[@killerhertzmercedes]

Those calipers, aftermarket: www.bcs-automotive.co.uk/shop/brake-caliper-paint/petronas-green/ Just remove the centre resonator, you will get more pops and bangs on overrun.

[@nathan-hl2ob]

instead of (My first experience) should have been (first hands on experience)

[@rickc2102]

👍👍

[@kaziadz]

The brabus exhaust sounds like thunder, it’s amazing but I can imagine that it’s very expensive.

[@andyjackson4996]

Loving the synthwave outro!

[@kris651]

This model is basic E63 AMG 550 bhp without extras, you could buy at that time from Mercedes E63 S AMG with stock 585 bhp and 800 Nm stock and LSD as standard and few more extras from factory but you have to pay 7K- 10K extra for it

[@JayEmmOnCars]

You sure about that? This is before the S I think

[@Civicky]

Definitely a good car and it’s so nice to See the different options. A fella I look after has no arms or legs from the elbow and knee down, and it’s great to see what cars are available for him. I made a video about him and his car before. It’s defo not as fun as this though. Lol

[@visionist7]

The worst part is those pretend do-gooders trying to tell people what they "should and shouldn't" be driving when they have an injury or disability. It's like a parent who doesn't like rollercoasters and has never ridden one telling their daughter she's "too old" for those "childish rides" anymore, when the parent has no clue

[@zzzgarage2704]

The car is brutally fast

[@jwampere]

Hand contols here on a Panamera TT. Nice car/setup btw.

[@richardgoring4485]

I'm also a wheelchair using hand control amg guy myself. I had a work accident in 98 which left me paralysed from the upper chest down. I've had lots of amgs over the years and am currently in the w213 edition one estate. I found adapting to hand controls very easy as I have no movement or feelings in my legs whatsoever. The trick to driving them smoothly is to rest your elbow on the drivers door arm rest. It's much easier to regulate your inputs. I put an eisenmann exhaust on my 5.5 amg. It sounded better, but tbh that engine never did much for me. The torque was nice but it was no 6.2. This 4l though sounds very nearly as good as the 6.2, and with so much more torque :) The 's' models came with a limited slip disc as standard, and it was an option on the non 's' models. You'd be welcome to come upto East Yorkshire and sample mine once this period is over. Added bonus, you can still use the pedals on mine :)

[@Portuga71]

Richard Goring I’m in a wheelchair as well and I got an E63s with 700hp adapted with carospeed on the left side, for me it’s the best hand control out there!

[@BravoManUK]

Kudos to you for covering this. I drive a 2016 BMW 340i with hand controls. You can be very precise with a little practice. The 8 speed ZF box is a joy, especially in sport and sport plus.

[@woody555kl]

Beast of a car 👍

[@joebarford272]

I have this model only in white with black pack, these are quoted at just over 550hp stock but in reality all std ones tested are well over 600hp incredibly powerful car between £20k -30k unbeatable imo sound way nicer than an std M5 great cars and great to see fitted with hand controls 👌

[@michaelallum3732]

Hi Jay! I’m an adapted car driver just like this gentlemen. I drive a MK6 golf GTI. It’s a great car and yes, you’re right sometimes the push/pull driving lever can make things a little bit difficult but that’s all part of the fun :)

[@paulpavlou4493]

I own a 2014 E63AMGs, it’s mapped to 700 bhp and I had a resonator delete, it sounds awesome and proper loud only when you give it more gas, save your money and have the a resonator delete at Prestige car service in Horndean, they are a Mercedes specialist.

[@sportzntouring]

Really enjoyed watching this. So, having had that experience, now imagine being the only one racing using hand controls in a Euroformula Open single seater race car... And winning! À la Billy Monger. Legend!

[@bentdog8917]

Great review James. To the owner,nice car. Better then a Cla or some other Motability fodder.

[@johnrogers2826]

What a lovely car! Ta!

[@JelloTypeR]

Wonderful! Can’t imagine how difficult the transition into hand controls in such a powerful car would be. Kudos to the owner, way cooler than a golf R or M140 which are the ubiquitous choice in that price range. Repair bills would be a constant worry though, Mercs of that vintage are well known for being brittle with big ticket items known to be weak. Sooo cool though, so very cool.

[@realmusicreallife]

Can’t compare it to a hatchback lol it’s a proper car

[@robertl2856]

VERY interesting. ...you did well to adapt

[@markashton358]

Exhaust mod - look up PCW just outside Milton Keynes. He has modified my last 2 cars (current one being my w204 C63. PCW can modify any part of the exhaust such as taking out any of the cats plus remove resonators and possibly modifying the back box. Price is amazing for the professional work done

[@georgeapplegate2091]

Bloody Hell James, ive not seen any of your videos till this one. I had a c63 adn it caught fire - am considering one of these so will watch asap. Hope you're well.

[@glennharrison7036]

Hi! At the start of the year, I gave back my 2 litre Ford C-Max automatic that had a left foot accelerator conversion and started driving a SEAT Ateca Xcellence Lux with a Kivi easy fit K5 under-ring accelerator and Kivi push-down brake. If I was specing again, I'd go for the BAS under-ring accelerator (it's a full moving ring rather than a static omega). God, how I wish that I had skipped learning the left foot accelerator and gone straight to under-ring accelerator nearly five years ago. Driving is now fun again.

[@TituslovesPop]

Yea , we have push pull hand controls fitted to our car. My Partner needs them, I can drive it without using them which is cool. I saw an E60 M5 for sale with hand controls which I thought was awesome

[@drdanphd]

I know a guy who had a r35 gtr on hand controls

[@davidbee9563]

Some years ago at the local university, I saw a Subaru wagon equipped with a lift in the back. After parking the lid came up and it removed a manual chair from the boot and placed at the door for the person to exit directly onto her chair. Then folded itself back into the boot. At the time I drove a wheelchair van to take students around the campus.

[@fishgrandpa]

Don’t change the exhaust, do a secondary cat delete and eliminate the resonator, absolute the best sound and is cheep

[@jimthestig2]

Jay was in warrington and I didn’t even realise damn

[@batboy.]

Your missing out on the knob mate. Which goes on steering wheel.?!!!!! It's so much fun to drive when you do It properly. Knob and leaver

[@dmn01]

Thanks, this was very interesting. I hope this video is shared far and wide for especially to wheelchair-bound petrol heads.

[@ahrred3127]

I thought the brake pedal broke when I read the thumbnail, but this was surprisingly more interesting

[@clockbait]

With regards to exhaust system. Just take the rear resonators out. Cheap to do and sounds just right. AMG back their back boxes just right for sound. Listen to an old 6.2 C63 AMG that’s had a full IPE system. They just don’t sound right

[@ApothecaryTerry]

I love the fact you can get cars like this on hand controls, no reason why not I suppose, they have the same wheel and pedals as normal cars. I'm still half considering an E63 like this. I like the power and the comfort, plus the steering is reasonable enough. Not sold on the grunty Merc sound though and the interior definitely feels dated with that tiny screen and quite a lot of plastic. Also a bit worried about finding one with the right spec- especially since I'm really not a fan of German cars with black leather and lots seem to have that.

[@kingsofasphalt6549]

That must be a very interesting drive.

[@bob808]

Holden (Australia) used to offer free hand controls for the disabled. I wonder if any other brand offers the same? RIP Holden :( I've never seen factory mint green brakes on any Benz (in Australia). Most likely aftermarket. As for the handbrake, the owner should look into an electric retrofit. Aftermarket kits are available, and are often used on hot rods. Exhaust? Akrapovic or UK company Quicksilver.

[@harrywheeler1]

I’ve got a friend who has hand controls in his turbo s!

[@acchaladka]

Super interesting, and also this comment is for up the algorithm. Looking forward to viddy ya eeek, the morrow.

[@Hargan]

I thought this was going to be your transition into a gaming channel while on lockdown from the title 😂

[@bomfunk77]

If you think that's different to drive, you should try a left foot drive car. These have the accelerator where the clutch would be, I had the pleasure of frightening myself silly trying to park an auto fiat doblo with this conversion after I'd cleaned it at work.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

That does sound curious. The Model T is a scary one as it has hand throttle and it doesn't lift off if you let go

[@bomfunk77]

@@JayEmmOnCars my left foot just thinks clutch so trying to gently press accelerator gently is near impossible. I can imagine a model t hand throttle would be mildy terrifying at times

[@millomweb]

You can cure the wheelspin problem by adding 4 more people and a ton of paving slabs in the boot. Please report back your findings. The issue with the Audi A1 is if you fill it, you reduce the weight on the front wheels and get more wheelspin.

[@ksccts]

Great episode...interesting content.

[@ashleybunn1867]

Another good video James, I drive with hand controls myself have done for ten plus years now. I havent got the pedal guard fitted so other drivers can still use the pedals if they wanted too. Shame I havent got them fitted to an e63 I use a golf tsi as my daily 😁 .

[@R3laxxd]

Those calipers painted in green definitely not painted from factory it was not an option.

[@edwardkarran4963]

11:08 every single time I drive my E36

[@bosayam8002]

Thought the guy was Nick Frost for a moment

[@Dan_druft]

I remember we had a disabled drivers car in for repair and the clutch and accelerator were the opposite way round for some reason and my thought process was completely messed up and I couldn't drive it, you would have thought he would have been better off in an automatic.

[@beeliiii1]

I have never seen this colour in brake calipers in a W212 E63 regardless of 6.2 NA or 5.5 Biturbo. Stock are silver of red. But these can be easily coloured.

[@MJ-sg8ov]

No way dude, S211, S212, S213 all look much better than their sedan counterparts.

[@peterdelamare]

Rado downpipes will add a nice amount of volume, and 30 hp and 30 lbs.

[@MP_pov]

Interesting video on a car with hand controls James, but you haven't actually shown the hand controls...

[@rickc2102]

I would expect to find a macguffin in the trunk.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Very good, I see what you did there

[@James-jp6ry]

There was a bloke not too far from where you filmed this who had a light blue 911 GT3 with hand controls. Unfortunately I haven't seen him for awhile.

[@amacca2085]

Thought recognised the area warrington / Irlam 😂 👍🏼

[@thevoxofreason8468]

Very interesting.

[@limpunsing224]

For person with disability (PWD) ?

[@thelazykiwi1295]

If Amg Gave everyone an Lsd with there lust for high tourque They would have the reputation a mustang and that aint good

[@ranekeisenkralle8265]

Jay? To answer your question: I'm driving a Ford Ecosport. Not the most powerful car out there, but plenty of fun in urban areas where top speed is not essential. Especially with the eco-boost engine. I really like that turbo. On that note, maybe go over some less extravagant cars as well?

[@JayEmmOnCars]

I do have reviews of a lot of more affordable cars - check out some of my cheap car playlists

[@ranekeisenkralle8265]

@@JayEmmOnCars the affordable dream cars you mean? Yeah. I know. Too bad there are just a few videos on that one. If my memory serves I am pretty much done with your videos so far (spent a couple days binge-watching them). Either way, keep it up - I'm enjoying them immensely.

[@ApothecaryTerry]

@@ranekeisenkralle8265 He's got "Cool Cars for Young People" and "The Crap Cars Playlist" too- another 19 videos between those. A decent few in the British cars playlist are cheap as well.

[@RobRandomVids]

On the subject of hand controls, would it be possible for you to do something on hand controlled clutches? I'm about to learn to drive and because I'm disabled and have limited extension of my left leg, I can't work a conventional clutch pedal. I'm going to have to learn in a car with an auto gearbox because there it seems there aren't any cars with hand controlled clutches at any driving schools or even offered by Motability - most people in my position would use an auto. BUT - aftermarket clutch kits definitely exist, although there's not much information on them. If it's possible, I don't want to be limited to automatic cars all my life, so I would be interested to see a video on these, just to see what my options would be if I wanted to learn to drive a manual in the future. after I pass my test in an auto, if any options are open to me at all.

[@Birmingham_racing]

This generation e63 estate was the second amg (first was the old c36) and in my eyes it was the perfect daily if you were rich. I know we have the f10 m5 saloon but that sounds terrible compared to this

[@pb7870]

Now this is cool but it doesn’t look easy to get used to😂

[@chrissullivan3328]

Looks like a Tiffany & Co kind of green

[@jamesengland7461]

That is quite a puzzle about limited slip diffs. Even the Chevy Vegas, their first economy subcompact, in the 1970s had Positraction on the GT model. Why so stingy?

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

James England because despite what KZbin commenters think an LSD is almost pointless on a road car. They also add weight, aren’t durable, and require more maintenance. I do think they should be an option on performance cars though.

[@keithhodgson6489]

JCS sell that green paint for callipers - 37 pounds.

[@jura05]

Hahahah, a slippy diff 😂

[@Birmingham_racing]

I remember see a modified old Volvo t5 with 300bhp with hand controls. Think it was on Jamie_fyd

[@obedantonio9962]

The big question is... HOW THE HELL THOSE HANDICAP DRIVERS PACKING THEIR WHEELCHAIR INSIDE THE BOOT BEFORE DRIVING THAT CAR...???🤔

[@zzhughesd]

Petronas green calipers of period. Fab. Kinda hmmmmmm. Meh. Kinda cool. Actually like them as stock over garnish

[@deanchur]

Certainly is a better choice than a dopey SUV/CUV, considering how their high seating makes it more difficult for ingress and egress for someone who is mobility challenged.

[@DanLMH]

this version of the E63 isn't v nice looking imo :D

[@therightnuke]

Are cars with tints rare in Europe/UK? in America its very common with an abundance of shops to get it done at

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

therightnuke there’s lots of rules and regs about how dark you can have them, plus they look shit.

[@HenningDiesel]

No pedals? It's got pedals, and you're operating them.

[@A5SEN.]

Did you film this in Manchester James? I'm sure I recognise those roads!!

[@natsiel]

R55ENS Warrington towards Irlam coming off the 6 at 21. Is that what you think it’s at in the beginning?

[@natsiel]

@3:29 there’s a sign for Manchester A57

[@supercarpaul_cs8147]

Noviec do a great exaust

[@tippy35075]

install an H pipe

[@killerhertzmercedes]

No benefit on the Bi-Turbo. A centre resonator delete is the way to go.

[@OurCognitiveSurplus]

Why didn’t you explain how the hand controls work...?

[@JayEmmOnCars]

I did - push to brake, pull to go - simple as that

[@OurCognitiveSurplus]

JayEmm on Cars But look at all those linkages and pivots and braces and covers and stuff. We need to know!

[@S-T-E-V-E]

Whenever I see an mobility adapted car it poses the question in my mind that if the current standard controls for cars was scrapped and redesigned from scratch, what would the controls to a car look like? Would it be pedals and a wheel or something else? Especially with the no gearbox electric cars we are being railroaded towards. A PlayStation controller? lol

[@rickc2102]

I'm having a really difficult time thinking outside the box of my paradigm. Really interesting thought experiment, nonetheless.

[@Razmatazuk]

No a wheel is always more preferable. Gives the most amount of control and feel. Cannot be bettered

[@hyphed4196]

the best controller is the mind, maybe if telepathy control ever comes to exist (believe me it does), i would assume that would be the best.

[@Razmatazuk]

@@hyphed4196 Not in my opinion as.the mind wouldn't allow feel of the road. Yes it would be superior in many ways but, some things are already perfect. A steering wheel is such a thing.

[@Graham_Wideman]

If you were really being railroaded it would be towards a train.

[@SnowWow]

So is this for people withouit legs ?

[@SnowWow]

oh my bad, it is. I commented this before watching

[@chrisogrady28]

Anyone know what the sticker on the back says? Can't read it on phone

[@datsquazz]

V8 powered because only milk & juice come in 2 liters

[@chrisogrady28]

SQUAZZ 😂😂😂

[@lukazupie7220]

I love it but i would just buy f10 550i. Btw i know for 2 disabled persons that are driving CL amg:)

[@TheM5Dog]

The N63 in the 550i is notorious for being very poor.

[@leenevin8451]

gearbox prob needs a service, like they all do after 40k miles

[@paulpan2553]

I saw 2 had controlled car reviews today: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iImun3ekZs-koJI

[@leenevin8451]

this generation of Mercedes had the WORST interior ever