Facelifts. Whether done to people or cars, they can  give new life to a pleasing but less-than-fresh look, or they can stretch something old into something hideous. By the looks of these spy photos, the C-Class AMG Estate's mid-life lift is one of the good ones.

We've already seen the standard C-Class Estate facelift, and it looks like the AMG model is getting a similar treatment. Though it's still wrapped in moderate camouflage, we can get a sense of some of the details. Borrowing some cues from the new E-Class in the daytime running lights department, getting more aggressive with the rear bumper, and tightening up the busy front end, the new AMG C-Class Estate should be a crowd pleaser.

Not that any of those crowds will be on our side of the pond. We get the C63 AMG sedan, of course, but there are no plans to bring the wagon to the U.S. Yet another reason to envy our European brothers and sisters, even if we don't envy their $8/gallon gasoline.

The new C63 AMG Estate will burn a bit less of that pricey petrol, however, thanks to the replacement of the 6.3-liter V-8 of the current model with the 5.5-liter V-8 twin-turbo beast unveiled recently. Despite being more parsimonious with the petroluem, however, the new engine is even punchier, good for 544 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, or as much as 571 horsepower and 664 pound-feet with the optional Performance Pack.

Expect to see the updated C63 AMG Estate roaming around Europe sometime during the first half of 2011.