It doesn’t make sense. A fire-breathing twin-turbo V8 in a 2.8 tonne ladder-frame SUV. And that’s precisely why I love it. This is the most irrational car to ever exist on this planet but I’d argue, the perfect “sports-car” for our Indian roads. Sure, you cannot just fling it into a corner or take apexes on a racetrack. But you also don’t need to tiptoe over potholes or speed breakers while every other low-slung sports car crawls in embarrassment.
This latest G 63 even comes with AMG Active Ride Control which makes this skyscraper on wheels corner far better than it should.
The Sleeping Monster:
Lets be honest, SUV’s are not exactly driver’s cars, but the G 63 comes close to being one. Because of what’s under the hood. The M177 twin-turbo 4.0l V8. This engine alone makes you giggle every time you floor it. The deep roar of the V8 is like waking up a sleeping monster. Roll down the windows and the sound is even more amplified courtesy to the side-exhausts. Hit a tunnel, and it’s fireworks, quite literally Diwali on wheels.
Timeless Design:
There’s no point mentioning the design. It’s the same since it first came out in 1979. Mercedes didn’t bother changing it and rightly so. The round head-lights, a rear mounted spare-wheel and those indicators on the bonnet are a part of heritage. It feels more like a truck with an imposing road presence. It is a powerful status symbol is even a part of pop culture.
A Proper Mercedes on the Inside:
You are cocooned in luxury. The seats are massive and they have active bolstering which hug you in the corners. It has the perfect mix of screens and physical buttons. The graphics on the screen are crisp and it also gets the AMG steering wheel which does not suit the nature of the car. The AMG steering wheel feels slightly too sporty for this brute — maybe a chunkier one would suit its character better
The new G 63 comes with AMG Active Ride Control. And this magic works. This tall car can take corners at reasonable speeds which was not possible before. It’s not a sports-car though. Other additions include a different grille, AMG wheels and some carbon-fiber details which you’ll barely notice.
Lets stop pretending. People buy the G 63 not because it can climb a mountain, or reach 100 in 4.4 seconds. They buy it for the show. It is a costume; a black leather jacket with the V8 as the electric guitar. It is a bold statement of power.
The Mercedes-AMG G 63 isn’t logical. It isn’t subtle. It’s pure excess — and that’s exactly what makes it legendary.
