2019 Mercedes AMG G63 - Full Review

The Latest AMG G63 represents the most significant upgrade the G-Class has undergone. The brief was complicated, to retain the inherent attractions of the previous model, so the noise, the off-road capability, and rugged looks but improve the on-road performance, especially the car's handling, whilst upgrading the interior to allow five adults to travel at least moderate distances without succumbing to cramp in arms and legs after an hour. Not at all simple!

Starting with the handling, the front suspension turrets, the torsional rigidity of the ladder frame and body shell has been increased by more than 50%. Previously a low-geared recirculating ball was so indirect that having turned the nose of the car in to a corner, you’d need at once to start unwinding the steering to avoid running hopelessly wide on the exit. Mercedes have turned to an electromechanical rack-and-pinion system which in the main cures this trait..

Mercedes has also dropped a rugged solid front axle in favour of double wishbones mounted directly to the ladder frame chassis but in order to maintain the G-Class’s class leading ground clearance, the engineers have had to elevate the lower wishbone’s attachment point to the highest place possible so now ground clearance between the axles has been increased by 6mm, to 241mm. Quite an achievement.

In addition to the new front axle, and vastly improved new steering, Mercedes have introduced a new rigid rear axle that’s placed by four trailing arms retaining a Panhard rod to help control body roll. There is some roll of course, this car is over 2500kgs, and it can be noticeable if you’re really leaning on the Goodyear Eagles, but this is now at least manageable and thus cornering speeds have been raised significantly.

However with such a high centre of gravity, the car is well over six feet off the ground and noticeably higher than a Range Rover, it’s not long before you notice a level of understeer, but in the this G-Class you can with a degree of accuracy predict that's about to happen.

At the heart of the G63 is of course the engine, in this case Mercedes use their 4.0litre twin-turbo V8, modified for duties in this two-and-a-half-tonne off-roader. Here it develops 577bhp at 6000rpm and 627lb ft at 2500-3500rpm, making it more powerful even than in the AMG GTR Sportscar.

Top speed is claimed to be 137mph, though I did not attempt to check this, with a 0-62mph of 4.5sec. This I did try, and beyond, and the acceleration levels on offer are remarkable for any car let alone such a large and heavy one and at well beyond legal speed limits. Mercedes use a 9G-Tronic torque-converter transmission which does the job well enough whilst making a great noise helped in no small part by the side exhausts.

Off-road the car is possibly in a class of one especially with ‘G-Mode’. This refers to the driving program initiated when one of the car’s three 100% differential locks or off-road reduction gear is engaged. In the interests of increased precision on difficult terrain, the damping, steering, gearbox and throttle-response characteristics alter to give the G-Class the best chance of scaling all but the most difficult obstacles. There is no hill-descent control on the G63 because Mercedes wanted to retain an old-world feel and because it is simply not needed.

Interestingly during testing the G-Class development team found the Range Rover, in the most extreme conditions, to be limited by its electronics, too keen to intervene, so this is partly why the G-Class uses it's three locking differentials.

It is by no means the complete car the G63 but AMG have endowed it with great performance and an everyday use-ability the old version could only dream of but here's the crux I think. The new G63 is genuinely fun to drive and makes you smile on every journey.............possibly the greatest accolade you can bestow any car with!

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