Why everyone is talking about the R4.5 million Mercedes-Benz AMG G63

Undoubtedly one of the most recognised shapes on the road and certainly one of the more aspirational cars on the market, the Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 never fails to draw attention.

First designed for military use, Mercedes quickly realised its potential for the civilian market, and since its introduction in 1979, more than 600 000 G-Wagons, as they have become known, have been sold globally.

It’s an ultimate stock adventure vehicle with owners having travelled to the most extreme parts of the globe, enduring searing heat, freezing snow and ice.

And while the G63 has all the prowess needed for the rough stuff, it’s not why people own them. Okay, the 22-inch road-biased tyres probably wouldn’t make it past the first rocky obstacle, so it’s more about the ultimate flex than the practicality of it.

Exterior

What’s to say?

It’s a box on wheels that has changed little over a number of upgrades throughout its production life.

Every window, including the windscreen, is flat glass, the door hinges are exposed, the spare wheel is bolted to the rear door, and recent tweaks include the front and rear bumpers, Panamericana grille and adaptive multi-beam LED headlights.  

Not to forget, of course, the side exit twin exhaust pipes.

Our test unit had the AMG Black styling package and the new Hyper Blue Magno paint job, which attracted even more attention.

Everything about the G-Wagon, certainly in South Africa, shouts “look at me, I’ve made it by spending R4 458 731 on an icon”.

Interior

As much as the exterior is still old-school, the inside of the G63 is very much full-scale modern Mercedes-Benz.

Given what you’re paying, nothing has been spared, and it oozes luxury and sophistication, including the installation of Merc’s latest MBUX operating system.

Integrated into the 12.3-inch screen, it’s more intuitive, but you have to stretch a bit to get to the touchscreen from behind the wheel, with the console touchpad providing a rather touch-sensitive alternative. 

The touch-sensitive AMG performance steering wheel was a bit of a hit-and-miss affair when scrolling through the instrument cluster settings. 

Red seatbelts keep you safely strapped into the Nappa leather heated, cooled and massage AMG Sports seats that are supremely comfortable and provide ample support when you start to throw the car around.

Rear seating space isn’t fantastic, but it was enough for me to sit not too uncomfortably and no doubt the pair of 11.6-inch optional rear seat screens will make things slightly easier. 

The turbine-style air vents provide a further look and feel of sophistication, while the Burmester sound system provides fantastic quality sound, should you ever tire of the exhaust note.   

Engine and drivetrain

Almost everything about the car is secondary to what’s lurking under the bonnet.

It’s Merc’s glorious AMG 4.0-litre twin turbo, which now comes with a mild hybrid system adding 15kW and 200Nm.

Producing a total of 430kW and 850Nm, powering all four wheels via a nine-speed Speedshift TCT transmission, emitting the burnt energy from those quad pipes sounds like the devil gargling with rusty nuts and bolts. 

Weighing in at 2,565kg and shaped as a garden shed, it will get from 0-100km/h in an impressive 4.4 seconds as measured by our colleagues at The Citizen.

Driving

Opening and closing the G63’s doors sounds like racking the bolt of an automatic rifle, adding to the theatre of the vehicle.

The upright seating position, electronically adjustable seats and chunky steering wheel provide an air of authority as you push the start/stop button.

The G63 has been updated with advanced active suspension technology with optional AMG Active Ride Control, replacing the anti-roll bars.

It makes an enormous difference to the car’s handling and keeps things on an almost even keel when zipping through tight turns, providing confidence when turning in sharply and accelerating out of corners.

When you use Dynamic Select mode and switch to Sport+, the AMG G63 becomes an absolute brute, with much of the power being sent to the rear wheels.

Stomp on the throttle, and in an instant, it will push you back into your seat with what feels like the chassis bending as it lifts the front and pulls away, almost bordering on being violent with a glorious soundtrack.

That’s why people love the G-Wagon. On face value, it simply shouldn’t be able to do this.

In Normal mode, apart from the gargle of the pipes and the attention it attracts, it becomes a bit of a puppy.

It’s easy to drive with a well-weighted steering feel, but the turning circle isn’t the most user-friendly, so it’s not fond of tight spaces.

If you really want to, there's lots of fun to be had on off-road tracks over the weekend.

Despite its bonkers performance, the Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 retains its renowned 4x4 prowess with a full box of mechanical and electronic tricks to tackle the toughest trails.

Front, centre and rear differential locks, low range and a wading depth of 900mm will get you to places very far from the madding crowd, but as mentioned earlier, the tyres are unlikely to survive.

Fuel consumption is moot in something like this. Driving very carefully, it will average around 16l/100km, getting around like you would any other car, 18l/100km, and because it’s the G63 and begs to be driven, look at 21-22l/100km. 

Safety

As you would expect, there’s a long list of safety features, including active lane keeping assist, traffic sign assist, adaptive cruise control, blind spot assist, 360-degree camera and seven airbags.

Verdict

The Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 isn’t an SUV you buy with your head; it’s driven by the heart.

It’s rich legacy, boast factor, fantastic engine with a sound to match. It’s not the rational choice, for there are faster, better and more sophisticated options, but it’s still largely hand-assembled in Graz, Austria, and has a unique character and an almost unmatched presence, which make it so desirable.