A G63: The most looks you'll ever get

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A G63: The most looks youll ever get
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Published: Sun 10 Mar 2019, 11:11 AM

Last updated: Sun 17 Mar 2019, 7:01 PM

NOT THAT WE'RE condoning buying a car to show off (perish the thought!), but you can't ignore the glances you receive when driving a Mercedes-AMG G63. You can't ignore them because fellow road users - in our case on five separate occasions we can recall - will slow down to peer into the driver's window, hold up the neighbouring lane at the traffic lights for you to motor past, or, at worst, watch you park and wait for you to get out. Perhaps it is this particular model of SUV's reputation for being a favourite of VVVVIPs, which precedes it. We did after all notice a hint of disappointment when onlookers caught sight of just boring old us instead of a famous face. However, it could genuinely be a case of the public appreciating a good machine when they see it, because this AMG G63 is one of the best.
It looks the part
There is something mysteriously alluring about the shape of this vehicle to the extent you can't quite feel yourself falling in love until you're too far gone. Many moons ago a Mercedes exec told us the company had discussed potentially discontinuing the model over the years, but each time a rumour about any change in production surfaced, there was sufficient outcry to bury it. Having been in Dubai for over a decade and witnessed the G-Class' popular appeal firsthand, and now taking one to heart, we can completely believe this to be true. Since its 2018 renovation, Merc have managed to make the model look even better. And we were driving one AMG had waved their magic wand over! Outside it has more of a sporty face and body while retaining its late-'70s intrepid sturdiness. Inside it is supreme luxury as usual, just a bit fancier. The result is an automobile you are never really happy getting out of.
Power. It's the name of the game
Like a moth to a flame, discussions of any Mercedes-AMG quickly turn to speed and engine size, but when it's a G-Class, chat tends to flip in an instant. An AMG four-litre V8 biturbo engine replaces the previous 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine in the G63, generating 585hp with a maximum torque of 850Nm. A sprint from 0-100 km/h takes 4.5 seconds and there is a limited maximum speed of 220 km/h, or 240 km/h with the AMG Driver's package. However you look at it, this ostensibly off-road car is fast. It's perhaps lagging a little now these hyper 4x4s have come in - the likes of the Lamborghini Urus and Bentley Bentayga etc - but this one is neither bothering their price bracket, nor, we believe, could they do absolutely everything this one can in the desert. The kit with which every G-Class is equipped is outstanding. A standard ladder-type frame, three 100-percent differential locks and an independent suspension with double-wishbone front axle in combination with a rigid rear axle are just some of the reasons you won't get stuck out there.
What else did you like?
We're beginning to gush now - pretty much everything. The cabin mood lighting while running at night, the easy to use computer, all the cameras, the sound system, the fact there's more interior space than older models and the noise the exhaust makes at high speed are all little extras that make anyone behind the wheel feel like a super star, even if they are just everyday folk like us.
Specs
Engine: Four-litre biturbo V8
Power: 585hp
Top speed: 240km/h
0-100km/h: 4.5 secs
david@khaleejtimes.com 

By David Light

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