Mad Is Best: 2013 Mercedes Benz G63 AMG

Sometimes we don’t know what we want.  When we say that we want a luxury SUV the choices are endless and reality is that they are all the same, you end up tossing a coin and falling asleep before the fate is decided. 

However, when you come across the 2013 G63 AMG, the whole game instantly changes.

For somebody who is not an automotive enthusiast, this car is just silly.  Angular shape, outdated look with wide panel gaps, windscreen resembling plain glass window, clamping sound of the doors; next to something like 2014 GL63 AMG the G63 may seem like a lost cause.

On the inside things don’t improve a whole lot either. You are greeted by a posh leather seats, thick wood and leather steering wheel, and state of the art infotainment system, but it all looks a bit angular and daft. Whereas you get modern design and overwhelming attention to details in the GL63, the G63 doesn’t even have cup holders.

 So why does it sell?

The first outstanding quality of this vehicle is that it is unmatchable off-road, but will anyone ever feel even a tiny bit of gravel in these cars? It does snow once every couple of years in Tokyo, but buying a 20 million yen military grade SUV just for that occasion? Isn’t it a bit mad?

Well, apparently mad is something that the customers so passionately desire.  The car is so insane that after spending a few minutes with it you begin to love it.  The design is actually very striking; it’s tall but yet very proportional, along with flat body panels these qualities make Geländewagen sense of presence unmatchable.  The angular hood gives it an aggressive look and provides a hint of what’s underneath.

The 5.5L Biturbo V8 is as mad as the car itself, producing 544 PS and incredible 760 N·m of torque. With this much power and AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS 7G-TRONIC transmission, this beast can accelerate from 0 to 60 in 5.4 seconds.  That is faster than most sedans!

The truth is that this blend of old-school and luxury creates a kind special emotion that makes this car that much desirable.  With high driving position and incredible grunt, the feeling of satisfaction about driving this vehicle is phenomenal. 

But it’s not just about show off and comfort.  This car can really go; it accelerates very quickly, handles very responsively and surprisingly easy to maneuver. 

Driving position is like in the classic 80’s car, dash is very low and visibility is exceptionally good. Every corner of the car can be seen, meaning there are minimal blind spots.  Steering is a bit heavy, but responsive and predictable.   

Despite its height, body roll is not significant. Ride is firm, but not to extend that it would make occupants uncomfortable.

It glides incredibly smoothly, which would make long journeys so much more enjoyable. And journey is somewhere where this car really shines.  

The interior, although angular and lacking modern look, is actually very high quality.  All materials are top class, seats are extremely well cushioned and comfortable, and sound isolation is properly done as well.

It can easily fit 5 people and load the back with suit cases. The amount of space in this car is unmatchable.    I’ve seen apartments with less space!

So there we have it; a paradox of a car that can be described by many words, but “pretty” is not one of them.

The culmination of all the other words with exceptional mobility, comfort and practicality makes this possibly the best multi-purpose SUV on the market, and probably the only one with a character.

Cost of ownership

2/5

The 5.5L V8 loves its fuel, maybe not as much as the preceding 6.2 V8, the car will still spend a lot of time at the pump, and with current gas prices, the fuel costs will be noticeable.  While I don’t see anything possibly going wrong with this car, maintenance and repairs would cost a lot, as would the 245/50/R20 sport SUV tires.

Practicality

4/5
Unmatchable visibility and numerous driving assists make it easy to drive.  Cabin is comfortable and storage space is unmatchable.  Finding a parking garage could be a challenge because of high stance

Appeal

5/5
Its angular and outdated to untrained eye design generate an extra wow factor that is unmatched by anything else.  Give it to valet and it would definitely be parked in front.

Fun factor

5/5It growls like a mad dog and it flies like an eagle.  But no matter where and how it is driven, the driver will always be grinning while behind the wheel of this beast.

2013 Mercedes Benz G63 AMG is on sale at Mercedes Benz Japan starting at 17,800,000 Yen
As usual a big shout out to Mercedes Benz Connection Tokyo for having the beast back!

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