Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance embodies best of brand

TimesLIVE

2 days ago

Slip up once and that is all your critics will remember.
Mercedes-AMG knows a thing or two about this notion. Its biggest misstep in the past few years was deciding to neuter the C 63. Something we have not let them forget.
What was once a proud, roaring lion became a whimpering house cat with a four-cylinder engine adopted from the brand's junior tier of performance compacts.
Yes, the intense hybridisation mostly made up for the reduced displacement, from output and acceleration perspectives, but the W206 Mercedes-AMG model sorely lacks in the area of emotional appeal.
Enthusiasts and critics lamented the shift and judging by the classified listings, dealerships are struggling to give them away.
For the past while, the disappointing nature of the current C 63 was all most could think of in discussions about Mercedes-AMG. Nevermind the excitement and good that has come out of the storied performance division since its inception — and that with the 2.0 l C 63, the brand continues to offer six- and eight-cylinder options.
This week, at the launch of the GT 63 S E Performance, misgivings about the direction of Mercedes-AMG were put to rest as the new flagship coupé had media attendees in an excited mood.
From the outset (unlike that C 63), this is not a car you have to rationalise, leaving you indifferent as you hear corporate explanations about deficiencies in displacement.
No, this is a snarling V8 brawler, outwardly aggressive, uncompromising in performance, loaded with the requisite level of luxury and plushness expected from a high-tier offering donning the three-pointed star. It is a proper Mercedes-AMG, finish and klaar, a representation of the brand readjusting its crown.
It carries quite a premium. A base price of R4,369,267 gets you in, which includes a five-year/100,000km maintenance plan. The average buyer is likely to add a bit more to that basic sticker, with various options, paint choices and cabin trimmings on offer.
Like any good supercar ought to, the two-door GT 63 leaves you with a sense of wonderment at first look. From fearsome, scowling Panamericana grille, ground-hugging and wide stance, muscular haunches and huge rollers, the aesthetic execution fits the bill as a 'race car for the road' nicely.
Its cabin is much like that of the SL, snug, digitised, but with the expected level of opulence. Our test unit had an ivory-hued theme, with sumptuous leather upholstery, extending to the door panels and fascia. The two tiny rear seats were fine for our backpacks, but anything with legs might struggle. No different to those tiny back pews in a Porsche 911.
While the other Stuttgart sports car has the feel of a taut, wearable item from behind the wheel, the position in the power seat of the Mercedes-AMG GT is akin to taking the captain's spot on a speedboat: there is acres of prow space ahead.
Pop the bonnet and you will find the familiar Mercedes-AMG 4.0 l, twin-turbocharged V8 nestled between those curvy wings. It fills the bay with its generous proportions, unlike the diminutive M139 unit we saw in the SL 43. A Mercedes-AMG sports car at this level needs a V8, non-negotiable.
A flagship showcase of technical prowess in 2025 also needs some degree of electrification. So the 'E' in the S E Performance handle is represented by a 150kW/320Nm electric motor and 6.1kWh battery. The V8 engine in isolation delivers 450kW/850Nm.
In tandem, the total output of 600kW/1,420Nm is good for a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 2.8 seconds. Not too long ago, such a feat was limited to the preserve of exotics such as the McLaren 720S.
Before getting behind the wheel of the GT, we took laps in other Mercedes-AMG models, including the CLA 45 and that underwhelming C 63. Just to get reacquainted with Zwartkops and build-up for the main event.
We also had a turn in the former Mercedes-AMG GT R, a completely different animal, built outright as a track weapon. That made for a truly exciting three laps around Zwartkops, but it also amplified the significant leap between the C190 and this new C192 chassis.
The latest iteration of the GT is much more sophisticated, fitted with four-wheel steering and an active roll stabilisation system incorporating hydraulic components.
The agility of the rear-axle steering felt pronounced on a circuit as short and technical as Zwartkops, while the benefits of roll stabilisation were clear, with the car cornering flat and unruffled by abrupt weight transfer.
Truth be told, a layout such as Zwartkops is limiting for a car with such a scope of abilities. We hope to experience the GT in an environment such as Kyalami, with its fast sweeps, as we did the SL 43, for a full understanding of its handling competencies.
The aural character of that famed M177 motor delights, just as it does in every Mercedes-AMG (and Aston Martin) product it services. Keeping the windows opened just a smidgen, the full V8 symphony is loud enough to overpower the intrusion of wind noise, with its truculent rhythm under hard acceleration and the customary loud barks on downshift.
Powerful, imposing, technologically sophisticated and without relinquishing emotive appeal, the new GT 63 S E Performance delivers just what you would expect from a traditional Mercedes-AMG.