Skip to main content

2019 Mercedes-AMG G63 Review

2019 mercedes amg g63 review g6 featured image
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Public perception of vehicle desirability is influenced most distinctly by celebrity endorsement. If Drake is spotted driving a blacked out Chevy Tahoe, some fans will start shopping for a similar model the very next day. But a celeb’s stamp of approval can only do so much to elevate the status of a vehicle (and its owner). Just because you drive a Drake-spec Tahoe doesn’t mean anyone will give you a second glance.

Related:

Recommended Videos

Automotive star power (without the star) depends on exclusivity and heritage – traits the Mercedes-Benz G-Class has in generous measure. From its origins 40 years ago as a spartan utility vehicle to its current luxury-laden form, the G-Class has remained defiantly boxy and thoroughly capable off-road. Relatively small production and steep pricing compared to Mercedes-Benz’s other SUVs make the G-Class (especially the range-topping G63) a natural fit for the famous and famously rich.

Miles Branman/The Manual

Standing out in a wealth-dense region like Orange County, California is arduous. Here, Teslas flow like milk and honey, Rolls-Royce Ghosts are strewn about mall parking lots, and BMW 3 Series are high school handouts. Anything less than amazing is callously overlooked. The 2019 Mercedes-AMG G63, though, is nothing short of dazzling.

Though the truck’s traditional boxy greenhouse remains, a new generation introduces the most significant changes to the G-Class since its inception. While instantly recognizable, the 2019 G Wagon’s exterior is more modern and refined, bridging the gap between classic cool and contemporary chic. Off-road pedigree is displayed via a rear-mounted tire carrier, boxy fender flares, and a prominent push bar. AMG’s flex takes the form of 22-inch matte black wheels, a slatted grille, and side exit exhaust pipes.

Miles Branman/The Manual

Amidst softly sculpted crossovers, the G63’s brutish beauty is impossible to ignore. A lofty seating position and massive windows afford a clear view of the peering eyes of fellow motorists and passing pedestrians. A dab of the throttle extracts a primordial grunt from the twin-turbocharged V8, giving holdout audience members a reason to relent — but they’d better look fast before 577 horsepower carry the G63 out of sight.

In contrast to its subtly polished exterior, the G63’s cabin takes a massive leap towards the progressive. A pair of vibrant 12.3-inch digital displays sits within a leather-wrapped, contrast-stitched dashboard, looking at home on upright bulkhead. Elsewhere, brushed metals, piano black surfaces, textured wood grain, and quilted Napa leather comprise premium accommodation. Available heated, ventilated, and massaging seats put front passengers at ease while dual pane glass subdues the noise of wind pelting one of the least aerodynamic vehicles on sale.

Every celebrity deserves an entourage and while the outgoing G-Class contorted full-size adults behind the front seats, the latest model offers plenty of room for company. Ride quality is similarly improved despite AMG’s performance tuning; an adaptive damping system and independent front suspension manage the G63’s weight and ladder frame chassis with ease.

It’s all too easy to acquire an ego at the helm of the new G63. With much of the world literally beneath you and four decades of German engineering propelling you, there are few more majestic ways to travel. If you aren’t a star before you drive a G-Class, you’ll certainly feel like one by the time you arrive.

Miles Branman
Miles Branman developed a passion for cars early on thanks to a neighbor’s collection of rare and exotic vehicles. What…
This is how much the 2025 Mercedes-AMG GT 43 will cost
AMG GT 43 gets pricing for 2025
MB AMG GT 43

Some cars are just instant home runs. When Mercedes-AMG debuted the first AMG GT back in 2014, you didn't have to be a car fanatic to appreciate the stunning good looks or throaty exhaust rumble of the newest member of the always fun Grand Touring market. Fast-forward a little more than a decade, and although we first got to lay eyes on the 2025 AMG GT 43 in March of this year, it was not until recently that pricing was made available to the drooling public.
The 2025 AMG GT 43 will start at $105,900

Despite being considered the "entry-level" model of the AMG GT lineup, the GT 43 has a starting price of $105,900, which does not include any destination or delivery fees.

Read more
Alpine F1 team will use Mercedes power units and gearboxes starting in 2026
With the new agreement, Alpine will be power unit customers, no longer potential suppliers to other teams.
Alpine and Mercedes-AMG F1 race cars.

After Renault's Alpine announced the decision to cease making engines for F1 race cars after 2025, that left open the question of where Alpine's F1 team would turn to source their engines. We now know the answer. Beginning in the 2026 season, Mercedes will supply the power units for Alpine's F1 race car. Mercedes will also supply the gearboxes used in the cars in 2026. The agreement to use Mercedes power units lasts through 2030, but Alpine plans to build and use their own gearbox starting in 2027.
Why Alpine's decision is a big deal
When Alpine disclosed it would cease building engines for F1 cars, it was a sea change for the manufacturer. Alpine and parent company Renault have historically been engine suppliers, providing engines to their F1 team and other teams. With the new agreement, Alpine will be power unit customers, no longer potential suppliers to other teams.
What the power unit supply deal means
The 2025 season will be the last season for the current power units. In 2026, F1 race cars and power units will be subject to next-generation FIA F1 rules and regulations. The new power units will have internal combustion engines that run on 100% biofuels and will use battery power more than the current power units.

Alpine will continue to build F1 engines at its Viry-Chatillon, France division through the end of the 2025 season, after which it will be re-purposed to Hypertech Alpine. Alpine's Enstone, UK division will continue to focus on the F1 race car's chassis.

Read more
Mercedes-AMG ONE hypercar beats its own record lap time on the Ring
The AMG ONE competes with itself and wins
Mercedes-AMG ONE on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife close frontal view.

Mercedes-AMG recently announced that the AMG ONE hypercar broke its own record on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Also called the Ring, this 20.832-km ( 12.94 miles) track in Germany is a standard testing ground for performance cars. The Mercedes-AMG ONE with F1 technology is the first production vehicle to complete a single lap of the circuit in less than 6:30 minutes. The official time was 6:29.090 minutes. That time is more than five seconds faster than the previous record, achieved by the AMG ONE in 2022.
Why the AMG ONE lap record matters

A car with the record time on the Ring gets worldwide bragging rights, but it means more than that to Mercedes-AMG. In addition to raising the bar for the company's production vehicles, attaining and then besting the record gives the team a chance to get the most out of the car, demonstrating their drive and ability.

Read more