Mercedes took the biggest bus they could find lying around their factory, then asked AMG for a badass engine, and created Lara Croft's dream ride, if she were a soccer mom, the GL63. We hope it comes in black too. The 5.5-liter V8 biturbo engine in the Mercedes GL63 AMG is tuned to put out 410 kW (557 hp) at 5250-5750 rpm and 760 Nm of torque at 2000-5000 rpm. Believe it or not, this is enough to launch all 2.5 tons of the Mercedes GL from nought to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 4.9 seconds. On paper, this is faster than a 2013 Porsche Boxster S. The top speed is naturally limited to 155 mph (250 km/h). Apart from being fast, the Mercedes GL63's AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspension, together with its ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM roll stabilisation ensure that all your six passengers will travel safely and comfortably.
Thanks to an ECO start/stop system, as well as other technologies, Merc's new GL63 AMG requires just 12.3 liters of fuel for every 100 km and emits 288 g/km of CO2.
The engine of the Mercedes GL63 AMG is mated to an all-wheel-drive system via a 7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS 7G-TRONIC transmission. This gearbox features a double-declutching function for downshifting, and three driving modes: Controlled Efficiency (this is for spending less on gas), Manual and Sport. The 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive system of the GL63 AMG gives 40% of the power to the front wheels and 60% to the rear ones.
The Mercedes GL63 AMG also comes with speed-sensitive sports steering, high-performance brakes, and wider wheel arches for the 21-inch rims.
The Mercedes GL63 AMG's price has not been announced yet, but the Stuttgart carmaker says it will put it on sale this November in Europe and in the first quarter of 2013 in the USA.
UPDATE: The Mercedes GL63 AMG's price for the United States market has been set to $116,925 MSRP, which does not include the destination and delivery charges.
Mercedes GL63 AMG Equipment:
- AMG door sill panels in stainless steel
- AMG floor mats
- AMG sports pedals in brushed stainless steel with rubber studs
- Active Parking Assist
- ATTENTION ASSIST
- Bi-xenon headlamps
- Audio 20 CD radio with Bluetooth and USB interface
- COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
- Electric EASY-ENTRY system in the rear compartment
- Electrically operated EASY-PACK tailgate
- Electric glass tilt/sliding sunroof
- Intelligent Light System (ILS) with new off-road lighting
- KEYLESS-GO
- Multicontour seats for driver and front passenger including a massage function and Memory package
- Crosswind Assist
- THERMATIC 3-zone automatic climate control
Exclusive optional extras are available from the AMG Performance Studio:
- 5-twin-spoke AMG light-alloy wheels (10 x 21 format) painted in titanium grey with a high-sheen finish, fitted with 295/40 R 21 tyres
- AMG Performance steering wheel with DINAMICA microfibre in the grip area
- Brake callipers, painted red
The designo Exclusive package allows the exclusive feel and perceived quality to be enhanced further. This comprises:
- AMG sports seats in front and bench seats in the second and third rows in designo leather
- Upper and lower section of the dashboard, centre console, beltlines, door panelling, door centre panels and armrests in the doors in designo leather
- designo metal badges in the backrests of the front seats and the outer rear seats
- Velour floor mats with designo metal badges and edging in designo black leather
Additional optional extras (selection):
- 360° camera
- Active Lane Keeping Assist and Active Blind Spot Assist
- Trailer coupling with electric unlocking
- Bang & Olufsen BeoSound AMG high-end surround sound system
- Becker MAP PILOT
- Brake Assist BAS PLUS
- DISTRONIC PLUS
- Electrically operated EASY PACK tailgate
- Speed Limit Assist
- PRE-SAFE Brake
