Wednesday 22nd January 2014

A G63 AMG on ice: PH Blog

Matt takes a G-Wagen onto a frozen lake and lives to tell the tale

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'Optional G63 AMG Experience'. Even by the standards of a massively exciting AMG Winter Driving Academy weekend, this promised to be special. I've never driven one before, and probably never will again, so was especially keen to grab the opportunity.

Big, brutish, brilliant

But what would an 'optional experience' comprise? Fears of being chaperoned very slowly around the a lake with one of the event staff were allayed by cheery instructor Marcus when he said: "We do three laps with the ESP on so you can get used to the car, then we turn it off and you continue for as long as you want". Very well Marcus, as you wish...

The interior of a G-Wagen is unlike anything else. The driver sits perched and upright, using the pedals as they would on a piano and looking through a near-vertical windscreen just a few inches away. Chunky buttons for the diff locks sit incongruously beneath the latest Merc Comand screen. It has a conventional handbrake and the fuel consumption display stops reading at 30l/100km. Marcus reckoned we were well beyond that.

Floor it here and be brave!

The G63 isn't an objectively good car by any measure or any stretch of the imagination. Even on the smoother parts of the lake it could feel unsettled and agitated despite its huge weight. The ESP almost brings the car to a halt quite frequently in a tireless battle with car's mass. It feels its age, put simply.

But the powertrain feels very, very contemporary indeed, which makes for a hilariously terrifying drive. Even at 2.5 tonnes, the544hp hurls the G-Wagen along with massive speed. Marcus put the window down after about five minutes; seeing my confused face (it was 30 degrees below zero outside) he said: "You have to hear this car. It is the most authentic sounding of all the AMGs."

He wasn't wrong. The side-exit exhausts are on the driver's side and the noise is plain ridiculous. The pitch never rises too much, there's just this tirade of V8 rumble across the entire rev range that grows and grows in ferocity. Many aviation metaphors have probably been made about the sound of this car; all of them are applicable.

Windows down for full aural delight

I can't say I became accustomed to the G63 in the 15 minutes or so driving it. Indeed, most corners involved battling the understeer with great armfuls of lock, the steering wheel not apparently having any tangible connection with the front wheels.

But. But. Occasionally it would turn in, occasionally it would hook up and occasionally the G63 would go really rather sideways. They probably weren't great powerslides but it felt terrific with a commanding view over the lake and that fabulous soundtrack. I even got it straight fairly smoothly a couple of times too. The G63 AMG is a largely irrelevant, hideously profligate and horribly unsophisticated car that I totally adore.

 

[yellowstreak]

All that power and still with front and rear selectable diff locks. These cars are awesome, end of. In the absence of a v8 Pinzgauer, this is my ultimate AWD utility vehicle.

[pSyCoSiS]

Epic car and a once in a lifetime experience. You lucky b45tard!

[ghibbett]

Yes not the best on-road (the sheer lack of cornering grip has to be seen to be believed) but VERY capable off-road.

[Bargenosenti]

Irresponsible levels of want just for the noise factor

[Cotty]

That looks a hell of a lot of fun.

[0to60]

I had a G300 and loved it....so I defo hope to be able to own a G63 in the future

[UltimaCH]

Perfect towing vehicle for my Ultima. Can I have one please?

[briancorish]

I'm just back from Dubai where supercars are everywhere. Aventadors, Veyrons, MP4s, F12s, GT2s to the extent that you almost become desensitised to them, however once in a while I'd see a G65 AMG and bizarrely I found it much more exciting than any of the other exotics, there's something so so cool about an AMG G-Wagen...

[Wills2]

I really want a G-Wagen just a 350CDi with a Brabus chip will do me.

[FTW]

The ultimate tow car for your track toy.

[jon-]

I've done a c63 and e63 on ice. They were fun.

I'd like a go in the G.

[hondansx]

Needs to be SWB. I love silly cars, but this doesn't have the tonka toy appeal and they are VERY expensive for what you get. Having just returned from Iceland, a Defender is still number one in my eyes! I'd build a 'Big Foot' for the same money...

[Ashok]

Check it out

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-257139...

[loudlashadjuster]

Given JLR's current bullishness, the impending retirement of the Defender and the way in which Merc can cash on the easy* slotting in of another engine in its range into a geriatric old chassis, it surprises me that LR have never made capital from offering, even if nominally, a Defender with the 550hp Jag V8.

Would make a nice road test, the pair of them

*I've no doubt it's not that easy!

[PascalBuyens]

VIDEO or it didn't happen !!!

[richs2891]

Such a cool 4x4 and I do so want one, Chris your one V lucky guy to get to play with one on the ice.

[911Thrasher]

Mega cool - sadely the wife (she's Russian) said no-no, it's to Russian, too mafia

So had to settle for a Range Rover Classic soft dash which we are restoring. Not too bad, but definitely doesn't have the humph nor the sound of those side exhausts.

http://www.rangerovers.net/forum/8-range-rover-cla...

[Midshipracer]

hondansx said:

Needs to be SWB. I love silly cars, but this doesn't have the tonka toy appeal and they are VERY expensive for what you get. Having just returned from Iceland, a Defender is still number one in my eyes! I'd build a 'Big Foot' for the same money...

Sure the defender is nice and all but it does NOT have that engine. That is the main point of it. The car is not trying to be the best 4x4, I think most people who buy it never even think to take it where you have yours.

When it comes to 2.4 weasel vs a 5.5 twin turbo V8 I think you know which appeals more.

[Fleckers]

Currently in Milan

Outside the office this week has been a Bi Turbo G wagon with twin side exit exhausts

[R400TVR]

Now this would be fun in the 6 wheel version! I have a strange longing to own one myself. I only want it so I can park next to the Ford Harley Davidson pickup thats in my area and look down with scorn!