The Mercedes-AMG GT 63 is a thing of beauty. Bigger than the SL and with the advantage of rear seats, it’s arguably the more practical of sports cars – though only just. There’s a surprising amount of choice these days if you’re looking for a Grand Tourer. In the Mercedes line up alone there are four-door options aplenty but this two-door model is hard to beat on the looks front.
It’s not just about looks though, this AMG model boasts a hand-built biturbo 4-litre V8 under the bonnet, and as a 4MATIC, it’s four-wheel drive too. As you might expect from a Mercedes, it’s also bursting with tech, from driving assistance features to premium audio.
All this comes at a price that puts it squarely against models from Maserati, Porsche, Lotus and even Aston Martin. That certainly ups the ante in terms of what’s expected but after a week behind the wheel and several hundred miles on the clock, I think it very much holds its weight. In fact, I’d go as far to say that this could be my favourite GT of the bunch.
That does come with a few caveats though. While it’s big on luggage space, it’s light on the passenger room – so if you need to transport four people you might want to look elsewhere. Also, though there is a Plug-in Hybrid model, it’s still not the most economical of choices. If you want a fun drive and a lot of kudos from other drivers though, look no further.
How much is the GT 63 Coupé?
There’s a considerable price jump from the Mercedes-AMG SL to the GT Coupé, and even from the four-door GT model. The “base” model is the Premium Plus (which is normally a top of the range version on other models). This starts from £164,905 or $175,900 on the road. The US market also gets a slightly lower powered GT 55 model which starts from $134,900.
In the UK, the Ultimate edition starts from £175,905 while the launch edition starts from £180,905. There is also the SE Performance models, which feature a small electric motor for added boost. These start from £180,745 for the Premium Plus, going up to £191,745 for the Ultimate edition.
The model I tested was a fairly standard Premium Plus GT 63 4MATIC in silver metallic, with the addition of the driving assistance features, bringing the total price to £167,405 / $188,900 on the road.
Overall the prices here are close to the Maserati Granturismo Trofeo, which starts from £163,190, but this has a smaller engine. You’re also not far off the starting price o the Aston Martin DB12, which comes in at £188,500. However, you can pick up a Porsche 911 for considerably less.
Features and design
While the four-door GT looks like a slightly sportier saloon / sedan model, the GT 63 two-door coupé has more in common with the SL. Its overall design reminds me of the early beginnings of the SL with its gullwing doors, as well as other sporty models like the SLS that have now faded into history.
It's a classic sports car styling – that long bonnet and short rear, curved in like a water droplet until the rear spoiler is extended. The GT sits very low to the ground, and has an extendable front spoiler that reduces that ground clearance even further. Luckily the adjustable ride control suspension can also raise the car, should you need to cross rougher terrain – or aggressively large speed bumps.
The grill at the front is large and cavernous, like a wide smile, just inches from the ground, and features a giant three-pointed star badge in its centre. On the bonnet sits the more subtle AMG badge, the sign that this car is the product of Mercedes’ own sports tuning wing in Affalterbach and has a hand built AMG engine beneath it.
It sits on large 21-inch alloys, with low profile tyres filling the wheel arches. The standard AMG 5-spoke wheels look great with their matte black finish and chrome rim, and reveal those monstrous yellow 6-piston AMG brake callipers beneath.
The headlight clusters are long and fit the sporty look, housing the state-of-the-art Mercedes Digital Light technology. These include more than a million pixels per headlight, providing a blanket of light over the road and can still provide full beam without dazzling other drivers, by shadowing off select areas of the beam. It’s impressive to watch on a dark road.
Thanks to the panoramic glass roof, there’s lots of light in the cabin, though it’s a slight shame this doesn’t open. You do get a manually sliding roof liner though, so you can hide from any direct sun if you require.
The interior is finished in Nappa leather with carbon fibre trim giving a true premium feel to the cockpit. The multi-contour front seats feature AMG branding just under the headrests and give you lots of support. The Ultimate edition does offer a superior AMG performance seat which looks a bit sportier, but the standard seats are extremely comfortable.
There are seats in the back too, which are smaller but still comfortable. Just how useable they are though will come down to the size of your front passengers. With my driving seat in a comfortable position there certainly wouldn’t be enough leg room to fit even a child behind me – and I’m a touch under six foot. Sat in the passenger seat however, I could bring my chair forward enough to leave leg room behind, without having my knees in my face. So, realistically, you wouldn’t want to travel with more than three people in the car.
What you can travel with though is luggage. The boot space in the GT is extremely generous at 321 litres, with enough space for at least a couple of large bags, despite being fairly shallow. If you don’t need those rear seats, you can even fold them flat (using a button in the boot). This opens up the space even more with enough room for a couple of sets of golf clubs, larger bags or a decent sized dog. It’s worth noting that on the hybrid model the boot space reduces to 182 litres due to that battery.
AMG Technology
While no match for the EQS hyperscreen, there’s plenty of displays inside the GT. The central 11.9-inch vertical display is similar to that featured in the SL as well as various C-class models and runs the latest Mercedes MBUX operating system, giving you access to some impressive navigation with augmented reality features and a number of apps, as well as premium streaming services and games.
The driver gets a 12.3-inch display behind the wheel as well as a head-up display, both of which are customisable using the controls on the steering wheel. The head-up display is notably smaller than on some other cars but is still a helpful addition. There are a few special AMG displays for the driving dynamics available, as well as the AMG track pace app for live telemetry and lap data.
As well as having the touchscreen controls, there’s a touchpad in the centre console to control the MBUX system as well as buttons on the steering wheel. You can also use the Mercedes voice control system for almost any function, as well as indirect commands, such as I’m too hot, or I’m feeling cold.
Should you wish, you can also connect wirelessly for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto operation. There’s a charging tray for your mobile in the centre console, as well as two USB-C ports. Inside the central storage compartment you’ll find more USB-C ports for your devices, and an adapter for all plug types.
Not forgetting the audio, the GT provides the premium Burmester sound system as standard. This remains one of the best audio systems on offer right now. It not only sounds incredible at any volume but it also looks great, with its brushed aluminium speaker covers through the cockpit.
Driving assistance features are an optional feature on the GT, but they are well worth investing in if you are looking to do longer journeys. This includes the active distance assistant and the active steering assistant, which combined provide a comprehensive Level 2 Autonomous system – with hands and eyes on.
The parking assistance and 360 camera come as standard, which are both incredibly handy when squeezing this car into tighter spots or down narrow lanes. I really love the birds-eye view that the 360 camera system offers to make sure you park perfectly every time.
Performance and drive
As you might expect from a 165 grand sports car, the performance here is pretty mind blowing, but let’s look at the numbers. That 4-litre biturbo V8 produces 585 horsepower and will do 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds. Opt for the hybrid version and that battery bumps the total power up to 612hp and the 0-62mph time down to 2.8 seconds.
The car uses a 9-speed AMG speedshift automatic gearbox with manual paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. The drive modes range from comfort, which provides a relatively calm drive to the Sport+ which unleashes the full power of the car. Sport and Sport+ provide a throatier growl from that V8 along with the stiffer suspension, sports dampers, harder steering and greater throttle response.
Even in comfort mode, the GT never feels mild and demure – it’s always ready to give you more and if you put your foot down, or change down a gear, it will roar just as well. It is a car you can easily do distance in though. I drove for around four hours and never felt tired or cramped in the seat – in fact, I felt I could have kept going for much longer.
Even in Sport mode, the GT’s onboard systems are working hard to provide the best handling and stability. Power is transferred between the wheels to ensure maximum grip and steering, while the suspension and braking keep everything under control. It’s a very easy car to drive hard, without feeling you need to tame the beast.
While I’m normally a fan of hybrid options, I think with the GT Coupé, i’d stick to the plain V8 option. The added battery pack does add considerably to the power and acceleration but unlike some other Mercedes PHEV options, offers little in the way of electric only range. In fact, the 6.1kWh battery could provide just eight miles of electric only range. If you’re looking for a car to switch to battery power around town, this is not it.
Should I buy a Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Coupé?
Perhaps controversially, the GT Coupé is the best looking car in its class. The two-door design is better by miles than any four-door offerings on the market and aside from the Aston Martin DB12, its design is unrivalled. I am a big fan of the old SL models though, so perhaps others will disagree.
More difficult to argue though is what the GT offers in terms of spec. With that stunning V8 engine and all-wheel-drive power, it combines the raw guttural sound of that engine with some of the most advanced driving technology to provide a balanced drive. Plus, it’s chocked full of tech, from the MBUX system to the advanced driving assistance.
The downside is perhaps the lack of room in the rear, should you want a grand tourer for more than two people, and the electric power options. Maserati has proved with its Granturismo Folgore that a fully electric GT sports car is possible, but plug-in hybrid options on smaller cars just don’t offer the kind of electric only range that the C-class saloon or Range Rover Sport can.
So, who is the Mercedes-AMG GT coupé for? Well, it’s definitely a drivers’ car, for someone that wants the power and noise of a traditional sports car but not the unpredictability. Perhaps for those that love the Porsche 911 but want a little more luggage space. Personally I can’t think of many cars better to do a longer drive in.
