[Akshay1234]

Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S 4Matic+ Coupe Review

The Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S 4Matic+ Coupe is on sale in India at a price of between Rs. 210.52 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S 4Matic+ Coupe Pros

• Supercar like acceleration, good dynamics for a tall vehicle
• A practical car for Indian conditions giving sports car like thrills
• Loaded with tech and features, massage seats etc
• Coupe styling and the aggressive kit & wheels give it good differentiation from the regular GLE

Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S 4Matic+ Coupe Cons

• The price doesn't make it seem like a VFM product
• Ride is a tad too stiff on less than perfect roads with the 22" rims
• Rear seats are not as comfortable as the regular GLE; headroom is compromised due to coupe shape
• Glitchy MBUX

[Akshay1234]

Exterior

While the front end looks similar to the regular GLE-Class, the sporty bumper with its large AMG air dam and the GTR style radiator grille gives it a mean look. The grille has become quite large, but the vertical slats suit it much more than the regular car's grille. This is a car which if seen in a rear view mirror, would make one give way ASAP. While it's similar to the GLE 53, the bumper and kit, in general, are a level up in terms of aggressiveness:


The sporty pretensions can be seen at the rear with the aggressive diffuser and large exhaust tips. The prominent lip spoiler adds to it too:


Well-proportioned design with coupe styling. The silhouette is similar to its smaller sibling, the GLC, but the practicality of this larger coupe is far superior owing to the extra space:


I think coupe-style SUVs are growing on us and the GLE 63 S is certainly one of the more pleasing ones to look at. It's aggressive from every angle and doesn't try and be subtle about it being the range topper in Mercedes' product portfolio:


The rear 3/4th view is again, quite pleasing. I like the evolution of the design from the previous GLE Coupe to what it is now. Notice the super fat 325 section rear tyres:


Multibeam LEDs are pretty much the same as the regular GLE, but they do an awesome job of lighting up the road at night with their trickery:


Massive 22" alloy wheels with this beautiful multi spoke AMG design. I love the silver lip on them. These wheel designs are shared across many of the newer 63s. Notice the massive brakes behind the wheels:


The sharper tail-lights, again, have a similar detailing to the newer Mercedes SUVs. They look great when lit up:


Large black part on the rear bumper takes away some of the bulk. This car doesn't have the carbon pack, or many of the parts such as the diffuser, spoiler, etc., would have been in carbon fibre:


AMG branded dual exhaust tips on both sides:

[Akshay1234]

Interior

The interior, like most newer Mercs, is modern and a good place to be in. It's well put together and with good quality materials used everywhere. The layout is largely the same as other Mercedes cars with the addition of some AMG specific buttons:


Dinamica covered flat-bottom steering wheel. Personally, this is personally my favourite AMG steering, even compared to the newest designs which are on the W223 S-Class, etc. This one too has a rotary knob for the drive mode selection and programmable buttons for various functions such as exhaust, suspension mode, auto start/stop, etc.:


Instrument cluster is very clear and sharp. It has loads of programmable modes and even the Supersport display style, which is reserved for the 63s and above:


Large head-up display (HUD) come with lots of personalisation options, where either one can have a large rev counter and speedometer, or divide the HUD area into 3 sections and choose various items to display in all of them. Still, it felt almost criminal looking into the HUD with such a nice instrument cluster below. Also, the large and bright HUD can be a distraction at night inside city limits (have to mention that I missed a few potholes looking at the HUD):


You can choose what you'd like to see in the HUD through the instrument cluster:


Black doorpad with a soft leather-clad armrest:


Unique 1x1 carbon fibre pattern looks awesome on these large sections of the doorpads. Of course this car has the Burmester high end audio too, which sounds great. We can also see the controls for the seats, memory and ventilation too. Oddly, there's even a button to control the passenger seat:


AMG branded scuff plates:


Front seats with sporty leather and Dinamica combination. They are supremely comfortable and offer every feature one would want such as heating / ventilation and many types of massages. They are comfortable to sit in for long stretches even for a taller person like me, and after a hot stone massage, I got out feeling fresher than I did when I got in:


A closer look at the Napa leather and Dinamica, which is pretty similar to Alcantara. It's a nice change from the man-made leather we see on most Mercedes vehicles these days. I would love to see proper leather even on the C-Class:


Sporty aluminium pedals:


Settings and apps can be accessed through the MBUX infotainment system:


Some of the AMG specific switches - the M (manual) switch, the suspension ride select switch, and the exhaust switch. Also notice the suspension adjustment switch, which can raise or lower the car. This car has an air suspension, and not a hydraulic one which does the jumping thing that you may have seen other Mercedes SUVs (such as the GLS 600) do:


Rear seats are more useable than one would think. However, while I wouldn't want to be in the rear for a long drive, it's perfectly useable for city runs:


The legroom is more than acceptable and the headroom is adequate:


Boot space is good with a lot of depth and width, but it is the height where there will be limitations. Still, it's large enough to swallow a couple bags and do an airport run if need be:

[Akshay1234]

Driving the 4.0L V8 Turbo Petrol AT

The GLE 63 S uses the same 4.0 V8 that we've been seeing in most of the AMG models of late. This car, being not just the GLE 63, but the S trim, benefits from some additional power, which means it puts out 604 BHP and 850 Nm of torque. It's also got the newer 48V on-board electrical system with an integrated starter generator, which provides additional power and torque at low speeds and low rpms. The gearbox is the same 9-speed (AMG Speedshift TCT 9G) unit we've been seeing in other AMGs, except in this case, it uses a torque converter instead of a wet start-up clutch.

Climbing into the GLE 63 S, I first noticed the quality of the cabin and the switchgear. It was a big step up from the quality and feel of the materials we've been seeing in the CKD cars of late - mainly in terms of the tangible parts, especially the seats and materials used. I pressed the starter button and held down one paddle while doing so (what they call "Emotion Start"), and I was greeted with a nice growl from the V8. If I hadn't held one of the paddles, the start would have been silent just like any other vehicle. I wish it were the other way around, where one would have to hold a paddle to engage a silent start up.

On the move, in comfort mode, it feels as smooth as a GLE 450. The throttle isn't too sharp and the big GLE doesn't lurch or behave jerky at low speeds even with all that power. Gearshifts happen seamlessly and with the huge torque, it can be in a high gear in no time. The V8 also has cylinder deactivation, which means it will shut off 4 cylinders for better fuel economy. I saw this many a time when driving in moving traffic, and the only way I knew the engine was running on only 4 cylinders was through the little icon in the instrument cluster. With the commanding driving position, and good height the GLE 63 S is very useable and manageable in the city, even in bad traffic. It's certainly not a chore to drive in the city and can be a daily driver. Besides, the imposing looks and big radiator grille make people give way quite easily.

Once the accelerator is depressed more than 30%, I have to say, the GLE moves like no SUV should. There is wave of torque which pushes you back into your seat and keeps you pinned till the redline. At full throttle, it feels like the GLE 63 S is taking off. Especially from a launch, the front end feels light and the vehicle just shoots ahead. While the overall acceleration is similar to the E 63 S, it is just amplified with the higher seating and just the fact that one doesn't expect an SUV to accelerate that hard relentlessly. Each and every passenger who sat with me in this vehicle, was absolutely shocked when I gave it the beans. I also have to mention that the body control and overall stability is very good, and it doesn't feel out of control at least to the person driving. The gearbox doesn't disappoint and dishes out crisp and quick shifts. Even on kick down, it isn't lazy at all.

The exhaust note is like the other 4.0 V8 AMGs with a nice tone. It's got the pops and bangs on lift off and all the other drama one could ask for, but I wish it were louder.

The GLE 63 S rides on air suspension and 22" wheels, which is something of a paradox. It isn't as stiff as one would expect and it manages to take most of the smaller bumps in the city without slowing down too much. Any bumps beyond that yield a thud from the suspension, but these are more heard than felt. That being said, the ride is on the stiffer side overall, but it is well damped. I would describe it as livable more than comfortable. No complaints here though. Again, once the speed is up, the ride flattens out a good deal and it's not unsettled until it gets to larger bumps or really rough roads.

The car's high speed stability is very good, and handling is precise. It's no Porsche when it comes to going around corners, but it certainly won't disappoint with its ability to stay flat through corners. This is also helped with the 48V active anti-roll bars which counter body roll.

Overall, this is a fun-fun car. It is practical enough to be used as a daily driver, it's got a sporty look and body shape, the signature AMG sound track and of course more acceleration than one can imagine. It would be a tough call while choosing between this and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo or the BMW X5M.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by Akshay1234

It's also got the newer 48V on-board electrical system with an integrated starter generator, which provides additional power and torque at low speeds and low rpms.

Are there any electric motors that drive the wheels? Just wondering how they extracted so much torque. I know we have a 4l Turbo V8.

The reason I asked about the motor is, I was beside a 2015-16 BMW 330e. Same engine as my 328i and identical horsepower. The torque is a different ball game. Its almost 2x more on the 330e. A parameter that I did not know about when the two of us were at a traffic light, in a zone that permits 100kmph. When the lights turned green, the 330e was almost two car lengths ahead of me, in an instant. I gave up. There was no way I was going to catch up with those electric motors driving the wheels. While official figures state similar acceleration, its poles apart in real world conditions. The instant torque assist that these electric motors provide is not to ignore.

[Iyencar]

This doesn't look like a 2022 car to me. I love SUV coupes but this one is downright oddball, with the zoomed in S Cross grill, bland paint and interiors that look like it could have been from an E class that's a gen or two back (same same silvery aluminium door and wheel buttons and wheels). Also where in this country does one daily drive on 22 inch wheels?!! If memory serves me right, GTO got his 20 inch wheels burst on the new E and was being overtaken by Altos/rickshaws/*insert small unsafe vehicle name on the way back. Other than the monstrous power and torque there's no wow factor here. And if it's just mind numbing torque and power then there are so many better options.

[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

The reason I asked about the motor is, I was beside a 2015-16 BMW 330e. Same engine as my 328i and identical horsepower. The torque is a different ball game. Its almost 2x more on the 330e. A parameter that I did not know about when the two of us were at a traffic light, in a zone that permits 100kmph. When the lights turned green, the 330e was almost two car lengths ahead of me, in an instant. I gave up. There was no way I was going to catch up with those electric motors driving the wheels. While official figures state similar acceleration, its poles apart in real world conditions. The instant torque assist that these electric motors provide is not to ignore.

Electromotive force v/s force of a tsunami of scattering molecules.
Electromagnetic repulsion/attraction v/s high velocity molecular collisions.
Instantaneous v/s something at newton's laws' speed.

If 2x torque on the "e" results in same peak bhp as the petrol => rpm on the electric motors are restricted due to things like lack of gearing or heat limitations of the bearings on the motor.

[amol4184]

All that bling and engine and massive wheels couldn't take away the ugliness of this car or rather cars of this form factor.
Seriously, this is one of the most the most egregious fusion that should not have happened, thanks BMW X6 for "inventing" this segment.

[fulcrum29]

Is it just me or does anybody else also find these coupe-suv's UGLY ! I think the X6 started the trend way back and was brutally trolled by the top gear trio.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by venkyhere

If 2x torque on the "e" results in same peak bhp as the petrol => rpm on the electric motors are restricted due to things like lack of gearing or heat limitations of the bearings on the motor.

I must admit that your explanation flew over my head.

The current generation 330e has the motor integrated into the gearbox. I don't think its a direct drive to the wheels, like the previous setup.

Considering these motors are in a constant start stop cycle, I doubt if heat will ever be a problem, or, they have very good heat exchange systems.

All said and done, these Hybrid implementations are all neat. It allows the car to be super fast off the line and an even bigger benefit is that the car can run entirely on electric power for as much as 40 miles! That a daily commute distance for most. You don't have a giant battery to charge either.

Anyway, I digress from the car we're supposed to be discussing.