Just when we thought things couldn’t get any bigger, Mercedes India brought in the GL63 AMG – a chariot for seven drawn by 557 horses. Just how insane is it really?
Story: Jim Gorde
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
You know how the producers never gave King Kong a jackhammer or a rocket launcher? Why would they? Can you imagine the chaos which would ensue if something that big got hold of something that potent? And then you wonder why a 2.6-tonne seven-seater SUV would get sportscar-like dynamics and a big twin-turbo V8 under the hood; for precisely the same reason. Of course, this isn’t any old monster movie, it’s coming in live, with real power, in the real world. You gotta love the Germans. They figured that it’s already big and burly, so they might as well have some fun with it.
So, yes, the GL-Class is huge. And it’s evident from the moment you set eyes on it even from a considerable distance. Don’t let the smooth lines and deceptive curves fool you. The massive size is belied by both the design and the engine. But more on that later. First up, it looks every bit the modern monument of a car it is under the skin. The amount of equipment that Mercedes and AMG have packed into it make it seem that they just had to make it that large. The car oozes style and, needless to say, has massive road presence.
Among the most noticed design elements today are the grille, badge and headlamps, and the GL has them all in spades. The big three-pointed star dominates the huge front grille, and there is more technological effort packed into one headlamp than what goes into your average family hatchback. The bi-xenon headlamps with Intelligent Light System feature five functions for country, motorway, cornering, fog and enhanced active lighting. Next up are the massive 21-inch wheels with fat 295-section tyres which grab attention, filling up those big wheel-arches. AMG styling elements are evident every which way with the ‘V8 BiTurbo’ designation making it perfectly clear what lies beneath. The bodywork is different from the other GL on offer, the 350 CDI, with exclusive AMG bumpers, brake callipers and the logo adorning each of the four exhaust pipes. The aluminium-finish vents on the bonnet, grille slats, lip spoiler, roof-rails and side steps further add to the appeal, especially on a darker-coloured car.
