On the move, the ride is quiet and the only sound from the engine comes when you put your foot firmly down and let the revs climb past 4,000. The sound of the thing is what stirs your urges, a low-frequency rumble like that of a chained monster waiting to spring free. And spring it does! The GL63 hits 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds and goes on to wide-eyed panic-inducing speeds in a sliver over 10 seconds. What’s appreciably puzzling is the way it gives absolutely no indication of doing these speeds other than the needle approaching 12 o’clock on the speedo dial. It’s so planted and absolutely stable, thanks in no small part to the Active Curve System which neutralises body roll. Another useful addition is the Active Crosswind Control, which improves handling by compensating for strong crosswinds which affect straight-line handling at speed.
Remember, this is an SUV, and in the dirt too, it behaves. The air suspension can be raised high enough to not worry about petty things like rocks or small boulders. Loose mud and sand failed to upset its balance and even at ridiculous speeds trying to get it to wallow in the dirt, it held its line and calmly took every change of direction in its stride. After trying my best to push it as far as I could while keeping my wits about me, a huge cloud of dust settled only to reveal the GL still standing tall.
Look at the thing from a practical perspective and it’s actually even better. The seven seats are flexible and, at the touch of a button, you can have a flat load floor. The boot is a massive 680 litres with the seats all up. Fold them down and that expands to 2,300 litres, or over two metres of length and over a metre in width, just in case you want to pack in a mattress, blanket and a couple of pillows. The electrically operated tail-gate makes things easier. It’s quite high when it’s open, so loading is easier too, without having to worry about bumping your head.
Like all big, heavy SUVs, there is a price to pay. The GL63 AMG costs Rs 1.66 crore (ex-showroom, Delhi). And lest we forget, this is a big petrol V8 too. In the city, it returns three kilometres to a litre, going up to five on the open highway. Thank goodness for the 100-litre fuel tank then, a range of 350 km is a safe assumption when hitting the road for that getaway, or the rough.
The AMG GL then is money well-spent if you want a big luxury vehicle with a three-pointed star badge which can be put to any imaginable use while keeping you in living room-like comfort. It’s quick, stylish, comfortable, safe and can get traffic to clear out of your way by filling up all of their mirrors at the same time. If you can afford the tag, the fuel bills shouldn’t matter.
