2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG G 63

It’s hard to go wrong with a big V8, four driven wheels and a trick suspension. Throw in a three-pointed star and all of the pomp and circumstance that goes along with it, plus a storied nameplate like Geländewagen, and things get really interesting, really fast. Really, really fast. No matter how you look at it, the 2021 Mercedes-AMG G 63 is not your Großvater’s G-Wagen. With 577 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque at the ready, this big 4x4 makes the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 look like overachieving farm equipment. That power goes to the ground via a permanent all-wheel-drive system with a 40/60 front/rear torque split and lockable center, front and rear differentials. When the going gets really tough, the two-speed transfer case allows for low-range crawling. That’s a spectacular résumé for any 4x4 with off-road aspirations, but in true top-tier AMG fashion, it’s the pure, unfiltered essence of overkill that really seals the deal. While its official 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds makes it only a tenth quicker than the Wrangler 392, its top speed of 137 mph (in this configuration; 149 mph with the Driver’s Package) shames the blue-collar Jeep’s tire-limited 99 mph figure. A-ha, the tires. Our test model was even equipped with the AMG Trail Package, which adds Pirelli Scorpion ATR all-terrain tires (albeit on 20-inch wheels) and some upgraded underbody protection, but nothing so burly or rock-ready as what you’ll find on a Rubicon. To make matters worse, Trail Package or no, the AMG’s side-exit exhaust pipes exit below the running boards just forward of each rear wheel, hanging perilously low from a part of the vehicle that is especially prone to being bitten by passing rocks. But no matter. If Mercedes-Benz says it can go off-road, damn it, who are we to argue? With that in mind, we booked an afternoon of playtime at Holly Oaks ORV Park, whipped out the old dune flag and set about seeing just what a $176,000 play toy for playboys can really do in the dirt. Mercedes-Benz recommended airing down in 5 PSI increments until we hit our desired balance of spring rate and pliability for off-pavement excursions, and we ended up stopping after pulling 10 pounds from each corner for the sake of protecting those Trail-Package-only five-spoke wheels. These Pirellis may nominally be all-terrain tires, but their sidewalls just aren’t nearly tall enough for serious off-road work. In reality, they’re engineered to be capable of doing a little bit of everything, meaning they’re not particularly exceptional in either on- or off-road environments; just good enough to be serviceable. The next step was enabling “Trail” mode, which is a convoluted process. First, you have to enable one of the G's various off-road features. In our case, we hit the toggle for the center differential lock. That was enough to make "Trail" appear alongside the usual suspects in the Mercedes’ Dynamic Select drive mode menu. We then dialed the traction control over to “Sand” and went on …
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