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The 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT63 Is Super Smart And Scary Fast: Review
The new GT coupe has some cool technology and a powerful V8.
I'll admit to being a bit of a Mercedes-AMG fan. I love the cockpit-inspired interiors and the curvy exterior designs, to say nothing of the powerplants under the hood. However, what really has me intrigued as I drive the 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT63 is all the technology that goes into making this V8 monster a veritable corner destroyer when the road turns twisty.
This 2024 model marks the second generation of the GT. While its history starts with the gull-winged SLS, its closest cousin these days is the SL Roadster. It’s grown over seven inches longer with a nearly three-inch longer wheelbase, and there’s all-new sheet metal since we last saw the two-door coupe in 2021. But there are more fundamental changes here out of Affalterbach than just looks.
Quick Specs: 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT63
Engine: Twin-Turbocharged 4.0-Liter V8
Output: 577 Horsepower / 590 Pound-Feet
0-60 MPH: 3.1 Seconds
Top Speed: 194 MPH
Base Price: $150,000 (est.)
If you were hoping for a rear-wheel drive car, too bad. The new GT gets standard 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive that keeps the power at a 50/50 distribution front to rear, or throws all of it to the rear depending on the situation. The old seven-speed dual-clutch transmission has been nixed for a nine-speed automatic with a wet multi-disc start-off clutch, and the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 produces more torque.
And it’s not just performance that gets a big upgrade for 2024. There’s a new MBUX infotainment system with a big ol’ screen, there are more driver’s aids, and cargo space is up to nearly 24 cubic feet, more than you’ll find in the trunk of the GLC SUV.
While buyers will be able to select a base GT55 with 469 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, my tester is the GT63, which pushes out 577 ponies and 590 pound-feet of twist. The top speed is 196 miles per hour and Mercedes says it can scoot to 60 miles per hour in just 3.1 seconds. I don’t get to test that claim on my mountainous route, but I have no reason to doubt it. This thing is scary fast.
The requisite drive modes here are Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Race, and Individual. One day brings near-freezing temperatures plus rain and fog; Slippery keeps the throttle muted, the transmission lazy, and the torque gentle so I don’t drive off the mountain. Comfort mode is best for daily driving - I’ll have more to say on this in a bit - but Sport mode is really my jam.
In Sport mode, the shifts are quicker and the throttle tighter with just enough nannies to make me a better driver than I probably deserve to be. Sport+ loosens the nannies and will let the tail hang out just a bit, which is fun, but also a bit scary in a very expensive car that isn’t mine. Further, the variable-rate steering seems to kick in mid-corner in Sport+, forcing drivers to execute mid-corner corrections. I feel like I’m fighting the car a bit in this mode. Race mode is best left for actual track time where there aren’t sheer drop-offs and oncoming traffic.
Still, giving it the beans in Sport mode results in a glorious noise from the V8, with the engine climbing nearly to redline before the nine-speed snaps into the next gear. There are paddle shifters, but this car does such a good job on its own that I don’t feel the need to use them often.
With a sharp curve ahead of me I brake hard and find I’ve done it too early, entering the corner way too slowly. The transmission downshifts on braking so at least I’ve got all the torque I need for my exit. The next turn I brake a bit later, but again I’m too early. There is so much grip it’s like I hardly need to slow down at all. What the heck is going on here?
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