Words by: Adam Allen
For the uninitiated, Visitor’s Day at overnight camp is a bit of a cluster you-know-what. It’s a long day, bookended by hours of mind-numbing driving by Mom and Dad and assorted family members to get everyone to and from the far-flung location. It’s also an emotional rollercoaster for everyone involved and it is HOT. The beautiful summer sunshine takes on a beastly feeling as you feel yourself slowly cooking to a crisp, this despite slathering on high SPF sunscreen. But hey, at least you get to hear a hastily abridged version of how the little scamps are enjoying themselves and even squeeze in a hug or three. This year, for our family, Visitor’s Day would be different- and quite special. We’d be hitting the road in a brand-new Mercedes Benz AMG GT 63 4MATIC.
And hit the road we did as early as possible to avoid any unexpected traffic jams or the glacial pace of rural roadwork. Being late to Visitor’s Day is NOT a good parenting move, and your kids will never let you live it down (ask us how we know.) Itching to get going, we fired up the GT’s lovely 4.0 twin turbo V8 where it promptly and wonderfully shattered the idyllic morning quiet with a phlegmy, angry idle. Following a quick stop for coffee, we were on our way and joined the two-lane highway that would take us the majority of the way to our destination.
It's a scenic if plodding route, all motorists driving single file about 10 km/h below the speed limit. When driving most cars, you resign yourself to your position and pass the time jumping between radio stations and wondering how those decrepit old barns still remain standing in a light breeze, never mind the strong gusts typical of the area. On this occasion, we wouldn’t have much time to contemplate such deep thoughts since a twitch of one’s right foot sends the AMG GT rocketing past, one, two, sometimes three cars in a single lunge. The 9-speed gearbox is extremely responsive with zero hesitation on what gear’s best for the circumstances. We just wish the exhaust was louder- like say, 35% percent more belligerent.
It was when we got nearer to camp that we branched off the main road in favor of some lightly travelled twisties. Since we were alone on nearly perfect tarmac which offered excellent sightlines for such a relatively remote bit of road, we had a chance to prod the GT’s handling limits. Let us first tell you that this iteration of the model is not as sharp as the original GT which made its debut nearly ten years ago. No, this AMG GT is a less agressive, more well-rounded beast than before. But don’t think for a second that the Benz can’t sashay with the best of them because it’s astounding how well this car turns in, takes a set, and blasts off to the next apex. The steering could use more precision, but not the brakes- they shrug off the prodigious kinetic energy you build up once you and the car have established a snappy rhythm and they never come close to fading. The AMG GT may not be as pointy as the one that proceeded it, but you won’t notice- or care.
All this get-up-and-go is packaged in an exceedingly beautiful wrapper. This is one metric where the new AMG GT has its predecessor licked- it’s an absolute stunner. It gives off likely not accidental Porsche 911 vibes especially when viewing those swollen haunches out back and is almost perfectly proportioned- surely Mercedes would love to lure potential Turbo S buyers away from the showrooms of their crosstown rivals. We normally cry a little inside when a car like this is painted some grayscale shade, but the silver paint our tester wore appeared to be incandescent, looking superb in the blistering sunshine. Our car looked so good the staff members assigned to parking duty became instantly transfixed, with one girl blurting out “Please give me your keys!!” The admiring youths liked the Benz so much that they hastily waved it over to what approximates VIP parking to the middle of a small field where it drew many an admiring glance. Despite not possessing drivers’ licenses, even the little ones who were distracted by an influx of ketchup chips and Twix bars swooned.
Once we found our charges and grabbed a quick bite the kiddos wanted to take stock of all the junk food they’d requested so back to the AMG GT we went. We raised the power hatch and the general consensus was that of top marks since we were able to haul so much edible crap up to them from the city with room to spare. Yes, the GT 63 showed us flashes of practicality with its commodious cargo hold and the storage shelf behind the front seats that Mercedes wisely resisted temptation to put laughable, nearly unusable seats in its place. We would stop short of calling this car the ultimate grand tourer, but boy does it ever come close. If only they could soften the suspension a little and put more padding in the seats…
We might’ve wished for a little more softness, but we did not want for features. This car has everything you could ask for with expertly assembled panels and surfaces, crisply rendered digital readouts and a knee weakening Burmester sound system that sounded like it had roughly 90 speakers allowing it to crank out crystal clear sound on our favourite tunes.
The biggest problem with the AMG GT 63 we encountered? Well, you could argue that it was the fuel economy, which the car just barely managing 12.4L/100km despite us tiptoeing on the throttle- but expecting a car like this to daintily sip fuel is a fool’s errand. The most prevalent issue was not even the car’s fault at all- it’s the constant reminder that you cannot reasonably or safely explore its limits on public roads. It is simply too fast for that context and can negotiate most corners at a vastly quicker clip than the highest posted speed limits in the land. It can feel mildly frustrating to have all that weapons grade horsepower and handling prowess at your disposal and then promptly take your spot as the 8th car in a slow-paced procession, tootling along once again below the speed limit with the tach ticking just above idle. You can barely hear the snorty exhaust as those speeds.
Instead of thinking about how constricting it feels to drive an AMG GT 63 on arrow straight rural concession roads, think about all the joy it brings when the need to dispatch a dawdling motorist presents itself. Or how it savagely attacks your favorite onramp. Why not bask in the glow of a 577-horsepower rush to the 7,000 rpm redline, exhaust howling all the while when the moment strikes? We took the glass half full approach and as such, we thoroughly enjoyed our time behind the AMG GT’s wheel ensuring that this Visitor’s Day was one for the ages.
Wonder what we’ll take up next year?
2024 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4MATIC+ – Specifications
- Price as tested: $256,308.50
- Body Type: 2-door, passenger Coupe
- Powertrain Layout: Front engine/all-wheel drive
- Engine: 4.0-litre twin turbo V8, DOHC, 32 valves
- Horsepower: 577 @ 5,500 rpm
- Torque (lb-ft.): 590 @ 5,000 rpm
- Transmission: 9-speed automatic
- Curb weight: 2,160 kg (4,762 lbs)
- Observed Fuel Economy: 12.4/100km (19 mpg)