The 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Coupe is the most extreme version of the GLE Coupe. It’s also the perfect antidote for those who think a ‘conventional’ GLE 63 S is too boxy to be taken seriously as a high-performance SUV. Mercedes has a bewildering array of SUVs and equivalent AMG models in its stable, so we don’t blame you if you find it hard to keep track.
Essentially, the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe is a sloping-roof version of a normal GLE SUV. And if the AMG GLE 63 S is a normal GLE on steroids, the same holds true for the AMG GLE 63 S Coupe. However, we were fully aware of the incoming 2021 AMG GLE 53 – a less hardcore version of the AMG GLE 63 S – with a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six producing 429-horsepower and 328 pound-feet of torque.
But in the 2021 GLE 63 S Coupe, Mercedes-AMG is proving there’s more to the GLE Coupe than having a curvaceous roofline.
The new Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Coupe has tons of power
And yes, we really mean it when we say ‘tons.’ Whereas the AMG GLE 53 came with an electrified and turbocharged inline-six, the AMG GLE 63 S has a magnificent 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8. Also, it has Mercedes-Benz’s innovative EQ Boost 48-volt starter-generator.
The result of all this German wizardry is, well, tons of power. The 2021 AMG GLE 63 S Coupe produces a stonking 603-horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. However, EQ Boost adds 21 more horses and 184 pound-feet of torque.
All told, you have a combined output of 624-horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque at your disposal, and we’re not talking about a two-seat supercar.
As you can imagine, it goes like stink
Remember, the AMG GLE 63 S Coupe is a family SUV. But with such power and torque from its V8 motor and EQ Boost mild-hybrid system, it rockets from 0 to 60 mph in around 3.7-seconds – faster than a BMW X5M or X6M (4.2-seconds), Porsche Cayenne Turbo (4.1-seconds), or Bentley Bentayga W12.
Also, Mercedes-AMG quotes the top speed at 175 mph. Again, that’s not bad for an SUV. “Our new GLE 63 Coupe rounds off our attractive portfolio in this segment,” said Tobias Moers, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. “It meets the highest expectations in terms of design and exclusivity as well as excellent driving dynamics and agility.”
The engine is bolted to an AMG Speedshift TCT 9-speed automatic gearbox, turning all four wheels courtesy of an AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drivetrain with an electronic locking rear differential.
It’s unmistakably an AMG
Those familiar with AMG models will instantly recognize the GLE 63 S Coupe as a proper, well, AMG. It has an AMG-specific Panamericana grille design with vertical slates finished in high-gloss chrome. The “dynamic jet-wing design” of the front bumper is highlighted by black air intakes. The GLE 63 S Coupe also has a more pronounced ‘power dome’ hood, which indicates the mighty engine lurking underneath.
The vehicle is fitted with standard 22-inch AMG wheels with V-shaped spokes and a blacked-out finish. In the back, it’s hard not to notice those four trapezoidal exhaust pipes and a racing-inspired rear diffuser, which are also finished in black.
However, the exterior mirror housings, wheel arches, and side skirts are painted in body color. The overall effect is an aggressive and fast-looking SUV with the unmistakable burble of an AMG motor.
It has seven driving modes
It’s not easy to create a high-performance SUV. It needs to be fast, but it also needs to be practical and capable of going over unpaved roads. With that in mind, Mercedes-AMG gave the GLE 63 S Coupe seven driving modes in its AMG Dynamic Select System.
You might think seven driving modes is a bit too much, but Mercedes-AMG is covering all the bases. It has Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Individual, Race, Trail, and Sand.
Air suspension is standard
The 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Coupe is equipped with AMG Ride Control+ air suspension with adaptive dampers. The suspension has three settings namely Comfort, Sport, and Sport+. And since the suspension has a pneumatic self-leveling system, the SUV maintains a constant ride height regardless if you’re carrying passengers or not. Cool, right?
And since the suspension has the capability to lift or drop the ride height, the GLE 63 S Coupe can perform normal SUV duties (off-roading, trail riding, overlanding, etc.) with nary a complaint.
The interior melds sportiness with prestige
On the inside, the GLE 63 S coupe is pretty much what you’d expect from a modern Mercedes-Benz. The vehicle has standard AMG sports seats wrapped in genuine Nappa leather with AMG badging in the front backrests. Interior ambient lighting adds some color and flair inside the cabin while carbon-fiber trim elements are there as a reminder that you’re not sitting inside an ‘ordinary’ GLE Coupe.
Mercedes-Benz’s innovative MBUX infotainment system is standard in the GLE 63 S Coupe. the driver also gets to hold that gorgeous three-spoke AMG steering wheel. The tiller is wrapped in Nappa leather and DINAMICA microfiber to deliver a genuine racing vibe.
The 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S has totally shattered our expectations. Pricing and availability are yet to be announced, but it’s confirmed to arrive in the United States later this year.
