Used 2018 Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG GLS

The 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLS63 is the top-level of the GLS-Class lineup. With its hand-built twin-turbocharged V8 engine, it’s one of the most powerful SUVs you can buy. AMG has also worked its magic on the suspension and chassis, making the GLS63 surprisingly nimble, considering its size. Yet when you’re not lead-footing it around, the Mercedes-AMG GLS63 is just as comfortable, quiet and refined as its non-AMG stablemates. There’s all the luxury you could hope for, plenty of room for seven passengers, and if you want, you can even tow up to 7,500 pounds. Granted, none of this comes cheaply, but the GLS63 is also unique among its luxury competitors. Few other manufacturers offer a 7-passenger version of their high-performance SUVs, and those that do aren’t any less expensive.

The V8 engine in the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLS63 offers up 577 horsepower, which gets routed to all four wheels through a quick-shifting 7-speed automatic transmission. The suspension provides this big beast with the kind of handling that no 5,700-pound vehicle should have. The steering is sharp and nicely weighted, the throttle response is spot-on, and the engine itself roars like a sports car. It’s ridiculous that something this big is so powerful, but that’s what makes it so much fun. Of course, there’s a dose of reality: This is still a big, heavy, 7-passenger SUV, so if you’re expecting it to handle like an AMG GT, you’ll be disappointed. AMG’s engineers are good at what they do, but even they have to obey the laws of physics. The good news is that when you’re not foot-to-the-floor, the GLS63 is just as comfortable, quiet, refined and luxurious as the rest of the GLS lineup.

There’s enough room in the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLS63 for up to seven passengers, and nobody is going to suffer. There’s good legroom for everyone, which isn’t as common as you’d think, even for big SUVs like this. Best of all, since it’s the top of the line, the accouterments are first-rate. There’s standard Nappa leather on all the seats; the trim, fit, and finish are all first-rate, and the GLS63 comes standard with most of the things that are optional on the rest of the GLS-Class lineup. Dedicated audiophiles won’t hesitate to spring for the $5,400 Bang & Olufsen BeoSound system.

Differences between the AMG GLS63 and the rest of the GLS-Class lineup are more subtle than in some other AMG models. The front bumper is reshaped, with bigger air vents, a unique grille, and a bigger emphasis on sport than utility. In back, the GLS63 gets four squared-off tailpipes and a more purposeful bumper above them. Of course, the wheels and tires are also unique to the AMG version, and there are the requisite AMG badges here and there. But even with that list, the changes are subtle, giving the AMG a more reserved appearance than you may expect.

HAND-BUILT V8
AMG prides itself on its "One man, one engine" heritage, where each engine is hand-built by a single person from start to finish. They’re signed by the technician, who has to already be one of the best technicians at Mercedes before even being allowed to be an AMG engine apprentice.

LUXURIOUS PRACTICALITY
It would’ve been easy for Mercedes-AMG to simply make the GLS63 fast; the engine does that. What makes it stand out is that it’s still as practical a way to carry seven people around as the base GLS450, and is as luxurious as you could hope for.

The 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLS63 comes basically loaded from the factory, with most of the features optional on the rest of the GLS lineup standard. That means premium features like active cruise control, an around-view camera, active lane-keeping assist, push-button start and keyless entry are all standard. Beyond that, each GLS63 gets premium Nappa leather upholstery, COMAND with navigation and an 8-inch color display, a harman/kardon sound system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and heated and ventilated front seats that feature a massage function. Also standard: The wonderful V8, and the sport suspension with its AMG Dynamic Select adjustable drive modes.

Very little is left on the cutting-room floor on the GLS63. You can opt for more expensive paint jobs, including Designo Diamond White Metallic. A carbon-fiber interior kit adds to the price as well. There’s the Bang & Olufsen audio system, which is a must-have for us, and things like a rear-seat entertainment system. Accessories abound, and border from practical needs like a towing package or iPad docking stations for the rear-seat passengers, to the downright silly, like the $1,500 carbon-fiber engine cover.

The 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLS63 features a hand-built 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 engine putting out 577 horsepower and 561 lb-ft of torque. It is, to put it simply, a beast. Connected to the engine is a quick-shifting AMG-calibrated 7-speed automatic transmission, which sends that power and torque to all four wheels through a similarly AMG-calibrated 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system. The engine requires premium fuel, obviously, and you’ll need quite a bit of it, with highway mileage at only 18 mpg, and city a lowly 13 mpg.

5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8
577 horsepower @ 5,250-5,750 rpm
561 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750-5,250 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 13/18 mpg