Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Coupe 2023 Review – International

The 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe might have launched in Europe, but it’s still almost a year away from its Australian debut, so pricing and local specifications are yet to be announced.

That said, the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4MATIC+ Coupe we drove at launch is expected to start from around $375,000 plus on-road costs.

This figure mirrors the latest Mercedes-AMG SL 63, which could prove a problem for the GT, although Benz execs insist there won’t be any cross-shopping from buyers as the coupe offers an experience behind the wheel that will appeal more to enthusiasts.

As far as competitors go, the closest rival to the AMG GT 63 remains the Porsche 911, with the four-wheel drive 911 Carrera 4 GTS weighing in at $373,000 plus ORCs.

The BMW M8 Competition, at $380,000 plus ORCs, is a logical alternative, too.

Otherwise, with its improved performance and new 2+2 seating layout, the GT could be considered against the more expensive Ferrari Roma (from $410K) or the Aston Martin DB12 ($455K), among others.

In Europe, there’s the choice of two flavours for the 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe: the 430kW GT 63 4MATIC+ that’s locked in for Australia, plus a less-powerful 350kW GT 44 4MATIC+ that’s more affordable but isn’t slated for launch here.

Like the 2023 Mercedes-AMG SL 63, we expect the AMG GT to have a generous level of standard equipment.

Count on 20-inch alloy wheels and, inside, Nappa leather-wrapped AMG Performance front seats.

Ahead of the driver is an AMG steering wheel that will also be wrapped in premium soft leather, while the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster includes two AMG-themed displays.

A large central 11.9-inch infotainment system offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, supported by four USB-C ports.

Other new tech includes Mercedes-Benz’s GUARD 360 security system that, like Tesla’s Sentry, keeps an eye on the GT for you and reports any break-ins or damage while you’re away from the car via your smartphone.

There’s also a 360-degree camera for easy low-speed manoeuvring, a pair of LED Matrix headlights, AMG-branded puddle lamps, plus ambient interior lighting spanning 64 colours that will bathe the cabin in whatever hue you feel like.

In the German market there’s a further €8425 ($A14,000) Premium Plus pack that adds a pair of heated and cooled comfort seats with inflatable cushions that can also massage.

The same pack adds a head-up display with augmented reality, panoramic roof and heated wiper blades.

Other options include forged 21-inch wheels, more expensive leather cover for the seats and six premium exterior paint colours (alongside the no-cost metallic black, silver, blue, grey and yellow).

Carbon-fibre can be specified for the splitter, side sills, diffuser and aero aids, while the cabin’s centre console and dash can be optioned with carbon-fibre trim too.

AMG will also offer a bolt-on big aero pack that introduces a fixed rear wing and multiple air-bending winglets around the car, but has not yet indicated how much it will charge.

Other cost extras in Europe include a front-axle lift for €2142 ($A3500) and semi-autonomous cruise control that’s included in a driver assist option pack priced at €2891 ($A4800), although the latter might be included as standard kit in Australia.

One option we think everyone will take up is the new pair of rear seats that fold flat and can accommodate people up to 1.5-metres tall – but they won’t be cheap. In Germany they cost as much as €1904 ($A3200).

When it arrives, the GT 63 will be backed by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre factory warranty in Australia, while servicing intervals are 12 months or 20,000km – whichever comes first.

Like the mechanically similar SL 63, it’s thought the first five years or 100,000km worth of scheduled servicing will cost about $8000.

The 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Coupe has yet to be crash-tested by Euro NCAP, and since it will only be produced in low volume, there’s a high probability it will never be tested.

Despite that, the new GT’s aluminium-rich architecture and lightweight bodyshell that employs more aluminium, steel, magnesium and composites than before should provide a high degree of occupant protection in the event of a crash.

The AMG GT is also decked-out with a long list of standard safety kit that includes eight airbags, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, traffic sign assist, active traffic assist, active steering assist and active lane change assist, along with a 360-degree camera, active park assist and pedestrian protection.

ISOFIX points are available in the two optional rear seats and the front passenger seat, although you’ll struggle to fit a child seat behind an average-height driver because of a general lack of knee-room.

Standard tech highlights on the 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 include a new 11.9-inch tablet-style infotainment system that runs the car-maker’s latest MBUX and works with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto connectivity.

There’s also wireless phone charging and four USB-C ports.

Finally, there’s a premium 11-speaker Burmester surround-sound system.

The 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4MATIC+ Coupe comes powered by the German performance brand’s pretty wonderful M177 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that produces 430kW and 800Nm of torque.

Among the transformational tech introduced to ensure you’ll be able to use the second-gen GT every day is all-wheel drive that tames some of the wayward nature of the previous car.

For those who will venture on track, the fully variable 4MATIC+ can still be locked in rear-wheel drive for drifting.

Unlike the last car, instead of a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission there’s a newer nine-speed automatic that employs a wet clutch instead of a torque converter for snappier changes.

Using launch control, the all-wheel drive AMG GT 63 can now hit 100km/h from rest in just 3.2 seconds and top out at 315km/h.

The 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4MATIC+ Coupe can average 14.1L/100km on the WLTP combined cycle using minimum 98 RON premium unleaded fuel.

Those figures are some way off the Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS that is claimed to average up to 10.6L/100km on the same test cycle.

The 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4MATIC+ Coupe is a completely different beast from the fun but flawed car that it replaces.

Remember, the original AMG GT sat on a sawn-off SLS supercar platform, shared its engine with the C 63 S super-sedan and featured a track-focused suspension set-up.

It meant it felt exotic but many were put off by the wide sills you had to clamber over to get behind the wheel, who resented it as a two-seater only and hated how tedious a long drive could be. No wonder many just simply went ahead and bought a Porsche 911 instead.

Now there’s less reason than ever to opt for the rear-engined Porsche over the V8-powered AMG, not that the second-generation AMG GT is perfect.

The first drawback of the all-new car is that it loses the old one’s rear transaxle transmission that gifted it a near 50:50 weight distribution. The next is it is seriously heavy.

Despite the mix of exotic metals, the new AMG GT dwarfs the old one as it’s 177mm longer, 44mm wider and 66mm taller. To accommodate that second row, the wheelbase has also been stretched by 70mm.

The overall result is the fast two-door coupe tips the scales (with a 75kg driver onboard) at an almighty 1970kg. That figure is around 320kg heavier than the previous GT R.

Funny thing is, once you’ve slotted behind the wheel of the AMG GT 63, the levels of grip and agility demonstrated, even over bumpy, tricky roads, means you can park any concerns over the excess baggage.

Like the first GT, this second one has rear-wheel steer that sees the rear wheels pivot by up to 2.5 degrees to enhance agility.

It works, but the real star of the show is the new AMG ACTIVE RIDE CONTROL suspension that uses interconnected dampers. The system is said to enhance ride comfort and reduce roll through bends without the need for heavy active anti-roll bars.

Using a hydraulic pump, two-way valves on each damper apply pressure to reduce roll and provide high levels of camber rigidity.

Together with all-wheel drive and a new locking rear differential, the second-generation GT is in another league with the way it rides, corners and steers. Ditto for cross country pace.

Maximising grip there’s also impossibly-wide 295-section front tyres and 305-wide rear tyres.

Like many performance cars, there’s six driving modes – Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Race and Individual. Unusually, over the bumpy roads we encountered, the Comfort mode impressed the most as it allowed the car to demonstrate incredible composure over the roughest sections.

It’s also worth mentioning the AMG GT has active aerodynamics with a pop-out rear spoiler that can maximise downforce or reduce drag. Up front there’s also a reverse diffuser that uses an electric motor to drop down at speeds above 80km/h to create a venturi effect, sucking the front half of the car closer to the ground to reduce lift.

Factor in the monstrous performance dished up by the twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8, plus its glorious, slightly sinister soundtrack, and you can begin to see why you might finally pick the AMG GT over a lighter, more nimble and still better-handling 911.

Despite proudly offering a pair of rear seats for the first time, the 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Coupe isn’t close to being a true 2+2 unless the rear seat occupants are less than 150cm tall.

Even then, legroom is so tight that we suspect only small children will be accommodated.

Other than that, the latest AMG standalone model impresses with its high-quality cabin and pleasing mix of materials and high tech.

Speaking of which, both the digital instrument panel and the latest MBUX system are easy to use and quick to react.

Cargo space is also a strongpoint. There’s a 321-litre boot area with the rear seats up, expanding to 675 litres with them dropped – a considerable improvement on the 396L space (frunk and behind the front seats) the Porsche 911 can offer.

Spend time with the new 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Coupe and you can’t help but come away thinking it’s what the first-generation coupe should have always been.

Its improved ride and enhanced comfort, plus the added practicality of a larger boot and occasional rear seats, mean the AMG GT will no longer frighten away those considering one over the default Porsche 911.

We understand if you’d still rather plump for the alfresco SL over the AMG GT, but suspect that after a brief drive back-to-back the coupe will win enthusiasts over with its better drive.

The fact that it’s so much faster than the previous car and so much better to drive too is icing on the cake and means AMG’s flagship two-door is now well worth considering over more expensive rivals.

We’re talking about the Ferrari Roma and Aston Martin DB12, for example, which shows you just how much of a huge leap forward AMG has made over the first GT.

2023 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4MATIC+ Coupe at a glance:
Price: $375,000 est (plus on-road costs)
Available: Late 2024
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol
Output: 430kW/800Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel: 14.1L/100km (WLTP Combined)
CO2: 319g/km (WLTP Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested