For as long as the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and the Land Rover Range Rover have been staples in the high-end luxury SUV segment, you would think they have a lot in common. True, the G63 AMG and the Range Rover Supercharged in this test are both V8-powered, leather-lined rigs that kick ass off road. After that, the similarities end. Road & Track’s Mike Guy and Robin Warner recently trekked up Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondacks to unite these largely different machines in the conquering of steep grades and rough terrain.
Guy has the keys to the Amish-approved G63. Like them, the “simple, stubbornly old-school creature” does things in a rough fashion compared to the Range Rover. It has a raucous exhaust note, body-on-frame construction, solid axles and prominent locking differentials. Whereas its competitor is made of weight-saving aluminum—a nod to modern fuel efficiency concerns—the Mercedes is a 5,939-pound “top-heavy, impractical” steel throwback to its military roots. The $135,205 AMG mountain goat even goes about power enhancement differently than its English rival. Twin-turbos help its 5.5-liter V8 shovel out 536 horsepower, which buries test fuel economy 13 miles per gallon deep.
The supercharged Range Rover reaches the peak of the Olympic ski resort in the hands – and under the right foot – of Warner. It’s a comfortable ride up. The 5-liter blown eight is silky and soft-spoken as it produces 510 horsepower. Hardware wizardry and the Terrain Response 2 computer help the $99,995 aluminum unibody Brit climb up with confidence and ease. The G63 tends to float around corners, a characteristic bested by the Range Rover, which “has active anti-roll bars that keep the chassis stable in corners and make the passenger feel like he’s riding in the cushiest beanbag chair ever tossed into any den in America.”
Although the Land Rover tops the Mercedes-Benz on paper by being quicker, quieter and more elegant, Guy picks the block-on-wheels from Germany. Read his write-up and let us know if you agree with his decision.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
