AMG G63 Holds its Own in Three-way Competition
Big G63 may have lost to its fellow AMG E63 wagon but it doesn’t need a ton of mods to compete against a Ford Focus RS.
It’s always fun to see what all a Mercedes-AMG G63 can do on the street, and off the grid. While most will likely remain basking in the glow of the neon lights of Miami nightclubs, the solid construction of the boxy SUV guarantees a good time on the rocky and muddy trails under the blazing sun.
And speaking of blazing, Mat Watson of Carwow recently had a blazing good time taking his red G63 out on the airstrip in a three-way competition between it, a Mercedes-AMG E63 S wagon, and a special Ford Focus RS.
“I’ve got a very interesting drag race for you today,” said Watson. “I’m in my Mercedes-AMG G63 daily driver, and over there, way over there, in fact, is an E63 S Estate. Then, in the middle, a Ford Focus RS. May seem odd, but it actually makes sort of sense.”
While the G63 delivers 585 horses from its turbo V8, and the E63 S brings 612 ponies to the party, the Focus RS, which normally makes 350 horsepower from its 2.3-liter turbo-four, was tuned by British Focus specialists Mountune. The upgrades — totalling some $20,000 — give the hot hatch a total of 520 horses, which go through a manual gearbox to the corners.
“When you think that this thing weights two and a half tons, the E63 is 2.1 tons, and that Focus RS is 1.6 tons, things even out a bit,” said Watson. “The only disadvantage [the Focus] has, one: it has four-wheel drive, [and] it’s got a manual gearbox — so, the driver needs some skill — but it does have launch control.”
The first competition is a three-way drag race between the AMGs and the Focus. The E63 S handily pulls away from the others to take the win, so it’s a two-way battle between the G63 and the Focus. A few missed shifts on the part of the driver piloting the hot hatch give Watson second place, but only by a tenth of a second.
During the 50 mph roll race, where all three vehicles were in third gear, the E63 S pulls away again, leaving the G63 and the Focus RS to fight among themselves for silver. This time, the tuned Ford pulls past the boxy SUV, but not without dealing with the one drawback rowing one’s own possesses.
“That E63 is so quick,” said Watson. “The Mountune’s quick, but when you see it change gear, there’s a clear, light drop off. These autos are just better. Yeah, everyone love a manual gearbox, it’s more involving, blah blah blah blah blah, but when it comes to going quickly, an auto is better than a man. Fact.”
The final challenge is how well each ride can stop in an emergency from 70 mph. For the final time, the E63 S comes in first, coming to a stop before the G63 and the Focus RS. However, the SUV and the hatch are so evenly matched that Watson has to get out to see who stopped sooner.
Alas, the G63 stopped by a nose over the Focus. Yet, Watson still loves the big red box, declaring it “quite a staggering machine.” And besides, it didn’t need to be modded like the Ford to deliver the performance we all love from Mercedes-AMG.
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