Mercedes-AMG G63 Drag Races Audi RS3 & Porsche Cayman GTS
Does the boxy G63 stand a chance against a focused sports car and a hot hatch?
A lot of people talk about the Mercedes-Benz G-Class in one of two ways. Some go on about what a beast of an off-roader it can be with its ingot-like construction and trio of locking differentials. Then there are those who point out that many owners never take their G-Wagens off of paved roads and just use them as expensive, gas-guzzling ways to get to fancy department stores and brunch spots. Nobody ever seems to mention how quick the G-Class can be. In this Top Gear video, presenter Rory Reid does more than that. He shows how fast the Mercedes-AMG G63 is.
To do that, he pits it against the Audi RS3 and Porsche Cayman GTS. So it’s a sports car vs. a hot hatch vs. a steel cube on wheels. According to Reid, “It’s David and David versus Goliath.”
All you have to do is look at the cars to see their most obvious advantage: weight. You can just tell. It didn’t take a steel plant’s entire annual output to make their bodies. The Cayman GTS tips the scales at 3,263 pounds (1,480 kilograms), making it the lightest of the bunch. The RS3 is slightly heavier at 3,351 pounds (1,520 kilograms). The G63? It’s within a few hundred pounds of three tons (5,644 pounds/2,560 kilograms).
The Porsche and Audi also have aerodynamics on their side. Clearly. Their designers used something when they penned their lines. What are those things called? The things the G63 doesn’t seem to have at all? Oh yeah. Curves.
One thing the G63 does have is power. A completely unnecessary amount of it. Its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 cranks out 577 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque, and puts its ample output to the ground through all four wheels. The Cayman GTS and all-wheel-drive RS3 may have less weight to tow around, but they’re also way down on firepower compared to the G. They’re armed with 360 horsepower/317 lb-ft and 395 horsepower/354 lb-ft, respectively.
Once the checkered flag is waved, Reid puts his right foot down in the G63 and holds on tight. The G63 launches into a very early lead. Reid says, “Oh my God, that felt like I did a wheelie.”
Reid’s excitement is short lived. The RS3 catches up quickly, then starts to pass him. Ultimately, the Audi crosses the line before the AMG…which hits the same mark before the Porsche. As Reid puts it, “The driver’s car got dusted.”
It’s official. The G63 is sports-car fast. Actually, it’s faster.
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