Tested: The 2025 AMG G 63 Now with 50 Percent More Exhaust Tips
How does a 2025 AMG G 63 fitted with the stirring Fabspeed Valvetronic Exhaust System compare to the Lamborghini Urus SE?
Joe Fabiani, the President and CEO of Fabspeed Motorsport, sent me a text recently which said that he had a couple of new products to me to try out. One of those new products happened to be their Fabspeed Valvetronic Exhaust System for the 2025 AMG G 63. Sweet. First of all, you never turn down the chance to drive an AMG G 63.
Second, you never turn down the chance to test out a new Fabspeed exhaust product. Especially when that exhaust has SIX exhaust tips. And finally, just a few days prior I had tested the Lamborghini Urus SE, and it would be good to jump in the G 63 to see how the two vehicles compare.
The G 63 that I would drive was painted in MANUFAKTUR Signature South Sea Blue metallic. Yes, it is a $6,500 option, but it is a stunning color and sets the SUV apart from the sea of Black, White and Silver G-Classes on the road. The paint was paired with 22-inch AMG forged cross-spoke, MANUFAKTUR Techgold wheels.
The wheels are a $5,350 option, but to add them you must also purchase the $4,400 AMG Performance Package. That package comes with AMG ACTIVE RIDE CONTROL suspension, Red brake calipers, AMG Track Pace and a more relaxed speed limiter that doesn’t kick in until 149 mph instead of 137 mph. Under the hood is the standard 4.0-liter V8 biturbo with hybrid assist that is good for 577 horsepower and 627 lbs.-ft of torque. That’s enough to hustle this rolling brick to 60 mph in about four seconds.
Let’s ride.
Fabspeed Exhaust
When I arrived at the Fabspeed headquarters, Fabiani took me to the shop and showed me the stock AMG G 63 exhaust that his team had cut open during the R&D phase of their new exhaust system. A picture tells a thousand words, so I am going to save a few keystrokes here by directing you to the picture above.
The stock exhaust is incredibly restrictive. Imagine if someone held your head underwater and gave you a Crazy Straw to breathe through. You could survive, but you certainly would not be able to use your full lung capacity. The Fabspeed system opens things up significantly. Better exhaust flow, equals more power and more sound.
The Fabspeed system retains the same Mercedes OEM system functionality with valves opening and closing based on drive mode and conditions. The values used in this system are top-quality Helical Technology valves, so you can expect them to last a long time.
But if you feel that the upgraded sound still doesn’t set you apart enough from the stock G 63 crowd, Fabspeed has something else you might love. For just a little extra coin, they will build you a system with TRIPLE side tips. I have to say that I fell in love with the look the moment I saw it. It is just enough to stand out without being obnoxious.
Sound Test
The day I drove the G 63, we were experiencing near-gale force winds around here. So it was difficult for me to capture good sound clips. However, the Fabspeed team captured some clean footage, and you can see and hear it on their Instagram.
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To me, the system sounded terrific.
When I closed the valves, things settled down as expected. But even with them open, the SUV sounded aggressive and powerful, but not overbearing. I am not as young as I used to be, and even I would have no problem driving this thing coast to coast with the exhaust valves open all the way.
It sounds so good, that I found myself making any excuse I could come up with to stand on the throttle. Some nice pops and bangs on the overrun but again, nothing obnoxious.
AMG or Lambo?
So, how did the AMG G 63 compare to the Lamborghini Urus SE? After driving both, I can honestly say that they are so different that I would not even call them direct competitors. When it comes to speed and handling on the street, the Lambo is far superior. That doesn’t mean the G 63 is bad, it handles very well for what it is.
But the Lambo handles like a (very) hot hatch. The AMG handles like a sport truck. The Urus SE also sounds terrific. The Fabspeed system on the AMG, gets the sound levels on more even ground, but that Lambo is just a bit sweeter, at least to my ear.
That being said, the G 63 is going to be the off-road champ compared to the Lambo. And the G 63 has more of a road presence than the Urus SE. Especially in darker colors, the Urus tends to blend in with traffic.
A G-Wagen never blends in. And of course, you get the bank vault-like sound when you close the door of a G-Wagen that the Urus (or any other vehicle for that matter) can’t match. And finally, the price. The Urus SE I drove had an MSRP of $337,000. That is a good $100K+ more than the G 63. So, you can buy the Urus SE or the AMG G 63 and an AMG SL 43 Roadster for the same price. Tough call. But if you go with the G 63, you must get the Fabspeed exhaust with the triple tips.
Photos: Joe Kucinski
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