Mercedes-AMG GLE: Teutonic Rollercoaster Ride with 4MATIC Power

Ken Hawkins

Flat out on the freeway or taking a rollercoaster dive, AMG’s wild GLEs stun all the way through.

I wonder if back in 1967, when two Mercedes Benz racing division engineers, Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher started their private Motor Car Performance Business in the little town of Grossaspach, they would ever have dreamed of the incredible leap in technology as we were so privileged to experience today?

For Aufrecht Melcher Grossaspach (AMG)— would change forever after a 1990 co-operation agreement with Mercedes Benz commenced what is now the fully integrated performance branch of Mercedes Benz.

With that in mind, we arrived bright eyed and bushy-tailed at AMG’s Driving Academy at the Zwartkops Raceway to test AMG’s latest batch of top end GLE and GLS super-SUVs. Today however, we would not be limited to the tight confines of the Pretoria racetrack. After a quick briefing, we were on he road to Gerotek — a once clandestine military testing ground to the West.

Mercedes-Benz

Estates & Coupes for the 53 and 63 S

On the menu today were four versions of the AMG GLE — Estate and Coupé versions of the all-new GLE53 and GLE 63 S. We also had a bash at the new GLS 63 S later on, but we’ll get on to that anon.

Our briefing outlined the most important changes and improvements — for instance, the latest Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S and the AMG GLS 53s now feature Active Engine Mounts for softer and stiffer settings at each end of their Active Dynamics settings. To ensure a broader range of suspension performance. Active Roll Stabilization adds even more agility, and a Ride Height controller keeps it on an even tack. No matter what the load is.

All of this technology brings improved balance and road comfort during braking, acceleration and cornering.