The old AMG-fettled G-Class model had a 5.5-litre V8, but this new generation design's lighter, torquier unit puts out 85hp more and clouts the G 63 to 62mph in just 4.5s and onto an electronically limited top speed of 137mph - or 149mph if you're crazy enough to pay Mercedes £2,000 to de-restrict it, in which case you really have got more money than sense. You'll get to enjoy the engine much more once you get the hang of all the different drive systems. As part of the G-Wagen re-design, Mercedes has added in its 'DYNAMIC SELECT' set-up which in its top 'Sport+' setting, ramps up the throaty note of the AMG sports exhaust.
There are also the usual 'Sport', 'Comfort' and 'Individual' options, plus an extra 'Slippery' mode for rainy days and icy mornings. All the choices you can make here affect throttle response, steering feel, stability settings and the shift timings of the new 9G-TRONIC auto gearbox that all G models now get and which features in a G 63 in more sharply-focused SPEEDSHIFT form. 'DYNAMIC SELECT' can alter suspension feel too because another thing this new-era model can now offer is adaptive damping, a standard feature for a Mercedes-AMG customers and a virtually must-have option elsewhere in the range.