2019 Mercedes-AMG G63 is a 577 HP luxe-truck

The new G-Class has spawned a performance SUV version, the 2019 Mercedes-AMG G63, and it’s shaping up to be the all-wheel drive monster we were not-so-secretly hoping it would. Revealed today, after the “regular” truck made its debut at the Detroit Auto Show 2018 last month, the 2019 G63 takes the boxy off-roader and gives it a 577 horsepower upgrade.

Under the slab-like hood there’s a handcrafted AMG engine, a 4.0-liter V8 biturbo, which is apparently good for both 577 HP and 627 lb-ft. of torque. It may be smaller in capacity than the old model’s 5.5-liter engine, but it’s no less potent. Indeed maximum torque arrives between just 2,500 and 3,500 rpm, and the super-truck will go from 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds.

AMG didn’t stop there, mind. The AMG Performance 4MATIC all-wheel drive has been given a makeover compared to the regular SUV too, with traction typically biased 40:60 front to rear. That’s a change over the old model, which split power fifty-fifty. However, the off-road reduction gear has also been changed, with a new reduction ratio of the transfer case of 2.93:1. It means the new 2019 G63 should pull off much more smoothly even on extreme uphill gradients, versus the 2.1:1 ratio of the old model.

It’s triggered with a LOW RANGE switch and can be enabled at up to 25 mph. LOW RANGE to HIGH RANGE, meanwhile, can be switched between at up to 44 mph. A new multiple clutch works much like a locking differential, but can be brought into play on the fly rather than having to be enabled manually. A switch on the center console, though, allows for manual control over the center differential, while the front and rear axle differentials have a dog clutch and a 100-percent locking effect, and they can each be enabled individually.

As for the suspension, there’s a completely reworked Mercedes-AMG system with coil springs all-round. The front axle has an independent, double wishbone setup, while the rear opts for a rigid axle with five-link suspension. Mercedes is mounting the front suspension directly to the ladder-type frame, too, for better on- and off-road civility.

AMG suspension with adaptive adjustable damping is, as you’d expect, standard-fit. It can control damping for each wheel individually, finessing automatically depending on the road surface. Comfort, Sport, and Sport+ modes are available via a dashboard control, and also affect the AMG speed-sensitive electromechanical steering. AMG throws in Slippery and Individual modes as well, plus a “M” manual mode button for more direct control over the individual settings. Sand, Trail, and Rock modes are opened up during off-road driving.