Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-Door (X290)

Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-Door (X290)

The Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-Door Coupe emerged as AMG's answer to the Porsche Panamera Turbo and the growing breed of super sedans capable of supercar performance with four-door practicality. Launched in 2019, the X290 was not simply a four-door version of the two-seat AMG GT sports car — it was built on an entirely different platform based on the MRA (Mercedes Rear Architecture) and developed specifically to combine extreme performance with genuine daily usability.

The heart of the GT 63 S was the M177 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8, hand-assembled at AMG's Affalterbach facility under the one-man-one-engine philosophy. In its most potent configuration, the engine produced 630 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, making the GT 63 S one of the most powerful four-door production cars available. The twin-scroll turbochargers were positioned in the valley between the cylinder banks — a hot-inside-V configuration that improved response and reduced turbo lag by shortening the exhaust path to the turbines.

Power was delivered through a 9-speed AMG Speedshift MCT (Multi-Clutch Technology) transmission, which used a wet clutch instead of a torque converter for faster, more direct shifts. The transmission could fire through gearchanges with remarkable speed in Race mode, yet remain smooth and refined in Comfort mode. The AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system was a fully variable system that could send up to 100 percent of torque to the rear wheels, effectively allowing the car to operate as a rear-wheel-drive vehicle when conditions and the driver's inputs permitted. This was not a front-biased all-wheel-drive system — it was engineered to prioritize the rear axle and could even be configured for rear-wheel-drive-only operation in Drift Mode.

The chassis was remarkably sophisticated for a car of this size and weight. AMG Ride Control+ air suspension with adaptive dampers provided an impressive range from supple cruising comfort to taut, controlled track performance. Rear-axle steering, which turned the rear wheels up to 2.5 degrees, improved both low-speed maneuverability and high-speed stability. The effect was dramatic — a car measuring over five meters long could be threaded through tight parking areas with surprising ease, then feel compact and agile on a winding mountain road.

The aerodynamic package on the GT 63 S included an active rear spoiler that deployed automatically at speed to increase downforce, and an active air dam at the front that lowered at speed to reduce lift and improve cooling. These active elements worked together to manage the car's aerodynamic balance across a wide speed range, contributing to its impressive high-speed stability.

Inside, the GT 63 S was luxuriously appointed with AMG-specific elements throughout. The dual 12.3-inch digital displays could be configured with an AMG-specific layout showing boost pressure, torque distribution, lap timer, and g-force displays. Nappa leather and Alcantara covered most surfaces, and the AMG Performance seats with integral headrests provided excellent support during spirited driving. Despite the fastback roofline, rear seat passengers had reasonable head and leg room, and a usable trunk made the car genuinely practical for long-distance touring.

The exhaust system deserved special mention. The AMG Performance exhaust with variable flap control could transform the car's character from a restrained murmur in Comfort mode to a thunderous, crackling V8 roar in Race mode. The sound was one of the GT 63 S's most engaging qualities — a visceral, mechanical soundtrack that modern turbo engines rarely achieve.

On the road, the GT 63 S was astonishing in its breadth of ability. The sprint from zero to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds was supercar-quick, and the car could maintain its composure at speeds approaching 200 mph. Yet it could also absorb long highway journeys with a level of comfort and refinement that made it a genuine Mercedes-Benz luxury car. This duality — the ability to be both a genuine performance machine and a civilized grand tourer — was the GT 63 S's greatest achievement.

A later E Performance variant added plug-in hybrid technology with an electric motor on the rear axle, pushing combined output to over 800 horsepower. However, the pure V8 GT 63 S is widely expected to be the more collectible variant, prized for its mechanical purity and the characterful soundtrack that electrification necessarily dilutes.