“Velocity, Tailored”
Some cars ask politely. The AMG GT 63 Coupe does not. It arrives long, low, and coiled, a classic front‑mid‑engine silhouette pulled taut over serious hardware and then it backs up the promise with the kind of usability that turns errands into excuses and back roads into appointments. For Canada in 2024, the GT 63 Coupe is the distilled expression of modern AMG: handcrafted V8, rear‑axle steer, active aero, and an interior that feels curated rather than catalogued.
The proportions are right from every angle. A vast hood, cab‑rearward stance, tapering roofline, and a fast rear deck give the GT a timeless GT shape; details make it contemporary. The Panamericana grille sits proud, flanked by big, purposeful apertures that actually feed the radiators and brake ducts. Choose the AMG Aerodynamics Package and you add deeper splitters, reshaped side sill inserts, and an active rear spoiler with multiple deployment angles — not garnish, but real downforce and reduced lift at Canadian highway speeds and beyond. The stance is broad and confident on staggered wheels, with available forged options that both fill the arches and take some unsprung mass out of the equation for our imperfect roads.
Under the hood sits Affalterbach’s calling card: a 4.0‑litre biturbo V8, hand‑built, paired to AMG’s 9‑speed MCT. Output in the 63 is tuned to a colossal 577 hp and 590 lb -ft; in vehicle weighing in at 4,343 lbs or 1,970 kg. Thats nearly 150 kg less than the outgoing GT. The torque arrives in a broad, unbroken swell; the power climbs with savagery to redline (7,000 rpm). Shifts can be rifle‑bolt assertive in Sport+ and Race or melt away in Comfort. 4MATIC+ stays rear‑biased and fully variable, sending power forward only when it makes you faster or more secure. And yes, Drift Mode is on the menu for closed‑course antics; the sort of theatre that makes winter storage facilities feel like they’re missing out.
I would like to digress for a moment. Our automotive industry is at a cross roads. On one side we have relentless push of modernization in the form of Hybrids, EVs and PHEVs. All with smaller or no internal combustion displacement. On the other side screams the internal combustion engine in form and full glory like the AMG 4.0-litre biturbo V8. Its s tug-of-war that I feel is slowly being lost by the later. It’s the sound of the V8 which likely captured the hearts of many of car enthusiast back in the day or possibly the wiring sound of a V12 being started. These are the literal sparks or seeds of what becomes for many a full fledged obsession or more commonly a passion. I can’t help but feel a sense of loss knowing that I witnessing the slow extinction of what I am sure will be the last era of the big displacement internal combustion engines.
Chassis characteristics are the GT’s quiet superpower. The car wears a mixed‑material structure with a front‑mid engine placement, a rear‑mounted transmission, and a long wheelbase for stability. Rear‑axle steering tightens low‑speed manoeuvres while driving downtown or the parking lot and calms high‑speed lane changes on the highway. Adaptive damping works with active roll stabilization to keep two tonnes eerily tidy over broken pavement; the car breathes with frost‑heaved tarmac in Comfort, then tightens without going brittle in Sport+. The steering is naturally weighted and reads the surface without flooding you noise. The result is intent without intimidation: you drive the GT hard because it invites you to, not because it dares you.
Brakes deserve their own paragraph. Standard stoppers are mighty; the optional AMG carbon‑ceramic brakes are transformative for repeated high‑energy stops. They provide for lighter unsprung mass, immense fade resistance, and a firm, communicative pedal. In daily application that means the confidence on long mountain descents, winter‑glazed surfaces where modulation matters, and track days at Area 27 or Mosport where lap three feels like lap one. They are also dust less, keeping those forged wheels presentable between washes.
Grip and rubber matter as much as horsepower. The GT’s staggered performance tyres key into a chassis that’s more nuanced than the spec sheet suggests. Traction control is generous in its envelope; lenient enough to let you paint with the rear axle, smart enough to catch the dab too far. With the AMG Dynamics profiles, you can tailor the car from safe‑as‑houses to delicately playful. On a warm day with the right surface, the exit speed is startling; on a cold March morning, the electronics and all‑wheel smarts turn potential drama into clean progress. Fit quality winter tyres and you’ll be surprised how useable this coupe is year‑round.
Inside, the GT 63 Coupe is cockpit‑serene. Seating options run from well bolstered sport thrones to the optional AMG Performance seats with integrated headrests (as seen in my test vehicle and they are surprisingly comfortable. The latter hold you in high‑g corners yet remain livable on a daily commute. Materials are pure luxury: Nappa and microfiber, real metals and carbon fibre. The driving position is spot‑on, low and centred with excellent pedal alignment and sightlines framed by a slim A‑pillar.
Tech is present but doesn’t shout. The latest MBUX runs across twin widescreens with AMG‑specific telemetry. Power/Torque readouts, tyre temps, g‑meters, live drivetrain temps and a clean performance menu to configure exhaust, damping, aero and 4MATIC+ behaviour. The head‑up display remains legible even against prairie sun glare; the Burmester 3D High‑End audio turns the hushed cabin into a listening room once the exhaust settles. Crucially, there are still dedicated toggles on the wheel: rotary mode selectors under your thumbs for instant access to key systems, because great interfaces encourage you to use the car to its fullest.
Live with it and the GT 63 Coupe reveals a varied personality. In Comfort, the exhaust hushes, the gearbox slurs at low rpm, and the suspension breathes; commutes across the Port Mann become effotleass save for traffic jams. Switch to Sport+ and it the car leans forward on its toes: throttle needles, turbos whistle, downshifts crack, and the active aero goes to work. Rear‑axle steer sharpens turn‑in, the chassis rotates cleanly on the throttle, and exits feel like being slingshotted down a runway. It’s fast, yes, but more importantly, it’s faithful — the GT does exactly what your hands and feet ask.
Options to choose wisely
- AMG Aerodynamics Package: adds functional splitters, side‑sill fins and a multi‑angle active rear spoiler. Meaningful at speed and visually cohesive.
- AMG carbon‑ceramic brakes: for repeated high‑energy stops, mountain drives and track time. Lighter, cleaner, stronger.
- Rear‑axle steering: standard or strongly recommended; it’s the bandwidth feature that makes the big coupe feel smaller in town and calmer on the highway.
- Burmester 3D High‑End surround: worth it in an already quiet cabin.
- AMG Performance seats: if you value lateral support; if not, the standard sports seats are the long‑haul sweet spot.
- Winter wheel/tyre set: a must in Canada; the electronics are brilliant, but rubber is physics.
Practicality isn’t an oxymoron. The hatchback‑style rear aperture gives honest cargo access for weekend bags or track gear, and the rear seats (optional) will take short short adults for short hops or kids (primary school size) with ease. Driver aids are well‑tuned — adaptive cruise, lane keeping, blind‑spot, 360‑camera — assisting rather than nagging, which matters in tight condo garages and winter traffic.
Canadian realities
- Year‑round usability hinges on tyres; fit proper winters and the 4MATIC+ plus rear‑steer combo makes the GT shockingly civil during winter months. But you must not forget we are talking about a nearly 600 hp machine.
- Ground clearance is manageable; nose lift helps with ramps.
Price and positioning In Canada, the GT 63 Coupe lives deep in six‑figure territory, with meaningful options (Aero Package, carbon‑ceramics, Burmester 3D, Performance seats) pushing the number higher (as tested $231,000 before taxes fees and levies). Context matters: you’re buying a hand‑built V8 grand tourer that will do school runs, crush highway distance, and carry real speed on a circuit if your heart desires; all while looking like a concept car that made production.
Bottom line The 2024 Mercedes‑AMG GT 63 4MATIC+ Coupe is the distilled AMG experience; a front‑mid V8 theatre, rear‑axle steer agility, active aero calm, and carbon‑ceramic confidence, wrapped in an interior that treats you as both driver and audience. It doesn’t beg for attention; it earns it, then returns you home with your pulse high and your shoulders low. If your brief reads supercar pace without supercar ceremony year round driving, highway‑serene, track‑credible, then the GT 63 Coupe answers it with quiet authority or should I say not so quietly.
