The Mercedes-Benz G-Class has the aerodynamic coefficient of a brick, so whenever it tries to go fast, there's a tremendous struggle going on between the SUV and the tons of air it needs to move aside to go forward and gain some speed.
That didn't keep Mercedes from letting its performance arm from Affalterbach have its way with the off-roader, going as far as installing a V12 engine in the G65 model. However, that was a luxo-mobile that you wouldn't really see anywhere else outside Dubai and hip-hop music videos, but the slightly more sensible V8-powered G63 is a pretty common sight.
The AMG treatment didn't do much about the way air flowed over its boxy body, but it did at least provide it with more power and a better transmission, which was enough to boost its performance. But it didn't make it a drag racing monster one bit.
Luckily for the G63, its opponent today is an almost equally unfit vehicle to be taking part in this type of activities. Like the SUV, this one also stems from the AMG stables, but it doesn't share its off-road capabilities. Instead, it focuses on luxury and pampering its passengers by offering the most comfortable ride possible.
It's the S-Class limousine fitted with the same turbocharged V8 engine. The bad news for the G63 is that the one under the S63's hood had received a bit of ECU tuning bringing its power output to over 600 hp. So the limousine isn't just slimmer, but also more powerful.
So does the SUV stand a chance? Well, it was definitely handed a lifeline by the S63 driver when the latter failed to take off for at least a second, giving the G63 a considerable headstart. It wouldn't prove decisive, though, as the prev-gen S-Class AMG is comfortably able to catch up and win the contest. Not that there was ever actually one.
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