Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Starts at Double the Price of the Entry-Level Benz Version

Mercedes switched the name of the family to GLE in 2015 to make it fit into what was about to become an extensive army of SUVs. If anything, this decision only made the vehicle more appealing to buyers, who seem not to get enough of it despite its steep price.

At the time of writing, Mercedes offers no fewer than six GLE variants on the American market, starting with the entry level 350, which goes from just $54,750. At the opposite end of the spectrum, though, is an AMG version that starts at about double that.

Given how June is AMG Month here at autoevolution, we’ll talk a bit of course about this expensive SUV, which comes to the market as the GLE 63 S. It's a monster of an SUV, powered by a 4.0-liter V8 biturbo running the carmaker’s EQ Boost technology, and capable of developing 603 hp and 627 lb-ft (849 Nm) of torque. The acceleration time of the mammoth from standstill to 60 mph (96 kph) is of just 3.7 seconds.

As said, the GLE 63 S starts at about double the price of the entry-level 350, and that would be $113,950. Given how we’ve been going through the AMG configurator since the beginning of the month, trying to see how expensive the most potent of these cars could get, we were expecting this one to shoot up well above that number when all possible boxes were checked.

We were surprised to see it didn’t. Well, sure, it jumped by some $23,000, but that is significantly lower than what we got for most of the other models we configured.

That’s probably because in the case of the GLE, Mercedes offers a bit more of the available options for free. Take the exterior color, for instance. There are 11 colors on the table, and only two of them cost extra. Then, the most expensive one, Diamond White metallic, comes in at $795, which is a far cry from the $2,020 we were asked for the Selenite Grey Magno of the GLC 63 S coupe.

Then, we have four wheel choices, the most expensive being a massive set of 22-inch rims in a cross-spoke design ($3,250).

As exterior extras we only get five options, the most important of which is the $750 AMG Night Package (deep black gloss front splitter, side mirror housings, side window surrounds, and rear apron trim, and black chrome tailpipes with black roof rails) and the $1,000 panoramic roof.

Inside, the GLE offers six upholstery options (we chose the $250 Nappa leather in Macchiato Beige, which is also a lot cheaper than what we got on the other models) and eight trim combinations; the carbon fiber one is obviously the most expensive at $1,750.

We then had to choose between nine interior options, but six of those relate to steering wheel variants and seat belt choices, so we were left with a heated steering wheel (yes, for over $100k, it does not come as standard), and the Acoustic Comfort Package.

We couldn’t resist the temptation to check all three available packages (Warmth & Comfort, ENERGIZING Plus, and Air Balance), but also some of the seven other additional options, including things like soft-close doors ($550) and 4-zone climate control ($860).

So, when it was all said and done, we were left with a $137,585 Mercedes-AMG SUV on our hands, one that, even if it is quite expensive, it’s a bit cheaper than we expected when we set off configuring it.