When four-wheeling is not on the menu
2007 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG
Believe it or not, some people who buy SUVs have no intention of going off-road. They don’t even care if their ride looks like it can go off-road. They just want a tall driving position combined with sure-footed all-wheel drive for inclement weather. And they definitely do not want a minivan. Mercedes-Benz builds the ML350 and ML500 just for this kind of buyer. But there is another kind of buyer who wants – and does not want – those same attributes in a vehicle, combined with athleticism and riving dynamics uncommon within the sport-utility genre. For this more demanding buyer, Mercedes-Benz has developed the new 2007 ML63 AMG, unveiled today to North American customers at the 2006 Chicago Auto Show.What makes the ML63 athletic is a full-body massage by AMG that transforms it from an upscale suburban SUV into a pavement-mauling sport-utility. A hand-built, 6.3-liter V8 whips up 503 horsepower and 465 lb.-ft. of torque, good for getting the muscular ML63 AMG from zero to 60 mph in just five seconds. Power flows to all four wheels through a specially-calibrated seven-speed automatic transmission that can be manually shifted using buttons on the steering wheel. The driver can even choose between three shift programs: sport (S), comfort (C), or manual (M). The 2007 Mercedes-Benz ML63’s modified 4Matic AWD system splits power 40/60 front-to-rear for a sporty feel from behind the wheel. Other hardware upgrades include stiffer shocks for the standard Airmatic suspension system, a sport-tuned version of the adaptive damping system (ADS), bigger brakes with vented and perforated rotors, and polished 20-inch wheels wearing 295/40 Z-rated performance tires.
Of course, AMG models are not just about the hardware. How else would the Joneses know you bought the top-dog model without the subtle exterior and interior modifications that mark every AMG product? On the 2007 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG, that means a different grille, bolder front and rear aprons, flared fenders, and stainless-steel running boards. Unique wheels, tinted taillights, and two sets of chromed twin-pipe exhaust outlets round out the changes on the outside. Inside, Nappa leather AMG sport seats with Alcantara inserts grip occupants tightly for aggressive maneuvers, and the driver faces a sport three-spoke steering wheel and an AMG gauge cluster. Further underlining the 2007 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG’s true purpose in life is an integrated lap timer – and we’re not talking about laps around a moto-cross course.
When the new ML63 AMG arrives this August, it marks the return of all-wheel drive to the AMG lineup. Pricing has not been set, but regardless of the cost and the AWD, we’re certain that AMG’s core Sunbelt markets will continue to absorb most of the U.S.-bound ML63 AMGs. After all, this is one SUV for which four-wheeling is not on the menu, and both Florida and Southern California offer plenty of pavement upon which to enjoy the magic that is Affalterbach, Germany’s finest.
Photos by Ron Perry