Ml63 AMG

If you drive a big 4×4, chances are you may have received some negative feedback from some sanctimonious road users on your choice of car. You can either ignore them, buy something a little less obtrusive or alternatively, earn so much money that you move into a class where normal rules do not apply. If thats the case, you may well need a Mercedes ML63 AMG.

A key priority amongst buyers of very high end houses these days is the ability to drive into a vast garage and not be able to be seen from the road. This way celebrities and high profile business people can always retain a certain amount of privacy. This is the world inhabited by ML63 AMG owners. Its not your normal kind of luxury 4×4.

The AMG version of the W164, the ML63 AMG, was introduced at the 2006 North American International Auto Show as a limited edition 2007 model. It features a 6.2 L M156 V8 engine producing 510 hp (380 kW) and 465 lb·ft (630 N·m) that is handcrafted in Germany, which is the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 engine in the world and ever made. The engine is mated to an AMG Speedshift 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic transmission. The 2006 ML63 AMG can accelerate from 0-60 mph (96km/h) in just 4.8, or from 0-62mph (100km/h) in just 5.0 seconds. These impressive statistics displayed by the ML 63 AMG proclaim it as the fastest and most powerful naturally aspirated V8 engine powered SUV in the world, leaving the 2008 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S in second place.

510bhp sees to that. So does the £75,000 price tag. Yes, you did read that last figure right. Whats more, that power output is achieved without recourse to anything as simple as turbocharging, Mercedes claiming that at the time of launch, this was the most powerful normally aspirated V8 engine in any production car.

The ML63 wears its superlatives comfortably. It outguns the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and the BMW X5 4.8iS in terms of sheer power and due to the fact that its chassis is comfortably lighter, its crushingly quicker as well. The fact that this engine reaches its peak power output at a heady 6,800rpm should speak volumes.

This is no lugger. Under the bonnet of this M-Class beats the heart of a supercar; a hand built 6.3-litre engine that thrives on revs. Even the peak torque figure of 465lb/ft is reached at a lofty 5,200rpm.

If your driving style is to expect huge expanses of low-end grunt, this Mercedes isnt for you. A Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI will probably be more the ticket. If, on the other hand, youd like to experience the somewhat unlikely scenario of a full-sized 4×4 that thinks its a hot hatch, the Mercedes will paint a huge grin on your face. Like many series production Mercedes models, the top speed of the ML63 AMG is limited to 155mph.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Mercedes ML63 AMG
PRICE: £75,147 – on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 20
CO2 EMISSIONS: 392g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 5.0s / Max Speed 155mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 11.7mpg / (extra urban) 23.1mpg / (combined) 17.1mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags / ABS / ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm 4780/1911/1795