2024 Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Is a Coupe on V8 Steroids
4 min
The coming model year brings an updated machine into the Mercedes-Benz AMG garage: a large, powerful coupe launched by a wonderfully inappropriate V8 engine.
The 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S is a type of vehicle that didn’t exist for previous destinations. Bigger than some lesser SUV models at 195-inches long and weighing more than 2.5 tons, the AMG GLE 63 S rides higher than most Mercedes-Benz models. It lives under the coupe label despite its four-door frame, preserving the moniker with a hard top roof and sloping rear lines. Still, as the 63 S muscles its way along from its almost 118-inch wheelbase to its broad haunches, its visual impact says “coupe, but on AMG steroids.”
If there’s a challenge to overcome in getting comfortable with the GLE 63 S Coupe, it’s those visuals. With so many modern vehicles on the road taking the form of SUVs or crossovers that are really no more than large hatchbacks, the sight of a vehicle that’s none of the above while also shrugging off the modest lines of a sedan takes some getting used to from the outside. Still, once the driver makes that adjustment, he or she can get on with the enjoyment of driving an AMG-tuned Mercedes barely tamed brute.
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For the uninitiated, AMG is the Mercedes-Benz tuning shop where already great cars become more aggressive. AMG amps the power and handling abilities, adds more than a few more bucks, quid, or euros to the price tag and hands them along to serious driving enthusiasts.
For the GLE 63 S, the shop penned in a handcrafted 4-liter V8 Biturbo beast under the hood—but at least nodded to environmental concerns by layering electric hybrid assist. The result of all that uncompromising German engineering is 603 horsepower and a 0-to-60 time of 3.8 seconds. That’s serious, “snap your head back” speed in a large, solidly built vehicle.
A combination of AMG Speedshift TCT 9-speed automatic transmission with sport paddle shifting and all-wheel drive with fully variable torque distribution keep all of that power on the road. The end result driving experience features a grounded, balanced, and stately ride that elevates the owner above the ugliness of common pavement—with truly aggressive, roaring power waiting if you put your toe down in Sport or Sport+ mode.
Michael Knoeller, head of marketing and sales at Mercedes-AMG, says a lot of planning and thought go into how the company maintains two identities: an automaker providing traditional, tuned power and performance for enthusiasts, while also forging technology for electric vehicles.
“Mercedes-AMG is in the transformation phase in the mid- and long-term,” Knoeller says. “While our handcrafted V8 powertrains will continue to be offered in familiar models for some time, we are also working on AMG’s own BEV platform, AMG.EA. This will enable us to meet a wide range of customer needs in markets where the V8 engine continues to play a role, as well as with our all-electric EQ models.”
And regardless of the drivetrain technology, a Mercedes has to be a Mercedes, Knoeller adds. There are high expectations for buyers of make and its models, whether or not they’re AMG-forged vehicles.
“All Mercedes-AMG models must deliver on our brand promise of superior performance and unique technology,” he says. “In doing so, we can adopt certain technologies from the world of combustion engines, while other technologies we develop completely from scratch.”
As for what purpose the 2024 AMG GLE 63 S Coupe plays in this grand scheme of old meets new and power meets preservation, the answer is a mixed grill. The monster-sized coupe is large enough to serve as a luxury people carrier, but powerful enough for the occasional track day before standing in as a grand tourer with ample power.
“We think the GLE 63 S Coupe excels in a variety of areas,” Knoeller explains. “It perfectly meets the demand for luxury and comfort, while also offering ample space.”
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He points to the distinctive, though challenging appearance as a plus that brings interested eyeballs to the vehicle, while the 603-horespower output looks to thrill the human behind the wheel. The Sport + dynamic driving setting is intended for track days and maximum driving entertainment, he says (even if there are more suitable products in the Mercedes-Benz portfolio for track days, such as the SL Roadster).
In terms of the future, Knoeller reassures passionate drivers that high performance models such as the GLE 63 S Coupe and its ilk will have a place in the Mercedes AMG family for a while yet.
“The segment of sporty SUVs and the demand for our models has grown steadily in recent years,” he says. “We also see further potential here in the long term, so there is no need to worry about the future of the GLE 63 S Coupe. We have already set the course for an electric future and recently presented our new Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV.”
The starting MSRP for the rides making up the GLE class start around US$80,000, with the AMG enhancements on the GLE 63 S Coupe nudging the price up to US$125,000 and beyond. If the lover of German meticulousness can get used to the edgy and nontraditional styling cues, he or she will buy into a unique blend of stately performance with deceptive and effective power.
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The pandemic-fuelled love affair with casual footwear is fading, with Bank of America warning the downturn shows no sign of easing.
The megamansion was built for Tony Pritzker, heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune and brother of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
The pandemic-fuelled love affair with casual footwear is fading, with Bank of America warning the downturn shows no sign of easing.
2 minThe boom in casual footware ushered in by the pandemic has ended, a potential problem for companies such as Adidas that benefited from the shift to less formal clothing, Bank of America says.
The casual footwear business has been on the ropes since mid-2023 as people began returning to office.
Analyst Thierry Cota wrote that while most downcycles have lasted one to two years over the past two decades or so, the current one is different.
It “shows no sign of abating” and there is “no turning point in sight,” he said.
Adidas and Nike alone account for almost 60% of revenue in the casual footwear industry, Cota estimated, so the sector’s slower growth could be especially painful for them as opposed to brands that have a stronger performance-shoe segment. Adidas may just have it worse than Nike.
Cota downgraded Adidas stock to Underperform from Buy on Tuesday and slashed his target for the stock price to €160 (about $187) from €213. He doesn’t have a rating for Nike stock.
Shares of Adidas listed on the German stock exchange fell 4.5% Tuesday to €162.25. Nike stock was down 1.2%.
Adidas didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cota sees trouble for Adidas both in the short and long term.
Adidas’ lifestyle segment, which includes the Gazelles and Sambas brands, has been one of the company’s fastest-growing business, but there are signs growth is waning.
Lifestyle sales increased at a 10% annual pace in Adidas’ third quarter, down from 13% in the second quarter.
The analyst now predicts Adidas’ organic sales will grow by a 5% annual rate starting in 2027, down from his prior forecast of 7.5%.
The slower revenue growth will likewise weigh on profitability, Cota said, predicting that margins on earnings before interest and taxes will decline back toward the company’s long-term average after several quarters of outperforming. That could result in a cut to earnings per share.
Adidas stock had a rough 2025. Shares shed 33% in the past 12 months, weighed down by investor concerns over how tariffs, slowing demand, and increased competition would affect revenue growth.
Nike stock fell 9% throughout the period, reflecting both the company’s struggles with demand and optimism over a turnaround plan CEO Elliott Hill rolled out in late 2024.
Investors’ confidence has faded following Nike’s December earnings report, which suggested that a sustained recovery is still several quarters away. Just how many remains anyone’s guess.
But if Adidas’ challenges continue, as Cota believes they will, it could open up some space for Nike to claw back any market share it lost to its rival.
Investors should keep in mind, however, that the field has grown increasingly crowded in the past five years. Upstarts such as On Holding and Hoka also present a formidable challenge to the sector’s legacy brands.
Shares of On and Deckers Outdoor , Hoka’s parent company, fell 11% and 48%, respectively, in 2025, but analysts are upbeat about both companies’ fundamentals as the new year begins.
The battle of the sneakers is just getting started.
In the remote waters of Indonesia’s Anambas Islands, Bawah Reserve is redefining what it means to blend barefoot luxury with environmental stewardship.
From farm-to-table Thai to fairy-lit mango trees and Coral Sea vistas, Port Douglas has award-winning dining and plenty of tropical charm on the side.
