Best Mercedes-AMG cars - from hot rods and hot hatches to supercar slayers

AMG is going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment. The problem is that big, brash, loud V8s have long defined the AMG experience, and those are exactly the kind of engines that are coming under fire from ever more stringent noise and emissions regulations. Thus some of the latest AMGs no longer have the bark that they used to, and in the case of the latest four-cylinder hybrid C63, not much of a bark at all. Bringing the brain-fryingly complex AMG One hypercar to market hasn’t exactly been plain sailing, either. 

But it’s not all doom and gloom. The latest AMG GT is an extremely competent sports car and more spacious and usable than ever, packing a twin-turbo V8 as a foil to the Porsche 911. The A45 S, meanwhile, is a stunning display of what’s possible to extract from a four-cylinder hatchback. Then there’s the AMG GT 4-door, which is getting long in the tooth but still an absolute rocketship in 831bhp E Performance guise. 

There are of course endless highlights from the brand's history, too – some of them completely captivating to drive, and others just plain wacky (who thought putting a 6.2-litre V8 in the R-class minivan was a good idea?). With AMG going through a period of change at the moment, including the introduction of its first bespoke electric car, we thought it’d be a good idea to round up the finest models to wear the badge from past and present – and remind ourselves what future AMGs will need to live up to.

Mercedes SLS AMG

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• Pros: Outstanding engine, scarily quick, useable performance
• Cons: Aggressive ride
• evo rating: 5 stars

Quite appropriately for a car whose styling echoes that of the classic 300 SL “Gullwing”, the SLS AMG sold between 2010 and 2015 is one of Mercedes’ most iconic cars. Developed by AMG itself, rather than simply being an enhanced version of a regular Mercedes production car, the all-aluminium SLS featured a 6.2-litre version of AMG’s naturally-aspirated V8 (with 563bhp it was the most powerful naturally-aspirated production engine at the time), a slick-shifting dual-clutch gearbox, and dynamics that Henry Catchpole described as being “almost like… a very big Caterham”. 

At 1620kg it was a good ton and a bit heavier than any Caterham, but creditably light for a large (sometimes intimidatingly so) grand tourer. And there was no doubting its visual appeal, particularly with those gull-wing doors popped open.

‘There’s an incredible stiffness to the chassis and allied to almost no roll this means that inputs to steering, brakes and throttle elicit fantastically quick responses. Jink the nose into a corner and you feel utterly connected to the wheels out in front. Pick up the throttle mid-corner and you can instantly feel the rear wheels behind your bum react as you start to steer with your foot. It is utterly direct in all its actions.’ – Henry Catchpole, evo contributing editor.

Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance

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• Pros: Staggering performance, impressive tech
• Cons: Hefty kerb weight, hefty price tag
• evo rating: 4 stars

The words ‘purity’, ‘lightweight’ and ‘simplicity’ aren’t in the AMG GT63 S E Performance’s vocabulary. Mercedes has thrown all its technical might behind its flagship supercoupe to create a genuine 911 Turbo rival, and the result is an 805bhp hybrid with a near 200mph top speed, four-wheel drive and the kind of suspension tech you’ll find on a McLaren. Oh, and the small matter of 2120kg to lug around…

The E Performance isn’t the most interactive or involving sports car around, but as a feat of engineering it leaves you slack-jawed at times. The way it deploys that mountain of power with such ease, feeling completely within itself, is almost surreal. And that sophisticated chassis tech makes it feel unflustered and calm across the ground in a way that something like an Aston Martin Vantage can’t match. Couple that with the backing track of a 4-litre twin-turbo V8 and you have a rounded, exceedingly capable sports car – not a match for the best for raw excitement, but almost untouchable in terms of capability.

‘Very little seems to faze it, even on the toughest stretches of road. It’s a cool customer but there are times when you can really revel in the grip and traction it's finding; the resulting speed – and momentum! – you can carry is crazy.’ – Richard Meaden, evo Editor-at-Large

Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black Series 

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• Pros: AMG goes Porsche-hunting
• Cons: Dull-witted gearshift spoils the party
• evo rating: 4.5 stars

In many ways the CLK Black Series is the quintessential AMG: a hot-rod with a naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 up front, drive to the rear and a well-appointed cabin, all wrapped up in sinister, swollen-arches bodywork. It’s a monster now and seemed even more outrageous back in 2007, when its 500bhp power figure put it ahead of bonafide supercars like the Ferrari F430 and Lamborghini Gallardo. 

Mercedes stripped out the rear seats and installed racing buckets for the full DTM vibe, as well as fully adjustable suspension. The result wasn’t exactly a V8-engined GT3, but still a rich, involving coupe that set the tone for AMGs to come. 

‘Lethargic automatic gearbox aside, the Black Series is endlessly entertaining and challenging, capable enough that oversteer isn’t gratuitous but playful enough that you’re never more than a couple of corners away from an oversteer opportunity.’ – John Barker, evo Editor-at-Large

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• Pros: Monstrous performance, communicative steering, approachable dynamics
• Cons: Ageing interior design
• evo rating: 5 stars

If the CLK Black Series set the template for AMGs to come, the W204 C63 fully realised it in a mainstream car. It’s once again all about that fabulous 6.2-litre V8, but the package around it was brought right up to scratch to take on the BMW M3, eventually evolving into the run-out Edition 507 model. It wasn’t cheap, being £10k more than the standard car, but it would be the last naturally aspirated C63, with engine internals borrowed from the SLS supercar and a nice, round 500bhp. 

Though the 507 is the best W204 this side of the ballistic Black Series, any C63 with the right options is a scintillating hot rod of a performance car. By this point, the C63 had also gained a sharper-shifting MCT seven-speed gearbox, and there was an option of AMG Sports or Performance suspension, the latter being a stiffer setup. One essential option was a locking differential (which really should’ve been standard), and so equipped, the C63 is entertaining as small saloons come.

'On paper, the AMG C63 is an absurd car. In reality it’s an absurd car too, because it’s barely believable that a rear-drive car with 480bhp is so approachable, capable and exploitable. And fun; you can rumble around short-shifting or confidently pick up the pace on a demanding road, enjoying the feedback and poise of the chassis, or you can turn off stability control and balance it on opposite lock with the ease of an MX-5.' – John Barker, evo Editor-at-Large

Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series

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• Pros: Noise, drama, performance, attitude
• Cons: Rides rough on bumpy roads
• evo rating: 5 stars

The ultimate version of the ultimate AMG was always going to be special, but the SLS Black Series still exceeded our expectations at launch. It had the drama and sense of purpose of a true road racer, and brought a truly hardcore and thrilling driver's car out of the standard SLS.

The Black Series upgrades spanned across the whole car, from the 6.2-litre V8 (up from 563bhp to 622) to a lightweighting programme that saved 70kg and of course the chassis, which was thoroughly reworked. All of this brought real edge and intensity to the SLS experience, resulting in a podium finish at eCoty 2013. 

‘The engine gives magnificent, instant response matched by a steely, endless delivery that gets ever more frenetic towards the unlikely 8000rpm limiter. But more exciting is that the Black Series harnesses the power so cleanly. From the moment you lean on the ceramic brakes to the moment you punch hard through the gears on corner exit, it feels stable, precise and adjustable.’ – Jethro Bovingdon, former evo contributor

Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door

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• Pros: Brutal performance; immense grip; super saloon theatre
• Cons: Heavy, Ultra-complex powertrain in the E Performance
• evo rating: 4 stars

The AMG GT 4-door isn’t, as its name implies, a four-door version of the AMG GT sports car. Instead it’s related to the conventional E63 saloon, but all the better for it – early versions of the first AMG GT were a little rough around the edges, and the 4-door felt more cohesive out of the box: performance from its 630bhp 4-litre V8 was ungodly, traction superb from its 4Matic+ all-wheel drive system, and its considerable two-ton-plus kerb weight was managed effectively by the chassis. 

Then Mercedes turned everything up to 11 (or 12) with the GT63 S E Performance version, giving it a hybrid system and 831bhp. It’s too much in every sense, yet it’s hard not to marvel at what the 4-door can do when fully unleashed. 

‘The combined effect of all this hardware and software is simply huge performance, incredible grip levels even in slippery conditions, a great deal of driver confidence and, for the most part, an intuitive, cohesive dynamic character. The GT63 S E Performance really is quite shockingly fast and yet the chassis rarely scrabbles for traction or shows any signs of the weight pushing the car into understeer or tipping it into oversteer.’ – Jethro Bovingdon, former evo writer.

Mercedes-AMG A45 S

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• Pros: Point-to-point speed; playful chassis; mighty engine
• Cons: Not as exotic or appealing as an RS3
• evo rating: 4.5 stars

Hot hatches are a dying breed, but those that remain are some of the most sophisticated and capable ever devised. The Mercedes-AMG A45 S is at the very sharp end of this group, packing a 400bhp+ four-cylinder engine, four-wheel drive and the kind of chassis systems and configurability you'd normally expect to find in a modern super saloon. Hyper hatch is probably a more fitting description of the A45, given how much tech and performance AMG has stuffed into it.

In the A45’s arsenal is the most powerful four-cylinder engine in production, as well as a highly adjustable chassis with adaptive dampers and a locking rear differential, which apportions torque between the rear wheels to shape the car’s balance through a corner. It all comes together in a mightily effective and exciting car, even if it does lack the instant magnetism and approachability of an Audi RS3. 

‘Once you start trusting it you can add more aggression to your driving and the A45 gives you more options. Turn in hard on the brakes and there’s a sense of mobility at the rear, and with the revs up high you can carry this attitude through as you jump back on the power, straighten the wheel and fire onto the next straight.’ – Yousuf Ashraf, evo senior staff writer.

Mercedes-AMG SL63 (R231)

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Giving a drop-top boulevard cruiser a rowdy engine and stiffer suspension sounds like the makings of a compromised car, but the R231-generation Mercedes-AMG SL63 is a cohesive package that seems to mould to your mood. An effortless, undemanding tourer one moment, and a snarling, entertaining sports GT the next, after pressing the right buttons. It’s not the kind of car that would clean up at eCoty, but as a sumptuous everyday roadster it fits the bill very nicely.

The 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 is ever present, rumbling at low revs and spitting out crackles on the overrun. It has so much power and torque (577bhp and 664lb ft) that you could probably get by with three gears, rather than the seven offered by the wet-clutch auto ‘box. It’s no hardened sports car, but the chassis can deal with all that thrust and makes the SL a fast, satisfying roadster to cover miles in. 

‘There’s a lot of traction and despite the huge amount of torque, it’s not easy to unstick the rear wheels even when driving quickly. However when pushing hard, especially in Sport+ mode, the window between the tyres gripping and completely spinning feels vast. From mid-corner onwards your line can be adjusted with the throttle, with more throttle pushing the car into oversteer.’ – Will Beaumont, former evo writer.

Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe

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• Pros: Effortless pace; sumptuous cabin; beautifully composed at a cruise
• Cons: Lacks the ultimate duality of the best sporting GTs
• evo rating: 4.5 stars

The Mercedes S-class Coupe wasn’t exactly a strong seller, but after spending time in one – particularly an S63 – you’ll wonder why it didn’t tempt more people out of Aston Martins and Maseratis. It’s as soothing as grand tourers get, with the added bite of an AMG-tuned chassis and V8 engine to entertain when the moment allows. 

Launched with a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 in 2014, and later upgraded (but downsized) to a more powerful 604bhp 4-litre unit, the S63 Coupe is packed with Mercedes’ full arsenal of tech – including a Magic Body Control system that can lean the car into bends, and Swarovski crystals in the headlights. Yes, really. 

‘The tauter, more connected AMG chassis tuning that sometimes feels incongruous in the S-class saloon feels more appropriate in the lower, shorter coupe. The S63 still laps up bumps and undulations within its suspension, but the AMG treatment gives it more vertical control and keeps the body in sync with the road, and when specified with the optional Magic Body Control system, the air suspension’s ability to contain roll is almost freakish.’ – Yousuf Ashraf, evo senior staff writer.

Mercedes-AMG E63 S (W213)

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• Pros: Superb powertrain matching huge pace with character. engaging and entertaining handling
• Cons: Firm ride in all modes, transmission not quite as slick as some rivals
• evo rating: 4.5 stars

The Mercedes-AMG E63 S was never replaced directly, the current E53’s lack of a V8 robbing it of the same hot rod character. The old E63 therefore still hits with an incredible bite, and not just from its brilliant 604bhp M177 V8 engine. In 2021, AMG updated the E63, fundamentally expanding its personality to become a more rounded supersaloon. Significant changes to the adaptive air suspension and variable dampers made the E63 ride more calmly in its demure settings, dramatically improving refinement at low speeds. 

Like many AMG products, it’s the engine that dominates the E63’s driving experience, with the twin-turbo V8 delivering huge performance. Yet the AMG is far from being a one-dimensional driving device and as you scratch beneath the surface you’ll find deep reserves of talent and ability. The E63’s 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system features a hooligan ‘Drift Mode’, which disconnects the front axle and allows you to vaporise a set of Michelins on the rear axle in minutes. 

Yet it’s arguably when left in four-wheel drive mode that the chassis impresses most, as the AMG manages to combine the feel and balance of a rear-driver with stupendous traction when the going gets slippery. Equally impressive is the way the Mercedes disguises its bulk, with absolute body control, impressive grip and quick steering allowing you to hustle it beyond what a near 2-ton saloon should be capable of. And, of course, there’s something laugh-out-loud hilarious about a car as refined and spacious as the big Benz that’ll also rattle off the sprint to 62mph in 3.4sec.

‘The steering, although it doesn’t exactly chatter with feedback, is crisp, fast and allows you to react appropriately to the chassis, further helping you tune into driving the car. Not only is the E63 far more alert and agile than you’d expect of a car this size, it offers up a thoroughly enjoyable, deeply involving and exciting drive too.’ – John Barker, evo Editor-at-Large

Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe (W205)

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• Pros: Fantastic engine, progressive chassis, sense of excitement
• Cons: Steering system lacks feel and consistency
• evo rating: 4.5 stars

The Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe bears all the hallmarks of a true AMG product. Naturally, the engine is a peach. The 4-litre is a crowd pleaser, bellowing out a deep, earth-shattering gurgle from the tailpipes as you charge towards the top end. In standard or S form, throttle response is staggering considering the presence of two turbochargers nestled between the cylinder banks.

Despite the lack of a twin-clutcher you don’t feel shortchanged tugging at the paddles and cycling through the seven speeds. Taking total control of the automatic gearbox bestows a greater sense of helmsmanship, a comforting thought in light of the 503bhp (in S spec) that can be summoned from the V8. The array of driver aids and safety systems temper progress appropriately to keep the car on the black stuff without killing excitement.

The rear arches cover an axle that is bespoke to the coupe: wider in track than the saloon’s and with increased negative camber for more lateral grip. The coupe is more eager to turn in, with deeper grip reserves to call on (best found out on dry roads) when you press on. The rear setup better ties the body to the road, maintaining the pliancy of the saloon while reducing vertical movements.

‘Drive it at a relaxed pace but deliberately provoke the chassis and it’s heroically adjustable on the throttle. Up your commitment levels and the C63 S finds composure and so long as you don’t shock the rear tyres with greedy stabs of power it’s hooked-up, well-balanced and finds a way to use all that power and torque pretty effectively.’ – Yousuf Ashraf, evo Senior Staff Writer

Mercedes-AMG GT R and GT R Pro

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• Pros: Stonking performance matched by precise, exploitable and enjoyable dynamics. Shines on track
• Cons: Ride can be rocky on UK roads
• evo rating: five stars

With the GT R, Mercedes-AMG really did bring to bear a genuine Porsche 911 GT3 fighter. The original AMG GT coupe was a car with which we had an uneasy relationship. Its engine was enormously charismatic, its looks show-stopping. But it was a car that was difficult to trust, with inconsistencies in its damping and steering and a back axle that never quite felt in tune with its front end. It never quite fit like a glove in the way the best sports cars do.

The AMG GT R was a different animal. Wider, lighter, more powerful (572bhp no less) and with more aggressive aero, you’d be forgiven for letting the under-the-skin engineering changes take you by surprise in the GT R. But it’s how the adaptive coil-over dampers, uniball spherical bearings for the lower rear wishbones, thicker rear anti-roll bar and rear-wheel steering improve response and increase precision that elevates the GT R. Meanwhile the then-revolutionary nine-way adjustable traction control allowed you to tailor the GT R’s aggression to your abilities.

In the GT R Pro the coilovers are manually adjustable for pre-load, rebound and compression for low and high speed, while there’s also a carbonfibre anti-roll bar on the front axle. It also gets uniball spherical joints for its upper rear wishbones and extra bracing underneath and sturdier tuning for its active engine and gearbox mounts.

The GT Rs are faster and more capable than the standard GT, but most important is that they’re more consistent. They’re supercar slayers you can revel in and yet more proof that AMG is capable of more than just tyre-shredding hot rods.

‘It finds terrific bite but never feels overly responsive, so you can really lean on it. And because there’s absolute unity between the front and rear ends of the car – something the GT S struggles to deliver – you can do so without fear of the tail struggling to cope with the rate of response.’ – Richard Meaden, evo Editor-at-Large

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