| Road Test Mercedes-Benz R 63 AMG |
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Liking The Brute You'd be forgiven for thinking that with the old-timer G-Class, the established M-Class and the new GL-Class, Mercedes-Benz would have had quite enough big, SUV models in its showrooms to keep its customers satisfied. But no.
Enter the six-seater, all-wheel-drive R-Class. Call it an upper-segment family, executive or estate car, an SUV, an MPV or any combination of the above and you wouldn't be wrong as the R-Class is more things than it isn't. When first launched towards the end of 2005 Mercedes referred to it, not as a crossover, which it also is, but as a "Grand Sports Tourer". However, the current official description has more recently transformed into "Luxury Touring SUV". Confused? You will be, as in addition to the R 350, R 500 and R 320 CDI models already on sale, Mercedes is about to offer an entry-level R 280 CDI as well as a monster AMG R 63 version which boasts a whopping 503bhp 6.2-litre V8 and two pairs of chromed tailpipes, and runs on beach ball-sized (20" or 21") five-spoke alloys. Pigeonholing this beast is even harder as you could also throw the terms GT, Q-car or "autobahn bruiser" into the mix. But whatever you want to call it, you certainly get a lot of motorcar for your money, even taking into account the R 63's hefty £74,115 price tag. For a start, the standard R-Class is BIG by any standards, but the AMG version will only be available in long-wheelbase guise with an extra 235mm over the 2980mm of the SWB model.
So, standing at just under two metres wide, over 1.6 metres tall and over five metres long there's plenty of room inside for six (without much luggage); or, with the second and third row seats folded flat, a cavernous 2385 litres of loadspace becomes available.
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