From its  long hood to its massive grille and fastback shape, it’s hard to argue that the AMG GT R is anything but original. The familial ties to the rest of the Mercedes-Benz range are there, but the GT R exaggerates them, like a predator putting on a threat display.

The GT R is a fantastic performer and it all starts with the engine. This is yet another member of Mercedes-AMG’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 family, and in the R it pumps out a hefty 577 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. That means effortless, ferocious acceleration. The GT R can hit 60 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds.

The 4.0-liter works alongside a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The so-called AMG Speedshift gearbox is deserving of its name, serving up rapid shifts in its more aggressive settings. And it’s laid back settings. And pretty much every time it changes gears. This is a remarkably quick, poised, and intelligent transmission. That last part is worth keeping in mind; there’s really no need to take matters into your own hands, because the GT R always seems to be in the right gear at the right time.

SPEC LIST:

The Mercedes-AMG G63 throws sensibility out the window. It accelerates like a sports car but its burdened by the extra weight of its formidable off-road kit; it’s got the goods to theoretically take on just about any off-road obstacle but it rides on sticky summer tires that struggle to find grip on anything but tarmac.

Mercedes’s flagship SUV stands out for its simple, purpose-built design, and the latest iteration of the G63 benefits from 6.0-inch wider front and rear tracks.

A number of AMG-specific cues such as the addition of the performance sub-brand’s now-ubiquitous Panamericana grille, a more aggressive lower fascia hidden behind a chunky bull bar, flared fenders, burly side exhaust pipes, and a set of 20-inch wheels and tires make the G63 look even more audacious.

It’s no less charming inside the G63, which combines modern Mercedes amenities with classic G cues such as an upright windshield, shallow dashboard with prominent buttons for the locking differentials, and a large grab handle fore of the passenger seat. That said, the G63’s cabin marks a far greater departure from tradition than its exterior. Alongside new features such as cup holders integrated into the center console and a fold-down rear armrest, the G63 also benefits from a big 12.3-inch dashboard-mounted infotainment screen, a meaty three-spoke steering wheel, and an array of attractive metal, plastic, and leather pieces.

There’s no reason a nearly three-ton SUV needs to scoot to 60 miles per hour in an estimated 4.4 seconds, but the G63 says hell to reason and does so anyway. Key to the bulky box’s performance is its hand-built, twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine that produces a monstrous 577 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. That’s 20 horses and 111 pound-feet of twist more than the supercharged V8 in the Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic, which needs an estimated 5.1 seconds to reach the mile-a-minute mark.

While AMG spruces up the G’s performance, this is still an off-road machine at heart and the nine-speed automatic transmission pushes the engine’s grunt to all four wheels courtesy of a standard four-wheel-drive system that includes a transfer case with a dedicated low range and locking center, front, and rear differentials. Further assisting things are three AMG-specific off-road drive modes: Sand, Trail, and Rock.