V8
V8
Mercedes-AMG G63 sound
The Mercedes-AMG G 63 sounds like a burly, crackling V8 because its 4.0-liter twin-turbo M177 exhausts through side pipes just ahead of the rear wheels, so the noise exits close to anyone standing beside it rather than out the back. This page covers the current-generation G 63 with 577 hp, with start, idle, rev and drive recordings from the Car Sounds app.
What to listen for
- Start: a loud flare on startup that exits the side pipes, followed by a quick settle.
- Idle: a deep, uneven V8 burble, muffled slightly by the turbos but still clearly a V8.
- Revs: a smooth, rising growl with crackles and pops as the throttle closes.
- Drive: the heavy midrange pull and a faint turbo whoosh layered under the exhaust.
Side pipes on a boxy SUV
Side-exit exhausts are a long-running AMG G-Class signature, and the current G 63 keeps them. Because the pipes end on the flanks instead of behind the bumper, the car sounds loudest from the side and noticeably louder to passersby than many conventional SUVs.
The tall, flat body also plays a part. There is no sleek tail to carry the sound away, so the exhaust note bounces off walls and parked cars, which is why G 63 clips recorded in a street or garage tend to sound so booming.
Hot-V turbos and what they do to the tone
The M177 places both turbochargers inside the V between the cylinder banks, an arrangement often called a hot V. It keeps the exhaust path short and the response quick, but the turbines also absorb energy from the exhaust pulses before they reach the pipes. That makes the note deeper and smoother than a naturally aspirated V8 of similar size, with less high-frequency rasp.
AMG compensates with flaps in the exhaust. In the sportier drive modes they open up, and on the overrun the engine adds pops and crackles. Underneath, the cross-plane crank still gives the G 63 an uneven V8 burble at idle.
How the G 63 compares to its relatives
The same basic 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 family powers the Mercedes-AMG GT, where the dry-sump M178 version sits low in a front-mid sports car, and the M177 also goes into the current Aston Martin Vantage. Each sounds different because of exhaust tuning and packaging: the G 63 is the bluntest and boomiest of the three, the GT sharper, and the Vantage tuned with its own character.
Frequently asked questions
What engine is in the Mercedes-AMG G 63?
The current G 63 uses AMG's M177 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with the turbos mounted inside the V. In the US it is rated at 577 hp.
Why does the G-Wagon exhaust come out the side?
Side-exit pipes ahead of the rear wheels are a long-standing feature of AMG G-Class models. They are a big part of why the G 63 sounds so loud when you stand beside it.
Does the G 63 pop and crackle?
Yes. With the exhaust flaps open in the sportier drive modes, the G 63 produces pops and crackles when you lift off the throttle.
