Mercedes GLS AMG: which version to buy
If you are choosing a Mercedes GLS AMG, the catalogue has three named versions, not a menu of trims. GLS AMG 63 5.5 AT 4Matic (first generation, 2015-01-01 to 2019-04-30) is the large-displacement car: 5461 cm³, 585 hp, 760 Nm, 7-speed Automatic, AWD, 4.6 s to 100 km/h, 2580 kg kerb, 100 L tank.
If you are choosing a Mercedes GLS AMG, the catalogue has three named versions, not a menu of trims. GLS AMG 63 5.5 AT 4Matic (first generation, 2015-01-01 to 2019-04-30) is the large-displacement car: 5461 cm³, 585 hp, 760 Nm, 7-speed Automatic, AWD, 4.6 s to 100 km/h, 2580 kg kerb, 100 L tank. GLS AMG 63 4Matic (second generation, 2020-01-01 to 2023-03-31) cuts displacement to 3982 cm³, raises output to 612 hp, drops torque to 730 Nm, adds two gears (9-speed Automatic), and is 0.4 s quicker to 100 km/h at 4.2 s while weighing 50 kg more (2630 kg). GLS AMG 63 4.0 4Matic (second generation restyling, from 2023-04-01, stop not measured) keeps 612 hp and 2630 kg but raises torque to 850 Nm and top speed to 280 km/h. There is no GLS AMG 53 in this dataset, and no 2026 or 2027 specification to compare. Horsepower, 0–100, mpg-style consumption, weight, and engine layout below are those three versions only.
Generations: what actually changed between cars you can buy
The Mercedes GLS AMG is listed as three generation keys in the source, but they are two generations: generation 1, then generation 2 plus its restyling. Body type is SUV 5-doors in every case. Each generation/restyling has one modification.
First generation (2015-01-01–2019-04-30) is one version: GLS AMG 63 5.5 AT 4Matic. That is the only period with 5461 cm³, Turbo, Direct injection (direct), 7 gears, 196 mm ground clearance, and a 100 L tank. If you want the 5.5-litre engine, this is the only buy; later cars do not offer it.
Second generation (2020-01-01–2023-03-31) is one version: GLS AMG 63 4Matic. Displacement falls by 1479 cm³ (5461 → 3982). Power rises by 27 hp (585 → 612) and 20 kW (430 → 450). Torque falls by 30 Nm (760 → 730). Boost label changes from Turbo to Compressor. Injection changes from Direct injection (direct) to Distributed injection (multi-point). The gearbox goes from 7 to 9 speeds. Peak power rpm moves from 5500 to 6500. Compression ratio moves from 10 to 10.5. Bore × stroke moves from 98 × 90.5 to 83 x 92. Wheels become measured: 275/50 R21 and 315/45 R21. Clearance is not measured. Fuel remains 98, drive remains AWD, body remains SUV 5-doors.
The restyling of generation 2 (from 2023-04-01, production stop not measured) is not a third generation. It is one version: GLS AMG 63 4.0 4Matic. Same 3982 cm³, same 612 hp / 450 kW, same 2630 / 3395 kg, same 90 L tank, same 9-speed Automatic, same AWD, same Compressor, same 83 x 92, same 10.5 compression, same wheels. What you pay extra for, in numbers, is torque and speed: 850 Nm instead of 730 Nm (+120 Nm), peak torque band 2500–4500 instead of a single 5000 rpm point, power rpm 5750-6500 instead of 6500 only, injection back to Direct injection (direct), 0–100 still 4.2 s, top speed 280 km/h instead of 250 (+30 km/h). Mixed consumption is 13.2 L/100 km versus 11.9; CO₂ is 298 versus 273. City and highway consumption are not measured on the restyling.
Mercedes GLS AMG 63 specs: engine, horsepower, gearbox, drive
| Version | Years | hp (kW @ rpm) | Nm @ rpm | cm³ | Fuel | Cyl. / layout / valves | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLS AMG 63 5.5 AT 4Matic | 2015-01-01–2019-04-30 | 585 (430 @ 5500) | 760 @ 1750 – 5250 | 5461 | Gasoline, 98 | 8, V-shaped, 4 | Turbo | Automatic, 7 | AWD |
| GLS AMG 63 4Matic | 2020-01-01–2023-03-31 | 612 (450 @ 6500) | 730 @ 5000 | 3982 | Gasoline, 98 | 8, V-shaped, 4 | Compressor | Automatic, 9 | AWD |
| GLS AMG 63 4.0 4Matic | 2023-04-01–stop not measured | 612 (450 @ 5750-6500) | 850 @ 2500–4500 | 3982 | Gasoline, 98 | 8, V-shaped, 4 | Compressor | Automatic, 9 | AWD |
Engine placement is Front, longitudinal on all three. Euro 6 on all three.
Power per litre (hp ÷ displacement in litres): GLS AMG 63 5.5 AT 4Matic 585 ÷ 5.461 ≈ 107.1 hp/L. GLS AMG 63 4Matic and GLS AMG 63 4.0 4Matic 612 ÷ 3.982 ≈ 153.7 hp/L. The second-generation engine makes about 46.6 hp more from each litre — that is the arithmetic of shrinking 5461 cm³ to 3982 cm³ while adding 27 hp.
Torque per litre: 760 ÷ 5.461 ≈ 139.2 Nm/L (5.5 AT 4Matic); 730 ÷ 3.982 ≈ 183.3 Nm/L (63 4Matic); 850 ÷ 3.982 ≈ 213.5 Nm/L (63 4.0 4Matic). The restyling is the torque-dense buy even though horsepower matches the pre-restyle 63 4Matic.
Searches for “mercedes gls amg engine” and “gls 63 horsepower” map to these three rows. Do not invent a six-cylinder or a 53: cylinders are 8 and V-shaped in every listed version.
Mercedes GLS AMG performance, 0–100, and mpg
0–60 mph is not measured in this dataset. What is measured is 0–100 km/h.
- GLS AMG 63 5.5 AT 4Matic: 4.6 s, 250 km/h, city 15.8, highway 10.3, mixed 12.3 L/100 km, CO₂ 288.
- GLS AMG 63 4Matic: 4.2 s (−0.4 s), 250 km/h (unchanged), city 15.4 (−0.4), highway 10 (−0.3), mixed 11.9 (−0.4), CO₂ 273 (−15).
- GLS AMG 63 4.0 4Matic: 4.2 s (same as pre-restyle), 280 km/h (+30 versus both earlier cars), city not measured, highway not measured, mixed 13.2 (+1.3 versus 63 4Matic, +0.9 versus 5.5 AT 4Matic), CO₂ 298 (+25 versus 63 4Matic, +10 versus 5.5 AT 4Matic).
If the buying question is “which is quickest to 100 km/h?”, GLS AMG 63 4Matic and GLS AMG 63 4.0 4Matic tie at 4.2 s; the 5.5 is 0.4 s slower. If the question is “which has the higher top speed?”, only GLS AMG 63 4.0 4Matic is 280 km/h; the other two are 250. If the question is mpg / mixed consumption, the lowest mixed figure is GLS AMG 63 4Matic at 11.9 L/100 km. The restyling’s mixed 13.2 is the highest of the three — more torque and a higher top-speed rating do not come with a lower mixed number in this table. City and highway mpg for the restyling are not measured; do not treat them as equal to the pre-restyle 15.4 / 10.
Mercedes GLS AMG weight, dimensions, tank, wheels
Length, width, height, and wheelbase are not measured for any version. “Dimensions” that are in the data are mass, clearance, tank, and wheels.
Kerb / gross:
- GLS AMG 63 5.5 AT 4Matic: 2580 / 3290 kg. Payload arithmetic: 3290 − 2580 = 710 kg.
- GLS AMG 63 4Matic: 2630 / 3395 kg. Payload: 3395 − 2630 = 765 kg (+55 kg versus the 5.5).
- GLS AMG 63 4.0 4Matic: 2630 / 3395 kg, same as GLS AMG 63 4Matic.
The second generation is 50 kg heavier at kerb and 105 kg heavier at gross than the first. Restyling did not change those two masses.
Weight per horsepower (kerb kg ÷ hp): 2580 ÷ 585 ≈ 4.41 kg/hp (5.5 AT 4Matic); 2630 ÷ 612 ≈ 4.30 kg/hp (both 3982 cm³ cars). The later cars are heavier in absolute kilograms but slightly lighter per horsepower because +27 hp outweighs +50 kg.
Ground clearance: 196 mm on GLS AMG 63 5.5 AT 4Matic; not measured on GLS AMG 63 4Matic; not measured on GLS AMG 63 4.0 4Matic. A buyer who needs a clearance number can only take it from the first generation.
Tank: 100 L (5.5 AT 4Matic) versus 90 L (both later versions), −10 L. Mixed range arithmetic (tank ÷ mixed L/100 km × 100): 100 ÷ 12.3 × 100 ≈ 813 km (5.5); 90 ÷ 11.9 × 100 ≈ 756 km (63 4Matic); 90 ÷ 13.2 × 100 ≈ 682 km (63 4.0 4Matic). The largest tank and the longest mixed-range estimate sit on the oldest version.
Wheels: not measured on GLS AMG 63 5.5 AT 4Matic. GLS AMG 63 4Matic and GLS AMG 63 4.0 4Matic: 275/50 R21 and 315/45 R21.
Chassis labels that do not change: Independent, pneumatic front and rear; Ventilated disc front; Disc ventilated rear — on all three versions.
Which Mercedes GLS AMG version to choose
There is no price or MSRP in the data, so “what the extra money buys” can only mean what the later specification buys in measured numbers, not in currency.
Choose GLS AMG 63 5.5 AT 4Matic if the priority is displacement, torque plateau, tank, and a measured clearance. It is the only 5461 cm³, Turbo, 7-speed Automatic car here. It has the highest first-generation torque 760 Nm from 1750 – 5250 rpm — a 3500 rpm-wide band — versus the pre-restyle 4.0’s 730 Nm at a single 5000 rpm point. It is the lightest kerb mass (2580 kg), the only 196 mm clearance, and the only 100 L tank. Trade-offs versus later cars: −27 hp, +0.4 s to 100 km/h, +0.4 L/100 km mixed versus GLS AMG 63 4Matic, 7 gears instead of 9, wheels not measured, top speed still 250 km/h.
Choose GLS AMG 63 4Matic if the priority is the lowest mixed consumption and CO₂ among the three, with the same 4.2 s and 612 hp as the restyling but without the restyling’s torque and 280 km/h. Mixed 11.9 and CO₂ 273 are the best economy figures in the table. Versus the 5.5 you gain 27 hp, 0.4 s, two extra gears, and measured 21-inch wheels, at +50 kg kerb, −10 L tank, −30 Nm, and clearance not measured. Versus the restyling you give up 120 Nm and 30 km/h of rated top speed, and you keep Distributed injection (multi-point) instead of Direct injection (direct). If “mpg” is the search, this is the version whose mixed number is lowest.
Choose GLS AMG 63 4.0 4Matic if the priority is peak torque and top speed at the same horsepower and mass as GLS AMG 63 4Matic. You get 850 Nm (+120 versus the pre-restyle 4.0, +90 versus the 5.5) between 2500–4500 rpm, 280 km/h, Direct injection (direct) again, and power across 5750-6500 rpm. You do not get a lighter car, a larger tank, or a quicker 0–100: mass stays 2630 / 3395 kg, tank stays 90 L, 0–100 stays 4.2 s. Mixed consumption 13.2 and CO₂ 298 are the worst of the three. City and highway consumption are not measured. Production stop is not measured, so this is the current catalogue line, not a dated one.
What generation changed what, in one pass. Generation 1 → generation 2: engine 5461 Turbo Direct injection (direct) 585 hp / 760 Nm / 7-speed → 3982 Compressor Distributed injection (multi-point) 612 hp / 730 Nm / 9-speed; 0–100 4.6 → 4.2; mixed 12.3 → 11.9; tank 100 → 90; kerb 2580 → 2630; clearance 196 → not measured; wheels not measured → 275/50 R21 and 315/45 R21; top speed 250 → 250. Generation 2 → restyling: same 3982 / 612 hp / 9-speed / AWD / 2630 kg / 90 L / 4.2 s / same wheels; torque 730 → 850; injection Distributed injection (multi-point) → Direct injection (direct); top speed 250 → 280; mixed 11.9 → 13.2; CO₂ 273 → 298; city and highway become not measured.
Not in this catalogue: GLS AMG 53, 2026, 2027, MSRP, India price, for-sale listings, 0–60, engine oil spec, and exterior dimensions. Those searches do not correspond to extra versions here. The buy decision is among GLS AMG 63 5.5 AT 4Matic, GLS AMG 63 4Matic, and GLS AMG 63 4.0 4Matic using the numbers above.