SimplyAbuDhabi XXXIII

2 3 8 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I Finally, there’s the perfectly clear view out the back with a proper sized rear window which despite being partially blocked by the spare wheel, still offers more rearward visibility than most of the wedge- shaped SUVs like the Urus, range rover Velar, Porsche Cayenne or bMWX6. it took a while to re-adjust to this old-school visibility because while you can clearly see out of all eight windows, that also means you are on show from all directions and it felt a bit like sitting in a goldfish bowl but nothing that some subtle window tinting couldn’t fix. While most AMGs have a definable burble that a trained ear can pick as an AMG from a distance, it’s perhaps the height of the G 63mixed with the side exiting pipes that create a specific resonance under the car and gives it a completely distinct audible signature. no other car can be mistaken for a G 63 AMG as it sounds less like a burble or growl or any other euphemism we use to describe exhaust notes and instead is like a never-ending loop of rolling thunder providing a constant underlying soundtrack to everything around you. it sounds like a storm brewing in the distance, ready to unleash on an unsuspecting populace and despite its slab-sided appearance, that’s exactly what it does with a zero to 100kmh time of 4.4 seconds. Getting to know a car is a tactile experience and with apologies to our friends furiously building a new generation of electric cars, much of the enjoyment of driving comes not just from the look but also the sound and feel. That feel from the rumbly V8 to the way the doors close on a G-Class are second to none. The big swing-out back door has a reassuringly solid ‘thunk’ as do the passenger doors that literally close airtight like the hatch on a private jet. Like the therapeutic feeling you get from popping bubble wrap plastic or kneading bread dough, i could open and close those doors all day long. With more than 300,000 G-Wagens now on the roads, it’s a sure thing that even with a starting price of dhs600,000, this G 63 will continue the tradition of being one of the most sought-after cars on UAE roads for a long time to come.