Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class vs Ram 2500

What's the difference?

There’s little wonder the GLE63 S is back for a second go around, after  clearly putting the frighteners on the Audi RS Q8 and BMW’s X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition.

After all, it’s a large SUV that sacrifices little in the way of practicality (especially the wagon) in its pursuit of high performance.

And for that reason, we’re itching to go for another drive – with or without the family.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel and meals provided.

The RAM 2500 Laramie 4x4 is designed primarily as an extreme duty tow vehicle, and in that role it excels. So if you've got something really big to tow like a multi-axle caravan, horse float, boat trailer or other type of trailer up to 7.0 tonnes, you'd be hard pressed to find a more effortless and luxurious way to move it than with one of these jiggers.

First things first, the new GLE63 S is available in two body-styles, with the wagon appealing to the traditionalists out there, while the coupe targets the style-conscious.

Either way, few large SUVs are as imposing as the GLE63 S, which is a good thing considering it wants to be taken seriously.

Up front, it’s immediately identifiable as a Mercedes-AMG model thanks to its distinctive Panamericana grille insert.

The angry look is punctuated by the angular daytime running lights integrated into the Multibeam LED headlights, while the chunky front bumper has large air intakes.

Around the side, the GLE63 S stands out with its aggressive wheelarch extensions and side skirts, with the wagon getting 21-inch alloy wheels as standard, while the coupe gets 22-inch items.

From the A-pillars onwards, the differences between the wagon and coupe body-styles start to become apparent, with the latter’s roofline much more steeply raked.

At the rear, the wagon and coupe differentiate themselves even more clearly with their unique tailgates, LED tail-lights and diffusers. That said, they do have a sports exhaust system with squared-off quad tailpipes in common.

It’s worth mentioning that the difference in body-style also means a difference in dimensions, with the coupe 7mm longer (4961mm) than the wagon, despite having a 60mm-shorter wheelbase (2935mm). It’s also 1mm narrower (2014mm) and 66mm shorter (1716mm).

Inside, the GLE63 S separates itself with its flat-bottom steering wheel with Dinamica microfibre accents, and multi-contour front seats, which are upholstered in Nappa leather alongside the armrests, dashboard and door shoulders and inserts.

The door bins are of the hard plastic variety. That’s underwhelming in a vehicle that costs this much, as you would hope cow hide – or at least a soft-touch material – would be applied to them.

The black headliner acts as another reminder of its performance focus, and while it makes for a darker cabin, metallic accents feature throughout, while the trim (our test vehicle had open-pore wood) adds some variety alongside the ambient lighting.

That said, the GLE63 S is still filled to the brim with cutting-edge technology, including two 12.3-inch displays, with one the central touchscreen and the other a digital instrument cluster.

Both use Mercedes’ MBUX multimedia system and feature Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. This set-up is still the benchmark, thanks to its speed and breadth of functionality and input methods, including always-on voice control and a touchpad.

With a granite-crushing 3577kg kerb weight (by comparison Ford's top-shelf Ranger Wildtrak dual cab ute is 'only' 2250kg) the RAM 2500's architecture is tailor-made for heavy towing with a massive ladder frame chassis and expansive 3797mm wheelbase (Ranger 3220mm) providing rock-solid towing stability.

Front and rear suspension is via multi-link coil-sprung live axles (LSD rear), with four wheel disc brakes inside 18 x 8.0-inch polished alloy wheels and Michelin LT265/70R18E all-purpose tyres. Plus there's a full size spare.

ASV prefers to use the word 're-manufacture' rather than 'conversion' when describing its extensive body-off-frame RHD engineering process. We can vouch for that, having inspected the company's ISO quality-certified Melbourne production line, which turns out about 40 vehicles a month and employs 28 full-time staff in a dedicated factory right next door to HSV in Clayton. The end result is OEM standards in parts supply, engineering quality, standard of finish and driving performance.

Being a large SUV, you’d expect the GLE63 S to be quite practical, and it is, but what you wouldn’t expect is the coupe to have 25L more cargo capacity than the wagon, at a generous 655L, due to its higher window line.

That said, when you stow the 40/20/40 split-fold rear bench via the second row’s release latches, the wagon has a significant 220L advantage over the coupe, at a cavernous 2010L, thanks to its boxier design.

Either way, there’s a small load lip to contend with, making loading bulkier items a little more difficult, although that task can be made easier with the flick of a switch, as the air springs are able to lower the load height by a handy 50mm.

Better yet, four tie-down points are on hand to help secure loose items,  alongside a couple of bag hooks, while a space-saver spare resides under the flat floor.

In the second row, things are even better, with the wagon offering a crazy amount of legroom behind our 184cm driving position, as well as two inches of headroom for me.

With its 60mm-shorter wheelbase, the coupe naturally sacrifices some legroom, but it still provides three inches of legroom, while its sloping roofline trims headroom to an inch.

No matter the body-style, the five-seat GLE63 S is wide enough to seat three adults abreast with few complaints, with the transmission tunnel on the smaller side, meaning there’s plenty of room for feet.

There’s also plenty of room for child seats, with two ISOFIX and three top-tether anchorage points on hand for fitting them.

Amenities-wise, rear occupants are treated to map pockets on the front-seat backrests, as well as a fold-down armrest with two cupholders, while the door bins can accommodate a couple of regular bottles each.

A  fold-out cubby is positioned below the air vents at the rear of the centre console, containing two slots for smartphones as well as a pair of USB-C ports.

In the first row, occupants have access to the centre console’s cubby, which features two temperature-controlled cupholders, in front of which are a wireless smartphone charger, two USB-C ports and a 12V power outlet.

The central storage bin is pleasingly large and contains another USB-C port, while the glovebox is also on the larger side, and you get an overhead sunglasses holder too. Stunningly, the front door bins can take three regular bottles apiece. Not bad.

While the wagon has a large, square rear window, the coupe’s is a letterbox in comparison, so rearward visibility isn’t one of its strong suits.

The RAM 2500's payload capacity of 913kg might seem conservative compared to smaller dual cab utes with one-tonne payloads, but drill down further into its huge tow ratings and that 913kg (say 5-6 occupants and all their gear) looks mighty impressive.

Why? Because on a 50mm ball it can tow up to 3500kg with a full payload (7990kg gross combined mass), on a 70mm ball it can tow up to 4500kg with a full payload (8990kg GCM) and with a gooseneck and ring connection (aka pintle) it can tow up to 6989kg – and still with a full payload. That's a whopping 11,479kg GCM or just under 11.5 tonnes. Try doing that with a one-tonne ute!

The heart of this power giant is a Cummins 6.7 litre inline six cylinder turbo-diesel with 276kW at 2800rpm and a towering 1084Nm of torque at only 1600rpm.

The big cargo box, which is protected by a spray-in bedliner, is 511mm deep with a load floor that's 1939mm long and 1687mm wide with 1295mm between the wheel arches. That means it can take a standard 1160mm x 1160mm pallet, or a couple of dirt bikes with the tailgate up and heaps of room left for your gear and tools.

The cabin offers numerous storage options with bottle holders and twin storage pockets in the front doors, a huge centre console (which pivots into an upright position to serve as the centre seat backrest when required) with internal storage and three more cup/bottle holders, twin glove box compartments, rear door storage pockets, a central floor-mounted twin bottle holder and deep in-floor storage bins hidden under the carpet mats on either side. The rear seat can also be quickly reconfigured into a convenient flat-floored cargo area when required.

ASV offers a choice of 2500 and 3500 (larger GVM) models, with the 2500 attracting the vast majority of local sales as it has a higher peak tow rating and can be driven with a standard driver's licence.

Our test vehicle was the RAM 2500 Laramie Dual Cab 4x4 which starts at $139,500. That's a lot of money but not unreasonable when compared to the $120,000-plus you'll pay for Toyota's local towing hero, the 200 Series Land Cruiser in premium Sahara spec, with 'only' a 3.5 tonne tow rating.

The ASV RAM is supplied in top-shelf Laramie grade which includes a sumptuous six-seater leather interior with more features than you could ask for. These include all the usuals like multimedia interface, dual-zone climate control, sunroof, sliding rear window and power everything, plus some not-so-usuals like remote starting using the key-fob (great on cold mornings before you leave the house), a high-mount cargo camera to keep an eye on your payload, a heated steering wheel and power adjustable pedals to name a few on a very long list.

Further proof of its intended role in life is a seven-pin wiring harness, heavy duty receiver hitch and electric trailer brake control. In simple terms, it's fully loaded.

The GLE63 S is powered by Mercedes-AMG’s ubiquitous 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine, with this version pumping out a hard-hitting 450kW of power at 5750rpm and 850Nm of torque from 2250-5000rpm.

But that’s not all, because the GLE63 S also has a 48V mild-hybrid system called EQ Boost.

As its name suggests, it has an integrated starter-generator (ISG) that can provide up to 16kW and 250Nm of electric boost in short bursts, which means it can also reduce the sensation of turbo lag.

Mated to a nine-speed torque-converter automatic transmission with paddle-shifters, and Mercedes-AMG’s fully variable 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system, the GLE63 S sprints from a standstill to 100km/h in just 3.8 seconds, in either body-style.

The heart of this power giant is a Cummins 6.7 litre inline six cylinder turbo-diesel with 276kW at 2800rpm and - most importantly in this context – a towering 1084Nm of torque at only 1600rpm. It's also equipped with a very effective exhaust brake with a choice of settings.

Chrysler's equally robust and well-proven (68RFE) six-speed automatic transmission with driver-adaptive shifting is purpose-built for extreme duty. The 4x4 drivetrain features a dual-range Borg Warner transfer case with electronic shift-on-the-fly control and a 2.64:1 low range reduction, which with the 3.42:1 final drive results in a 29.2:1 crawl ratio. Ideal for towing a heavy load out of a rugged worksite or a campground turned boggy by overnight rain.

The GLE63 S’s fuel consumption on the combined-cycle test (ADR 81/02) varies, with the wagon achieving 12.4L/100km, while the coupe needs 0.2L more. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are 282g/km and 286g/km respectively.

When you consider the high level of performance on offer, all of these claims are fairly reasonable. And they’re made possible by the engine’s cylinder-deactivation technology and the 48V EQ Boost mild-hybrid system, which has coasting and extended idle-stop functionality.

That said, in our real-world testing with the wagon, we averaged 12.7L/100km over 149km. While that’s a surprisingly good result, its launch drive route mainly consisted of high-speed roads, so expect a much higher number in metropolitan areas.

And in the coupe, we averaged a higher but still respectable 14.4L/100km over 68km, although its launch  route purely involved high-speed country roads, and you know what that means.

For reference, the wagon has an 80L fuel tank, while the coupe has an 85L unit. Either way, the GLE63 S only takes more expensive 98RON premium petrol.

We conducted two tests based on fuel bowser and trip meter readings. The first, which mostly comprised heavy towing, resulted in 20.14L/100km compared to 16.6 on its instrument display. The second was a mix of city, suburban and highway driving with no towing which returned 15.08 litres/100km compared to 14.0 displayed.

Make no mistake, the GLE63 S is a big beast, but it certainly doesn’t act its size.

Firstly, the GLE63 S’s engine is an absolute monster, helping it to hunker down off the line and then charge on towards the horizon with serious vigour.

While there’s so much initial torque to begin with, you still get the added benefit of the ISG, which helps to eliminate lag as the new twin-scroll turbos spool up.

That said, acceleration isn’t always brutal, as the electronic stability control (ESC) is often quick to cut power when under full throttle in  first gear. Thankfully, engaging the ESC system’s Sport mode solves this issue.

This behaviour is somewhat ironic as the 4Matic+ system is seemingly never short of grip, with it's working hard to find the axle with the most traction, while torque vectoring and a rear limited-slip differential proportion torque from wheel to wheel.

Regardless, the transmission provides predictably smooth and predominantly timely gear changes, although they’re definitely not dual-clutch quick.

What’s more memorable, though, is the sports exhaust system, which keeps your neighbours relatively sane in the Comfort and Sport drive modes, but will drive them mad in Sport+, with hilarious crackles and pops heard loud and clear on the overrun.

It’s worth noting that while the sports exhaust system can be manually engaged in the Comfort and Sport drive modes via a switch on the centre console, it only makes the V8 rumble grow stronger, with the full effect only unlocked in Sport+.

Of course, there’s more to the GLE63 S experience, like the fact that  it somehow rides like a large SUV yet handles like a sports car.

The suspension’s air springs and adaptive dampers offer up a luxurious ride in the Comfort drive mode, with the GLE63 S wafting along with confidence. Not even its large-diameter alloy wheels pose too much of a threat to this quality on poorer country roads.

The ride is still more than liveable in the Sport drive mode, although the adaptive dampers become a  too firm in Sport+, with the ride becoming a little too jittery to be bearable.

Of course, the whole point of the adaptive dampers becoming progressively firmer is to help the GLE63 S handle even better, but the real revelations here are the active anti-roll bars and engine mounts, which effectively limit body roll to such a level that it’s almost imperceptible.

In fact, overall body control is impressive, with the GLE63 S not feeling like the 2.5-tonne-plus behemoth it is. It really has no right to attack corners the way it does, with the coupe feeling a touch tighter than the wagon, thanks to its 60mm-shorter wheelbase.

Further confidence is afforded by the sports brakes, which include 400mm discs with six-piston calipers up front. Yep, they wash away speed with ease, which is exactly what you’d hope for.

Also key to the handling is the electric power steering, which is speed-sensitive and has a variable ratio. It’s really quick in the wagon, and even more so in the coupe, thanks to its more direct tune.

Either way, this set-up is well-weighted in the Comfort drive mode, with plenty of feel and just the right amount of heft. That said, Sport and Sport+ make it gradually heavier, but neither make the driving experience better, so stick with the default setting.

Meanwhile, Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) levels are pretty good, although tyre roar is consistent at highway speeds, while wind whistle is prominent over the side mirrors when travelling above 110km/h.

The strong whiff of leather is a nice way to start each journey. The full-length side steps and grab handles are required for every climb in and out of the elevated cabin which provides a commanding view of the world, even though the outer edges of its vast bonnet and front mudguards disappear from view.

The front seats are wide and comfortable with good lateral support and rear seat passengers have generous head, shoulder and legroom as you would expect. Although it feels huge when you first climb aboard, the RAM starts to shrink around you the more you drive it, aided by front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera for tight parking situations (which is most of the time).

Its height of 1974mm (Ranger 1848mm) will still clear most undercover car parks (usually 2100mm limit) and its 2009mm width is only 150mm wider than a Ranger, so it will also fit within most car parking spaces. The biggest parking handicap is its oil tanker-like 6030mm length which is 675mm longer than the Ranger, so you need plenty of room for reversing.

On the highway it has a remarkably quiet cabin environment thanks to substantial ASV-added sound insulation, low wind noise and minimal tyre roar.

Ride quality when empty is generally good, although you do notice the firmness of the heavy duty spring rates over larger bumps. Acceleration is spirited, too, with an unbridled 1084Nm shoving you in the back and the steering is nicely weighted and relatively direct for an old-school steering box set-up.

The quartet of disc brakes, though, do not have the bite relative to pedal effort one might expect. ASV engineers claim it's the result of pad compounds which have to withstand the heat of up to 7.0 tonne towing loads, so they tend to be relatively hard.

On the highway it has a remarkably quiet cabin environment thanks to substantial ASV-added sound insulation, low wind noise and minimal tyre roar. At 100km/h with no payload, the 6.7 litre Cummins barely ticked over at 1400rpm and that hardly changed when we hooked up a dual axle New Age Caravan with a 3270kg tare weight.

Given that was less than half of its peak towing capacity, the big RAM barely noticed it was there. The engine's massive 1084Nm of torque at only 1600rpm was most impressive on long gradual climbs, allowing the truck and caravan combo to squash each hill in top gear with minimal throttle.

Each time you ease off the accelerator, too, the exhaust brake provides more than enough retardation (and Kenworth sound effects) to ensure you rarely need to push the brake pedal. And when you do, the electric trailer brake control provides powerful and sure-footed stopping power. The door mirrors were also wide enough to see along each side of the van and approaching rear traffic.

Currently no ANCAP rating but ASV subjected one to a full frontal barrier crash under Australian Design Rule 69/00 which it passed, thereby becoming the first locally converted (oops, re-manufactured) vehicle to be crash tested.

It's loaded with passive and active safety features including driver and front passenger airbags, front seat-mounted side airbags and front and rear side curtain airbags, electronic stability control, front and rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring display and reversing camera. The rear seat has three headrests and three lap-sash belts plus anchorage points to secure up to three child seats.

As with all Mercedes-AMG models, the GLE63 S comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which currently sets the standard for the premium market. It also comes with five years of roadside assistance.

Better yet, the GLE63 S’s service intervals are relatively long, at every year or 20,000km – whichever comes first.

It’s also available with a five-year/100,000km capped-price-servicing plan, but it costs $4450 in total, or an average of $890 per visit. Yep, the GLE63 S isn’t exactly cheap to maintain, but you expected that.

RAM Trucks Australia provides a three year/100,000km warranty plus national Roadside Assistance for the duration of the warranty period.

Service intervals of six months/12,000km whichever comes first. ASV has a 30-strong Australian dealership network providing full sales and after-sales service.