Merc’s new AMG GLE lineup will set you back at least R2.4 million in South Africa

You’ve got two-and-a-half million in South African currency lying around, right? Alternatively, a compliant bank loan manager can help you score one of the brand new and shiny Mercedes AMG GLE series of SUVs or coupés, provided you can convince them that your purchase is a sound investment.

There are four models to choose from, starting with the Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+ SUV which comes complete with a sliding sunroof, heated front seats (without a subscription), Adaptive Highbeam Assist, and something that Merc calls Smartphone Integration but that we suspect is a Bluetooth/WiFi connection to the onboard operating system. Maybe an app. The point is that these are all standard options, included in the R2.4 million price tag.

AMG GLE’s Crouching Coupé, Hidden SUV

There are two additional versions of the GLE 53 4MATIC+ inbound. There’s a seven-seater version of the SUV, which bumps the price up to R2.42 million (without the installation of extras like 360° parking assist, performance exhaust, blind spot assist, and keyless start) as well as a coupé edition, which has additional standard features to justify the R2.53 million asking price. The AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé includes separate climate control for the front seats, MBUX Augmented Reality, and Multibeam LED headlights as standard, in addition to the features from the SUV.

But these are still basic vehicles compared to the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC+ SUV and Coupé models, either of which will set you back R3.8 million before any optional bits are added to the final price tag. As ever, the standard features aren’t to be sneezed at. Something Merc calls the Air-Balance Package, multi-contour front seats, a heads-up display, the MBUX Interior Assistant, temperature-controlled cupholders (a feature we didn’t even know existed), and an AMG logo projector for the doors are all part of the standard package for the AMG GLE 63 coupé.

All of Merc’s AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+ models are powered by a twin-turbo 320 kW 3.0‑litre straight-six. They’re capped at a 250km/h top speed and will reach 100km/h in five seconds from a standing start. The Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S pair also feature twin turbos but these function with a 450kW 4.0‑litre V8. What good’s all that extra power if you can’t use it? Mercedes has rated the AMG GLE 63 at 280km/h with a 3.8-second 0-100km/h time.

Both models are powered by an Integrated Starter Generator (ISG), which combines starter, alternator, and hybrid motor functions for just a little extra fine-tuning while out on the road. This is in addition to the usual run of advanced AMG assists and functions that you’re most definitely paying for here. Again, though, you need a couple of million to think about driving one of these around town. We’re just going to dream about them for a while instead.