The Mercedes GLE-Class is a relative neophyte in the SUV game, having only made its debut at the 2015 New York Auto Show.->ke226 The GLE-Class->ke4971 takes the reigns from the M-Class as Mercedes’ resident mid-size SUV,->ke145 bringing with it a new name and a renewed commitment towards becoming the best in its segment. Only a few months after the GLE’s debut, Mercedes->ke187 pulled the covers off of its high-performance variant, the GLE 63 AMG.

With the GLE 63 AMG already out in the wild, aftermarket tuners are lining up to get their hands on the macho coupe-SUV.->ke141 That includes Wheelsandmore, which actually already has a kit lined up for the GLE 63 AMG. The kit doesn’t have a name, which is somewhat surprising, but fancy nicknames notwithstanding, Wheelsandmore has once again lived up to its billing as one of the most thought-out tuners in the business.

The kit for the GLE 63 AMG follows the traditional tuning blueprint of the German tuner. It doesn’t have any exterior and interior modifications, but it does have comprehensive engine and wheel upgrades that bring a whole new face to the mid-size SUV. If people have ever wondered what the GLE 63 AMG can become if it ripped off its shirt and revealed itself to be a monster, it would probably look a lot like what Wheelsandmore did to it. Yes, the German tuner has turned the GLE 63 AMG into something akin to the Incredible Hulk. It’s an angry green monster with a lot of rage within it.

Continue reading to learn more about the Mercedes GLE 63 AMG by Wheelsandmore.

2015 Mercedes GLE 63 AMG by Wheelsandmore

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2015 Mercedes GLE 63 AMG by Wheelsandmore
  • Engine/Motor: V8
  • Horsepower: 800
  • Torque: 848
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

Wheelsandmore is characteristically prudent about doing any exterior upgrades on its programs. It’s no different with the Mercedes GLE 63 AMG. The usual racing stripes adorn the new Merc SUV but other than that, the overall look of the GLE 63 AMG remains the same. As usual, the German tuner did do some work on the SUV’s wheels, replacing the stock versions with a new set of 22-inch ultralight forged multi-piece 6Sporz² wheels. Ultra-concave F.I.W.E. wheels, also measuring 22 inches, are also available with the program.The wheels’ three-part construction also allows for customers to have them customized depending on their color and surface preferences. Tire sizes remain standard at 285/40/22 in the front and 325/35/22 at the back, although Wheelsandmore is offering wider forged rims, measuring 10 inches in the front and 12.5 inches at the back.

Interior

Don’t expect to see any interior upgrades on the GLE 63 AMG. That’s never been Wheelsandmore’s style and it’s no different with this particular tuning kit. The cabin of the GLE 63 AMG will remain in stock configuration, although owners shouldn’t have too much of a problem with that considering that it’s already dressed up to the nines, like all AMG models are.

Drivetrain

How can an SUV that already has a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 that makes 367 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque become more powerful? If you asked that question to Wheelsandmore, it’s going to answer the only way it knows how: by giving it a massive performance tuning kit.

In this particular example, the German tuner went the extra mile by adding special beared turbochargers, downpipes with sport catalysts, special F1 air filters, and a valve-flap controlled sport exhaust system. It also performed a dyno optimized ECU remap, bringing the SUV’s total output up to a staggering 800 horsepower and 848 pound-feet of torque. Do the math and this tuning kit represents an increase of 433 ponies and 465 pound-feet of torque. It’s really quite stunning, and the result of such a massive spike in output allows the GLE 63 AMG to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.9 seconds, 1.8 seconds quicker than the standard model.

Unfortunately, Wheelsandmore kept the top speed “limited” to just 186 mph for what it says as “safety reasons”. I’m not quite sure how that’s going to fly considering that even at 186 mph, that’s still 31 mph faster than the standard model’s electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

Prices

Wheelsandmore doesn’t really release any pricing details for its programs so anybody who may be interested in availing the kit can do so by contacting the German tuner directly. Remember, Wheelsandmore is based in Germany so customers looking to have their GLE 63 AMGs customized will likely have to send their SUVs to the company. It’s going to cost an arm and a leg to do that, but it should be worth it once the vehicle comes back bigger and better than ever before.

Competition

Mercedes-AMG GLE 63S by Brabus

Any discussion of a tuning firm that specializes in Mercedes models will inevitably lead to the mention of Brabus. After all, the German firm is synonymous with tuning kits associated with the Silver Arrows. Just recently, Brabus lived up to its reputation by unveiling its first of what I presume to be many aftermarket programs for the GLE 63 AMG.

The kit itself is typical of what you’d come to expect from Brabus. The exterior of the high-performance coupe-SUV has its share of cosmetic and aerodynamic improvements, including a front spoiler lip, side air intakes, rear roof spoiler, diffuser and carbon surrounds on the side air outlets. Inside, the GLE 63 AMG was the recipient of a two-tone leather treatment made up of black leather and azure-blue Mastik leather. Brabus also added some custom accessories in the form of aluminum stock door lock pins and pedals, as well as stainless-steel scuff plates, each with a backlit logo of the German tuner.

The real highlight of this program is the B63S - 700 performance kit that Brabus developed to add massive amounts of power to the GLE 63 AMG. The kit is comprised of two special turbochargers that have been added to the 5.5-liter V-8 mill of the SUV, bringing the total output up to 691 horsepower and 708 pound-feet of torque — good enough to drop the SUV’s 0-to-62-mph sprint time from 4.2-seconds to a 4.0-seconds and improve the top speed from 155 mph to 186 mph.

Read our full review here.

Porsche Cayenne Turbo S by TopCar

In the absence of another tuning kit for the GLE 63 AMG, I’m turning my attention to one of the SUV’s rivals, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S.

Stuttgart’s finest has its share of admirers in the tuning world so it’s no surprise that there are programs available for the SUV. One that’s worth noting is Russian tuner TopCar, which has made a habit of building some pretty racy kits for the Cayenne. This particular one doesn’t have any engine upgrades, but it does have a noteworthy aero kit that’s made from fancy materials like carbon fiber and Kevlar. There’s a new front bumper with LED lights, a new hood with air intakes, extenders, linings on the front fenders, and side skirts.

Unfortunately, TopCar doesn’t care too much for performance upgrades so it’s hardly a surprise that this kit doesn’t have one. It’s a little disappointing, but I think that the Cayenne’s 4.8-liter, twin-turbo, V-8 engine that produces 570 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque is good enough to gain its own share of fans.

Read our full review here.

Conclusion

Wheelsandmore is like that hitter in baseball that rarely hits balls out of the park, but is often as good as anyone at hitting singles and doubles. Basically, he's the Ichiro Suzuki of the tuning world. That's a great honor for a tuner that has more than lived up to its name. I've come to accept that the tuner has its shortcomings, but it has more than made up for it with the kind of performance programs it routinely dishes out. Chalk up this kit for the GLE 63 AMG as another double for the tuning world's resident top-of-the-order hitter.