2025 Mercedes-AMG GT63 Pro 4Matic+ First Drive: Can This 603-hp, Track-Happy Beast Topple the 911?

Unpredictable drizzle and 603-horsepower track cars don’t usually mix, but this was happening. As we prepped for our time at the Ascari racetrack in Spain, the on-again, off-again sprinkle shifted our approach to driving a $200,000 car, but it couldn’t damper our excitement. You’re looking at Mercedes-AMG’s hottest new interpretation of driving joy, the 2025 GT63 Pro 4Matic+.

Think of the Pro as a track-focused upgrade for a car we already like on the street. With more power and subtle dynamic upgrades, the GT63 Pro aims to chip away at the Porsche 911’s dominance in our hearts. Seriously, you should see the way our test team writes its track notes about 911s. So with neither the most power in the GT lineup nor the provenance of the 911 nameplate, the 2025 Mercedes-AMG GT63 Pro had to prove itself on the track, rain or shine.

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Track and Street Ready Upgrades

To better compete with the 911’s dizzying array of variants, Mercedes is expanding the GT family to show the breadth of its capabilities.

An entry-level 416-hp GT43 provides rear-wheel-drive thrills, while the GT55, GT63, and GT63 S E Performance models feature AMG-tuned all-wheel drive. Like the regular GT63, the new GT63 Pro has a 4.0-liter turbocharged V-8 at its front-engine heart. Go Pro to bump power to 603 hp from 577 and torque to 627 lb-ft from 590.

Impressive numbers, but surprisingly the Pro doesn’t top the GT line in power or 0–60-mph acceleration. The GT63 S E Performance hybrid produces a staggering 805 hp and accelerates to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds. That’s 0.4 second quicker than Mercedes’ 3.1-second estimate for the 2025 GT63 Pro, but the E Performance’s straight-line gains come at a cost of weight and—with its smaller cargo area—everyday livability.

If it were my money, I’d skip the E Performance model, which reduces GT practicality. After all, that feature was a big-deal change for this second-gen GT model; when it arrived, the big question was whether newly available rear seats, AWD, and more comfort would dilute its sports car soul.

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Does the Pro Have PVOTY Potential?

On-track performance was where the standard GT63 faltered during our most recent Performance Vehicle of the Year testing—relatively speaking, that is, in the company of some seriously heavy sports car hitters. By the end of our judges’ hot laps, for example, the brakes started to heat up and sapped some of their confidence. Much of the Pro package includes optional gear from the standard GT63, but a few upgrades are unique to the Pro.

Besides the power bump, there’s a revised front bumper design with carbon-fiber air deflectors to cool the brakes and increase downforce. Updated brake cover plates also help, and there are two radiators—one in each front wheel arch—to increase cooling efficiency. We’d love to see if a Pro model will perform better under the same Performance Vehicle of the Year conditions with these upgrades.

A checkered flag badge in back doesn’t improve aerodynamics or any other performance, but it sure looks cool. Aerodynamic updates include the fixed carbon-fiber rear wing and should make the car more stable at higher speeds. Lightweight forged 21-inch wheels come with your choice of Michelin Pilot Sport 5 or more extreme Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires.

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Let’s Go

The 2025 Mercedes-AMG GT63 Pro moves with confidence on the track. With the sound of that AMG V-8 bellowing behind you, the GT63 Pro feels similar to the comparison-winning non-Pro models we’ve driven. We’ve found the standard GT63 easy to work into a rhythm on the track, with the AWD system making the car easy to place and, depending on your mood, easy to slide the tail out around corners.

Like that model, the GT63 Pro offers customizable dynamics and approachable limits thanks largely to an AWD setup that becomes more rear-biased the more you move from comfort to Sport, Sport+, and Race driving modes. On a wet track with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires, however, we don’t recommend driving with abandon. In Sport+ and Race modes, the Pro’s tail will step out if your inputs aren’t smooth enough. And even occasionally when they are.

Body roll is kept to a minimum, and good brake feel allows you to concentrate on perfecting your racing line. What strikes us most about the GT63 Pro is the way its dynamics can shift as the driver’s skill grows. During the 360 days a year you don’t spend at the track, the GT63 Pro’s AWD and the default Comfort mode should make the car more usable. 

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5–7 Millimeters

Watching an AMG, er, pro driver rip around the track in the GT63 Pro really shows what the car can do. The AMG crew is so tuned in, we’re told they noticed when the position of the fixed rear wing was adjusted by as little as 5–7 mm during development. That level of focus on the details defines the best driver’s cars.

Mercedes has a solid niche-filling addition in the GT63 Pro, but as capable as this car is, weight is still the enemy. This remains a heavier car than its predecessor simply because it’s designed to be more well-rounded. Lighter-weight cars are often more fun because you can feel that lack of bulkiness around every curve.

With the continued expansion of the GT lineup, AMG clearly can’t help itself. An even purer, hardcore track special like the 911 GT3 RS or last-gen AMG GT Black Series is a very real possibility beyond the GT63 Pro.

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Not Another 911

The Mercedes-AMG GT63’s credentials as a driver’s car were already established before the Pro arrived with upgrades you might discern on a higher-speed track like the one we experienced for this test drive. The AMG GT63 Pro further establishes the GT as a sports car, but the inimitable Porsche 911 would likely be similarly capable and fun, and with a much lighter curb weight. But in certain circles, it may seem like everyone has a 911, or at least once did. So do you want to be like everybody else?

That’s the real power of the 2025 Mercedes-AMG GT63 Pro. As a driver’s car not blessed by the popularity of more than half a century of pedigree such as the 911 is, the GT63 looks more exclusive and has a different story to tell. And it’s a heck of a good one.