There are driving days, there are good driving days, and then there are days when someone hands you the keys to a 500kW Mercedes-AMG, points you towards a racetrack and effectively says, ‘Try not to break anything.’ Welcome to the Mercedes-Benz Driving Experience!
We recently joined Mercedes-Benz New Zealand for a day of four-wheeled entertainment, where the programme promised everything from high-speed hot laps and precision driving to sideways drifting and some seriously challenging off-road adventures. And, frankly, who were we to say no?
With a collection of some of the brand’s most impressive machinery at our disposal, including a few newer additions to the family, it was an opportunity to explore just what happens when 140 years of automotive engineering meets a healthy dose of right-foot enthusiasm and mud.
140 years of making things move
Before the fun began, there was a reminder that Mercedes-Benz has been doing this automotive thing for quite some time. With 140 years of engineering, design and safety behind it, the brand has built a reputation on innovation, luxury and performance.
Our briefing covered everything from vehicle technology and safety systems to the impressive machinery we’d be getting behind the wheel of.
First up was the new Mercedes-Benz GLS, and not just any GLS. We were being introduced to the GLS 450d. Think enormous proportions, sumptuous luxury, a cabin that feels more private lounge than family transport, and enough performance to move the entire family and then some.
The GLS is also an interesting example of Mercedes-Benz’s evolving approach to its model range, with greater emphasis on customers choosing the drivetrain that best suits their needs rather than being restricted by traditional model divisions.
And let’s not forget its interior. The central display suite is absolutely enormous, it really puts the Capital I in Infotainment. You can check the power distribution, your location, the weather (and sooo much more) all while watching Tarmac Life TV Show on YouTube – although doing so while driving might be frowned upon.
But admiring the upholstery wasn’t why we were there. It was time to find out what happens when you give a rather large luxury SUV a serious workout.
287kW of SUV Impressiveness
There’s something wonderfully ridiculous about taking a large, leather-lined luxury SUV onto a racetrack and asking it to behave like a performance coupe. The GLS 450d, however, seemed perfectly happy with the arrangement.
Our track instructors talked us through braking points, racing lines, apexes and throttle application. It was a chance to understand how much the car’s electronics and chassis systems could do, while also learning to trust the machinery beneath us. Brake hard, release, turn in, find the apex and get back on the power. Simple enough in theory, although considerably more entertaining when there’s a big SUV involved.
On track, that performance translates into some rather impressive acceleration. Coming out of the corners, the big SUV gathered speed with surprising urgency, while its braking and cornering ability demonstrated just how much engineering goes into keeping something of this size composed.
We also had the opportunity to experiment with Sports mode, paddle-shift operation and the electronic stability programme. The result is a rather entertaining reminder that luxury and ample performance aren’t mutually exclusive. And as if that’s not enough, I managed to drive the luxuriously hefty machine around the trach without touching the brakes, it’s regen braking is that good.
G-Wagon: Because apparently hills aren’t supposed to be difficult
If the GLS was all about speed and precision, the G-Wagon experience was about demonstrating that some vehicles really don’t care what lies in front of them. We were introduced to the Mercedes-Benz G450d, a diesel-powered interpretation of the legendary G-Class, and arguably one of the most recognisable off-roaders on the planet. This latest diesel setup produces 367hp and is supported by a 20hp electric motor, which helps spin up the turbocharger and reduce turbo lag.
Our off-road instructor wanted to demonstrate the G-Wagon’s various driving modes, its electronic assistance systems and, perhaps most importantly, just how much capability remains when you hand control back to the driver.
First up was a steep hill climb. Now, climbing a steep hill in a conventional SUV can be an exercise in faith, particularly when the gradient becomes so severe that you can no longer see where you’re going. Thankfully, the G-Wagon has a trick for that. Its forward-facing camera provides a view of the terrain directly ahead, allowing you to see what’s coming rather than relying on guesswork or asking an unfortunate passenger to scramble down the hill and act as a human guide. (Not that I was volunteering for that particular job).
Then came the descent. With the vehicle’s downhill assistance engaged, we were able to take both feet off the pedals and let the electronics manage the speed, braking and traction. No accelerator. No brake. Just sit back and watch the G-Wagon carefully make its way down the slope.
It’s one of those moments when you realise just how much technology has changed off-roading. What once required considerable driver skill and experience can now be made considerably more accessible through clever engineering. Of course, there’s more to the G-Wagon than electronics.
Rock, roll and 35 degrees of confidence
Switching into Rock mode demonstrated another side of the G-Class. The suspension and drivetrain systems adjust to help the vehicle negotiate uneven terrain, while real-time suspension telemetry gives the driver an insight into what’s happening beneath the wheels.
Watching the suspension articulate as the G-Wagon crawled over obstacles was fascinating. Wheels compressed into their arches, others extended to maintain contact with the ground, and the vehicle simply continued onwards. Its rugged ladder-frame construction and long-established off-road DNA are still very much part of the G-Class formula.
We were also shown the vehicle’s impressive stability, with the ability to handle substantial side inclines. At one point, the telemetry showed a 27-degree tilt, with the instructor explaining that the vehicle’s capability extends to 35 degrees. That’s a fairly convincing way of demonstrating just how much confidence the platform can provide.
Water crossings were also on the agenda, with the G450d offering up to 700mm of wading depth. The fully electric G580 takes that figure even further, at 850mm. And while the G-Wagon is packed with technology designed to make off-roading easier, there’s also the option to switch systems off and give experienced drivers greater control. In other words, it can be as accommodating or as hands-on as you want it to be.
Whether you’re a seasoned off-road enthusiast or someone who simply wants to get through a particularly muddy paddock without calling for assistance, the G-Class makes a compelling case for itself.
And then there was the fun stuff…
While the GLS and G-Wagon provided two very different demonstrations of Mercedes-Benz engineering, the wider experience was about enjoying the breadth of the marque’s lineup. There were fast laps, performance driving exercises, opportunities to explore vehicle dynamics and, of course, some sideways action.
It’s easy to look at a manufacturer’s specification sheet and appreciate horsepower, torque, acceleration figures and clever electronic systems. But experiencing those things in a controlled environment, with professional instructors alongside you, provides an entirely different perspective.
You begin to understand how the systems work together, how much confidence they can give the driver and just how capable modern Mercedes-Benz vehicles really are. And importantly, you get to have a bit of a laugh along the way.
The day also gave us the opportunity to experience some of the newer additions to the Mercedes-Benz family, including the GLC and GLE, offering a glimpse of the brand’s latest thinking in the premium SUV space.
A Maybach ending? Don’t mind if we do!
After a day of tyre abuse, V8 noise, steep gradients and rather enthusiastic driving, you’d think we’d had our fill, Apparently not. The experience finished with an opportunity to spend some time inside the rather extraordinary Mercedes-Maybach SL 680.
And what a way to finish. Where the G-Wagon had been busy proving that mud, rocks and ridiculous gradients were merely suggestions, the Maybach SL 680 represented an altogether different interpretation of automotive excess.
Open-top luxury, beautifully finished details and the sort of presence that makes you want to find a particularly scenic road and take the long way home. It’s a rather wonderful contrast to the day’s earlier activities.
More than just a day at the track
What stood out about the Mercedes-Benz Driving Experience wasn’t simply the opportunity to drive some expensive and exceptionally capable vehicles. It was the chance to understand them.
The GLS 63 showed that a luxury SUV can deliver genuine supercar-like acceleration and impressive track performance. The G450d demonstrated that the G-Class remains a seriously capable off-roader, with technology that can make challenging terrain far less intimidating. And the Maybach SL 680? Well, some things really don’t need explaining.
Bringing owners and automotive media together for a day of hands-on driving also offered a welcome reminder that cars are supposed to be enjoyed, not simply admired from behind a showroom rope. Mercedes-Benz has spent 140 years refining the art of getting people from A to B. But days like this demonstrate that there’s an awful lot of fun to be had between those two points.
And if the invitation comes around again? We’ll bring our driving shoes. And perhaps a change of clothes for the G-Wagon.
