Mercedes-Benz updates the G-Class and its AMG variants
The Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen has been in production for over 35 years. Its various generations have showcased the luxury carmaker's ability of building off-road vehicles with the expected touch of. . . well. . . luxury.
The German marque has now released an updated G-Class that features a new engine, suspension and interiors. The looks have been tweaked, with new bumpers and flared wheel arches. Apart from these, the overall look remains unchanged which isn't a bad thing since the G-Class looked at home, be it on a mountain top or in a gangster rap video.
The G500 gets a new 4-litre V8 biturbo engine that is based on engine that powers the Mercedes-AMG GT. However, it is tuned to produce 416PS and 450Nm of torque. The company claims that the new engine offers superior response and high tractive power due to the location of the turbos that are placed in-between the cylinder banks.
The rest of the engines in the range get updated so the G 350 Diesel now produces 245PS and 442Nm of torque. For those who fancy the AMG moniker and the fireworks that accompany it, the G 63 AMG produces 563PS of power albeit with the same torque of 560Nm. The even more mental G 65 produces a gargantuan (so rarely have an opportunity to use it in a sentence) 621PS and 738Nm of torque. As a means of conforming to the times, all except the G 65 AMG get stop-start system to offer a little more fuel-efficiency.
Performance figures? Mercedes-Benz claim 0 to 100 time of 8.9 seconds for G 350 Diesel, 5.9 seconds for the G 500, 5.4 seconds for the G 63 and 5.3 seconds for the G 65.
Mercedes-Benz also say that they have reworked the suspension to offer better on-road ride comfort. The company further adds that they have reworked the ESP to ensure better dynamics and tuned the ABS and ASR to shorten braking distances. The G500 will come with an optional, new adaptive damping system that allows the driver to choose between Comfort and Sport modes. Mercedes-Benz say that this suspension system will offer a good balance during on-road and off-road driving situations.
The interiors too get a makeover with a new instrument cluster. There are a set of new, vibrant colour scheme options to choose from namely, tomato red, alien green, solar beam and more.
For those who desire something different, there is an AMG Edition 463 model that gives the G-Class a sporty look, says Mercedes-Benz. The model features a dual tone instrument panel, dual-tone seats in high-quality Designo leather door pulls in Nappa leather. The distinction continues on the exteriors too as the AMG Edition 463 sports exclusive 21-inch alloys, stainless steel underguard and AMG sport stripes.
Expect Mercedes-Benz to launch the new G-Class in India soon.