The Mercedes-Benz G-class has soldiered on since 1979, regularly refreshed with mildly updated styling and additional luxury appointments but largely unaltered since its disco-era debut. This year hews to the same strategy, with more horsepower, some opulent interior updates, and the same ammo-box shape that refuses to acknowledge the concept of aerodynamics.
For 2016, the base-model 550 gets a new, all-aluminum, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 to replace the naturally aspirated 5.5-liter unit. The new engine, based on the powerplant used in the Mercedes-AMG GT and C63, locates its turbos between the cylinder banks and kicks out 416 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque, increases of 34 horses and 59 lb-ft respectively. This engine first appeared in Mercedes’ bonkers G500 4?4?, and the recipe of smaller displacement, direct injection, and twin turbos points to the reality that even the mighty G-class must answer to tightening fuel efficiency requirements.
As crazy as it is to put more than 400 horses in a rolling barn with solid axles front and rear, that’s just the beginning of Mercedes’ G-class horsepower insanity. The Mercedes-AMG G63, shown above, gains 27 horses for 2016, its 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 now making 563 horsepower and 560 lb-ft. For those who want to actually tow their ski chalets up to the summit every winter, the Mercedes-AMG G65 with its twin-turbo 6.0-liter V-12 will bring a Spectre-worthy 621 horses and 738 lb-ft of torque.
In addition to the across-the-board power increases, the G550 and AMG G63 both get auto start-stop to save, like, a thimble-full of fuel. The suspension and electronic-stability nannies (ESP, ASR, ABS) have all been tweaked for more sure-footed handling, and the G550 now gets an optional adaptive suspension with Sport and Comfort modes. Given the way this prehistoric battle wagon drives, those mode names are probably very relative.
On the appearance front, the G550 receives an updated front bumper and the bigger fender flares from its AMG siblings. A bunch of garish new paint colors are available, with names like “Alien Green” and “Tomato Red,” with the option of black-painted bumpers, fender flares, mirrors, and roof.
Expect the lightly revamped—but largely the same—G-class to hit the U.S. market in November of this year as a 2016 model. With a base price that starts well beyond $100,000 and skyrockets into four-bedroom-house territory, the big, burly SUV is a clubhouse with a very limited membership.
Text Source: Car and Driver