MERCEDES BENZ G-Klasse AMG Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

When the regular G-Class 4x4 fitted with a powerful AMG engine was not enough for some tastes, then there was the G63 AMG 6x6 to get, albeit with a seven-figure price.

Over the years, the G-Class evolved from the status of a mundane, utilitarian vehicle to a luxury vehicle. Even though by 2013, it was no longer considered such a mundane vehicle, underneath its body-on-frame construction, it still relied on solid axles. Regardless of the grade, all G-Classes featured three locking differentials and the ability to rock-crawl all day long. But then, there was this vehicle: the G63 AMG 6x6, which came with a much longer chassis and an extra axle on its back to support the tall and hefty vehicle. In some countries, customers had to have commercial driving licenses to use it on public roads. But the G63 AMG 6x6 didn’t need public or paved roads. An open-wide desert, a plain, or a tundra would suit it better.

Right off the bat, the SUV was huge by anyone’s standards. With its almost seven-foot height, sitting on massive 35-inch tires, it dominated most other cars on the road. Its grille sported the double-slat trim from the regular AMG versions of the car, and the same went with the Xenon headlights underlined by LED daytime running lights. But underneath the plastic bumper, there was enough room to crawl, thanks to the 18.1-inch (460 mm) ground clearance.

From its side, the G63 AMG 6x6 impressed not only with its height but also with its length since it was considerably longer than a regular G-Class. The wheelbase between the front and the rearmost axle was 4,196 mm (13.7 ft), which was more than the car’s first-generation overall length in its three-door version! Furthermore, the four-door cabin was slightly extended behind the rear doors to make room for the seats. Then, behind it, the automaker added a bed. Another unique aspect of the vehicle was its 18-inch beadlock alloy wheels wrapped in wide boots. The rear fenders featured an extended cut that covered both wheels underneath it, with an additional molding that covered the tires.

Mercedes-Benz worked hard to create a luxurious, S-Class-level interior for the supersized SUV. Customers could get the vehicle with a two-ton leather upholstery and in a four or five-seat configuration. Fronting the driver was an instrument panel carried over from the G63 AMG, with individual clusters for the speedometer and tachometer and a TFT color display between them. Atop the center stack, the automaker installed a touchscreen for the COMAND infotainment system. The three buttons for locking the differentials and axles were in the same spot, but they controlled five differentials, not just three.

Under its rugged skin, the SUV featured a biturbo 5.5-liter V8 engine. It was paired to a seven-speed automatic gearbox that sent the torque to the wheels via a two-speed transfer box. Unlike the rest of the G-Class range, the G 63 AMG 6x6 sat on three portal axles, which helped it reach almost double the ground clearance of its stablemates. In addition, it could go through three feet (one meter) of water without any trouble. Furthermore, thanks to the adjustable inflating system for the wheels, the car’s heavy weight was distributed to match the pressure of a person’s foot on the ground.

With the 2012 Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG, the German automaker raised the level of the horsepower war that it had with other automakers around the Globe.

For those who were not satisfied with the grunt and the power provided by the G 55 AMG, the three-pointed-star brand imagined a new vehicle: the G 63 AMG. However, while some thought that it had a naturally-aspirated V12 engine under its hood, there was a biturbo 5.5-liter V8. As a result, it delivered more ponies and twisting force to rocket the shed-shaped SUV from naught to 100 kph (0-62 mph) quicker than its supercharged G 55 AMG predecessor. Even though it was just by a tenth of a second, it was still faster. Furthermore, the new variant came with essential additional features that made it look better.

At the front, the 2012 G 55 AMG came with a revised front fascia that featured LED daytime running lights underlining the round headlights. In an era where almost everyone else used swept-back headlamps, the G-Wagon still kept the round ones, like on its 1979 ancestor. Furthermore, the G 63 sported a new grille adorned by a twin horizontal slat with chromed finishes, specific for the AMG versions. The lower bumper was redesigned compared to the rest of the G-Class range, featuring a rectangular air intake flanked by a pair of side scoops, all covered by a mesh.

From its profile, the 2012 G 63 AMG boasted its large-diameter 20-inch light-alloy wheels, which were available either with titanium-grey or matte-black finish. The wheel fenders were adorned by flared moldings visually connected via the chromed-metallic side steps that eased ingress and egress to the vehicle. Like the rest of the G-Class range from the same model year, the potent SUV sported V-shaped turn signals into its door mirror caps. The automaker kept the twin side exhausts that were a unique trademark for the AMG-powered vehicles. Finally, at the back, the G 63 AMG featured rectangular LED taillights with rounded-shaped reversing lights.

The automaker refreshed the SUV’s interior, starting from scratch. It added a new dashboard that included a redesigned instrument cluster with individual clusters for the speedometer and tachometer. Between them, a rectangular TFT color display was added that showed data from the car’s onboard computer and the sound system. Furthermore, atop the center stack, Mercedes-Benz installed a seven-inch touchscreen COMAND infotainment unit, which included navigation. Its controller sat between the new, leather-wrapped front seats. The same material was used to upholster the split-folding bench seat in the back.

Under the hood, AMG installed a redesigned and hand-crafted 5.5-liter V8 biturbo engine. It sent its power in all corners via a two-speed transfer box and a SPEEDSHIFT seven-speed automatic gearbox. Like all the other G-Class W463 vehicles, the G 63 AMG featured three manually locking differentials.

Placing a biturbo V12 engine under the hood of a G-Class might have sounded too bold for 2012, but Mercedes-Benz did it and made its customers happy when it introduced the G 65 AMG.

When Mercedes-Benz designed the first generation of the G-Class in the '70s, it made it to be suitable as a utilitarian or an army vehicle. Over time, people loved this shed shape and started to use it in and around towns. They barely saw any rough terrain other than potholes or some curbs, but they saw a lot of streets. But the G-Class had two major issues: it was heavy and underpowered. While the former one couldn't be solved since the SUV was a body-on-frame construction, the latter was easier to do. At first, it introduced larger V8 engines that replaced the older four-banger ones. When that was not enough, the automaker employed AMG to add superchargers to them. But when other customers with deep pockets complained again, they changed the recipe and gave them the 2012 G 65 AMG, a biturbo V12 beast that could rip off tarmac from the streets thanks to its huge torque.

With a front fascia that looked carried over from a bus, the 2012 G 65 had a menacing look. Its round headlights featured Xenon brights that made it look modern. Furthermore, the automaker underlined them with LED bars for the daytime running lights. But still, the turn signal lamps were left in the same position as those from the 1979 model year, above the front fenders. They even had exposed mounting screws. The lower bumper tried to sweeten the deal with a somewhat rounded shape, albeit it sported a rectangular center air intake flanked by a pair of squared scoops, all covered by a mesh.

From its profile, the tall and squared-looking vehicle sported new plastic moldings around the front and rear wheel arches. They were visually connected via the chromed metallic side steps. The behemoth vehicle sat on large 20-inch light-alloy wheels finished in titanium-gray or matte-black, depending on the options. Mercedes-Benz also improved the look of the door mirror caps by adding V-shaped turn signals inspired by those from the E-Class. A particular detail revealed the vehicle's connection to the AMG family due to the twin side exhausts that peaked under the bodywork in front of the rear wheels. Finally, at the back, the car sported LED taillights on the lower side, while above the side-hinged door, it featured a reversing camera.

The leather-wrapped interior and luxurious ambiance justified in part the SUV's six-figure price tag. In addition, Mercedes-Benz created a new dashboard that featured a redesigned center stack that supported the seven-inch screen for the infotainment system atop it. Fronting the driver was a fresh instrument panel with individual clusters for the speedometer and tachometer. Between them, the automaker installed a TFT color display that showed data from the car's onboard computer.

Under the hood, AMG found a way to drop a 6.0-liter V12 engine, which, helped by two turbochargers, produced 612 PS (603 hp). Furthermore, the 1001 Nm (738 lb-ft) of torque was already in the 18-wheeler category. To send all the oomph to the wheels, Mercedes-AMG installed a seven-speed SPEEDSHIFT automatic gearbox, a two-speed transfer box, and three manually locking differentials. Unfortunately, like the 1979 G-Class W460, the 2012 G 65 AMG sat on solid axles on both ends, which was not the best solution for comfort.

Almost two decades after the launch of the G-Klass’s first generation, Mercedes-Benz dared to offer a vehicle with a powerful supercharged V8 engine that wore the signature of an AMG specialist; it was the G55.

The first generation of the G-Class (or G-Wagen) was introduced in 1979 as a go-anywhere vehicle suitable for military and civilian use alike. That was known as the W460 generation in Mercedes-Benz’s nomenclature. By 1990, the automaker had already reached the third generation of its well-known truck, and it was widely recognized as a luxurious SUV. But after the horsepower war started to pick up from the mid-size sedans to the limousines and SUVs, the German automaker decided to throw a punch to competition and create a go-fast, go-anywhere capable off-road vehicle: the G55 AMG.

With its wedged shapes of the ‘70s and the styling of a utility vehicle, the G-Class was attractive thanks to its simple, rugged design. The flat front fascia showed a unique three-slat grille that supported the big three-pointed star badge in the middle and was flanked by round headlights similar to those from the 1979 model year. As an option, customers could get them protected by a mesh wire attached to the headlamps’ rectangular clusters. Still, its bumper was no longer a steel beam but a profiled element that tried to extend downward with a slope and housed the tiny round fog lamps.

From its profile, the flared wheel arches were unique for the G55 AMG version and were connected via side steps. Underneath these, in front of the rear wheels, the automaker placed twin side exhausts on each side of the vehicle. Since the exposed door hinges were already a specific design element of the car, Mercedes-Benz had no reason to conceal them. Like the rest of the W463 range, the G55 featured turn signals incorporated into the door mirror caps. Finally, at the back, the big and powerful truck featured low-mounted horizontal taillights and a plastic bumper.

Inside, the luxurious vehicle featured elements carried over from the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (W203) from 2000, with the moon-shaped speedometer inside the instrument cluster and the same steering wheel. Moreover, the center stack was similar to the one from its smaller sibling, but at least the navigation system was standard for the G-Class. Since the car was one of the most expensive in the automaker’s lineup, it came fitted as standard with a leather-wrapped interior.

Under the hood, AMG installed a hand-built 5.4-liter V8 with a supercharger on top. This setup allowed the powerplant to produce 507 PS (500 hp) that were sent in all corners via a five-speed automatic (5G-Tronic) gearbox. A two-speed transfer case was also standard. Customers also could use the three locking differentials that were specific for the entire G-Class range and made this vehicle famous around the world for its off-road capabilities. Since the car was very fast compared to most other vehicles on the road, Mercedes-Benz installed wider tires and stiffer springs and shocks.

Mercedes-Benz upgraded the G 55 AMG in September 2006, offering the well-known SUV with a much more powerful powerplant than the 2004 model year that was produced until August 2006.

The G-Class was already a well-known luxury vehicle, even though it was initially designed as an army or a utilitarian vehicle back in 1979. Over the years, the original chassis designation, the W460, was replaced by the W463 for the so-called civilian versions. Even though those were mostly used on paved roads, they were still very capable of tackling serious offroad situations. Customers wanted them to be more luxurious and, most importantly, more potent. As a result, Mercedes-Benz’s in-house tuning company, AMG, hand-crafted unique engines for the G 55. In 2004, these produced 476 PS (469 hp), and starting with September 2006, these supercharged powerplants reached the 500 PS (493 hp) barrier. But these were not the only changes.

At the front, the automaker added a few optional tweaks to the car to distinguish it from its less-powered sibling. Besides the classic grille with horizontal slats, Mercedes-Benz offered the option for a two-slat grille that supported the massive three-pointed star badge in the middle. Lower, on the bumper, the automaker installed a set of oval-shaped fog lamps that also doubled as turn signals. Another significant upgrade over its predecessor was the introduction of HID headlights, or Xenon, for the European market.

From its profile, the five-door G-Class featured enlarged front wheel arches, and the front fenders sported V8 Kompressor badges on them. The side steps were wide enough to ease customers' ingress and egress to the vehicle. Mercedes-Benz tried to keep up with the market’s trends and installed body-colored door mirrors on the five-door 2006 G-Class SUV, with integrated turn signals. On both sides, under the rear doors’ area, the car manufacturer installed dual exhausts just in front of the rear wheels. That was a unique element for the G 55 AMG.

Mercedes-Benz redesigned the interior of the 2004 G-Class from the ground up, and this also applies to the G 55. In front of the driver, the automaker has installed an instrument cluster that looks as if it has been taken from an AMG version of the C-Class (W203). The semi-circular, centrally mounted speedometer had a silver trim decoration in the middle surrounding the amber-colored LCD for the onboard computer. To the left was the rev counter, and to the right was the fuel gauge.

Under the hood, AMG installed a new, upgraded version of the 5.5-liter supercharged engine. The automaker paired it with the same five-speed (5G-Tronic) automatic gearbox. As a result, the 2.5-ton (5,401 lbs.) vehicle could sprint from zero to sixty in a mere 5.5 seconds.

In 2005, Mercedes-Benz ramped up the G-Class lineup with the introduction of the G 55 AMG version, an off-road vehicle that could keep up with or outrun many sportscars from its era on a drag strip.

When the first generation of the G-Class, the W460 version, appeared on the market in 1979, it was a utilitarian vehicle. Its on-road behavior was poor but excelled on unpaved roads and off-road trails. Over the years, the car reached an iconic status and became a luxury vehicle craved by the rich and famous. But all of them blamed the lame performance of the SUV, especially on straight-line acceleration. Then, Mercedes-Benz asked AMG to create a powerful engine to silence those claims. And, in 2005, the in-house tuner company delivered the G 55 AMG, which didn’t just lower the voices of those complainers; it muted them.

At first sight, the G 55 AMG W463 looked almost identical to the rest of the G-Class range. It featured a flat front fascia with horizontal slats on the grille, flanked by the same round halogen headlights. On the lower side, the bumper featured standard rectangular fog lamps, which were the same for the entire range, but these were optional for other engine versions of the G-Class. But still, the automaker installed the same turn signal and parking lights on top of the front fenders, with their exposed screws.

From its profile, the G 55 AMG looked slightly different. First, it sat on a different set of light-alloy wheels, 18 inches in diameter, wrapped in 285/55 rubbers. A pair of V8 Kompressor chromed badges adorned the front fenders, placed between the angular-shaped wheel arches and the front doors. Like the rest of the range, though, the SUV featured exposed door hinges. Furthermore, it even had the same door mirrors with integrated turn signals. Another significant difference was for the chromed side steps fitted as standard. Finally, as a unique detail, the G 55 AMG featured side-mounted dual exhausts that peaked out in front of the rear wheels on the left side.

Inside, the automaker created the interior of the 2004 G-Class from scratch, and it applied the same rule to the G 55. In front of the driver, Mercedes-Benz installed an instrument cluster that looked like it had been carried over from an AMG version of a C-Class (W203). The half-circle, center-mounted speedometer sported a silver trim in the middle that surrounded the amber LCD for the car’s onboard computer. It was flanked on the left by the rev counter, while on the right was the fuel level gauge. Still, customers who wanted to check the engine’s temperature had to go through various menus on the onboard computer via the buttons on the steering wheel. The front seats were bolstered and featured inflatable areas, providing more comfort for their occupants. At the same time, those seated in the back had enough headroom and shoulder room but limited legroom.

However, the most significant difference between the G 55 AMG and the rest of the G-Class lineup was under its hood. On the one hand, the SUV still relied on a ladder-frame chassis with solid axles on both ends. On the other hand, the 5.5-liter V8 supercharged engine provided 476 PS (469 hp) to a five-speed automatic gearbox that sent all the oomph in all corners via a two-stage transfer box. As a result, the heavy vehicle could rocket from 0 to 100 kph (0-62 mph) in a mere 5.6 seconds, onto its way to a capped top speed of 210 kph (130 mph).

The German carmaker introduced a new G-Class version in 1998 and decided to transform it into a premium off-road vehicle instead of a rugged, regular 4x4 conqueror.

Slowly, Land Rover Range Rover started to get more attention thanks to its luxurious features. Even though it wasn't that rugged 4x4 vehicle anymore, its customers appreciate it more than ever, thanks to its luxurious features. Mercedes-Benz followed the same recipe when it upgraded the former G-Class W460 to the 1998 model year. Moreover, the German carmaker offered it with an AMG engine.

From the outside, the W463 model looked smoother than before. Its round headlights sported squared, body-colored clusters around them. The bumper was wrapped around and better integrated with the rest of the front fascia and featured new, rectangular fog lights on the lower side. Even though it still looked like a box on wheels, its fenders were adorned by flared wheel arches connected to the front and rear bumpers. Mercedes-Benz offered an option for metallic side steps.

Inside, the cabin received a major update. It was as luxurious as a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, with leather upholstery and wood trims on the dashboard, door panels, and center console. As an option, the carmaker offered piano-black trims instead of wood veneers. But the dashboard still looked like a plank with switches and buttons on it. Its rounded instrument cluster featured a panel with two large dials for the speedometer and tachometer and other extra gauges and lights for various systems. The car provided room for five passengers, with a flat floor in the back.

Under the hood, AMG installed a 5.4-liter, naturally aspirated V-8 engine paired to a standard five-speed automatic transmission. Like its rugged siblings, the G55 featured three locking differentials and a two-gear transfer case.