A Mercedes mechanic once told us the company he works for is great at making V8 engines and not much else. While we wanted to contradict him, there's no denying the appeal of the mighty G63 AMG. This latest spy video from Walko Art almost definitely depicts the next-gen 2018 model year G63, and it's more of what we love.
Developed under the codename W464, it features a whole host of changes. But let's look at the design first.
As promised, Mercedes has made it even wider and boxier. The fenders remind us of the G500 4x4, and they are unique features in the era of streamlining.
From the front, it becomes even more obvious that this should be an AMG prototype. The trademark large air intakes have been integrated into the sides of the front bumper. Sure, they get in the way of climbing boulders, but V8 engineers need lots of cooling.
The headlights are inspired by the famous Ener G Force Concept, but they retain the round shape for a bit of retro pizzazz. As for the grille in the middle, it seems copied from the GLS 63 AMG, featuring lots of "perforations" and a bulging effect you didn't get on previous G-Wagons.
Other than that, designers have made little upgrades everywhere so that this gold brick on wheels is a little more usable and adheres to certain regulations.
Speculation is rampant on the tech side of things. Some reports suggest that Mercedes will install a 48-volt electric system, like the one used by Audi. This will facilitate certain features and might even pave the way to a mild hybrid model.
Both the G500/G550 and the G63 are said to use the new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, in different stages of tune, of course. If the chassis is light enough, we might even see the 3-liter twin-turbo from other 400 and 450 AMG models. The rumor mill states Mercedes plans to make inline-6 engines, including diesels, but they won't be ready for the launch of the W464 .
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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