Photo: CarPix
The venerable Gelandewagen is on the way to its first major refresh, and by that we mean that the 2018 model year will be almost entirely new.
The good news is that it will still very much look like a G-Class from nearly every angle, going as far as making people wonder if it's really new or if Mercedes-Benz is just pulling their leg. Despite what its boxy shape and almost identical design motifs might suggest, the 2018 G-Wagen will be redesigned from the ground up.
An aluminum-intensive chassis will not only make its cabin slightly lower and about 10 cm (approx. 4 inches) wider, but the model is expected to shed as much as 400 kg (882 pounds) of weight compared to the current generation.
The all-new modular engine family will also make an appearance, with almost every powerplant using a 48-volt mild-hybrid system to augment both the power output and the fuel economy figures. That is all fine and dandy, but we're here to talk about the best seller of the range, also known as the G63.
Since every other engine in the future G-Class lineup will be more efficient, the AMG model couldn't be any different, so the G63 will switch from the current 5.5-liter to a version of the 4.0-liter that now powers the G500 and the G500 Squared.
We have a hunch that it will deliver a similar amount of power as the recently unveiled Mercedes-AMG E63 and E63S. In translation, you can expect either 571 PS and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) of torque or 612 PS and a monstrous 850 Nm (627 lb-ft) of torque.
Combined with a transmission that goes by without a torque converter (multi-clutch) and based on the 9G-Tronic, we should be looking at much better performance from the 2019 Mercedes-AMG G63, at least in a straight line.
There are rumors which suggest that the Gelandewagen may lose its lovely yet antique type of suspension and gain an independent one, which would benefit its road performance immensely. Nothing has been confirmed, though, especially since an independent suspension would also suggest that the new G-Class will also feature the same MHA (Modular High Architecture) platform as all the other future SUVs from Mercedes-Benz.
An aluminum-intensive chassis will not only make its cabin slightly lower and about 10 cm (approx. 4 inches) wider, but the model is expected to shed as much as 400 kg (882 pounds) of weight compared to the current generation.
The all-new modular engine family will also make an appearance, with almost every powerplant using a 48-volt mild-hybrid system to augment both the power output and the fuel economy figures. That is all fine and dandy, but we're here to talk about the best seller of the range, also known as the G63.
Since every other engine in the future G-Class lineup will be more efficient, the AMG model couldn't be any different, so the G63 will switch from the current 5.5-liter to a version of the 4.0-liter that now powers the G500 and the G500 Squared.
We have a hunch that it will deliver a similar amount of power as the recently unveiled Mercedes-AMG E63 and E63S. In translation, you can expect either 571 PS and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) of torque or 612 PS and a monstrous 850 Nm (627 lb-ft) of torque.
Combined with a transmission that goes by without a torque converter (multi-clutch) and based on the 9G-Tronic, we should be looking at much better performance from the 2019 Mercedes-AMG G63, at least in a straight line.
There are rumors which suggest that the Gelandewagen may lose its lovely yet antique type of suspension and gain an independent one, which would benefit its road performance immensely. Nothing has been confirmed, though, especially since an independent suspension would also suggest that the new G-Class will also feature the same MHA (Modular High Architecture) platform as all the other future SUVs from Mercedes-Benz.
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