Photo: SB-Medien
Just when everybody thought the current Gelandewagen had entered a state of development hibernation, with the G-Class talks already focused on the next generation, the senior offroading icon is back in our headlines - Mercedes has been spied testing a four-wheeled version of the G63 AMG 6x6 behemoth.
Whenever the name of the G63 AMG 6x6 is mentioned, people tend to go crazy. We are not the only ones to have noticed this. The German automaker knows the potential of the six-wheeled monster all too well, so now they are working on a... G63 AMG 4x4.
Thus, Mercedes-Benz wants to give us the best of both worlds, mixing the normal length and width of the G-Class with the extravagant tricks of the G63 AMG 6X6. Oh yes and the bed is gone.
Even though it sounds rather ridiculous, we’ll name the spied prototype G63 AMG 4X4 for now. Fret not, the Germans will eventually come up with a proper name. Perhaps they'll baptize it G63 OMG.
Just like the recirculating ball steering allows for offroad driving durability, the portal axles, a military solution, seriously increase the ride height. Instead of being centered on the axis of the shaft as on, the wheels are placed lower, a move allowed by the portal gears on the axle heads.
In English, this means the G-Class’ standard ride height of 210 mm (7.9 inches) is jumps to a whopping 460 mm (18.1 inches) on the 6x6. To get an idea of what such specs allow for, we’ll mention the change takes the Gelandewagen’s wading depth from 600 mm (23.6 inches) to a full meter (39.4 inches). Enough for getting out of the car and playing the scuba game...
The ground clearance jump will be smaller for the G63 AMG 4x4 though. The same thing can be said about the wheels, which are larger than those on the normal AMG, but you shouldn’t expect the monstrous 37-inch tires of the 6x6 model.
Alas, before we end this story about AMG building an official lift kit for their 536 hp (544 PS) G-Class, we can’t help but think about the social component.
Just like rappers turn to wrappers in order to have their G63 AMGs turned into swagmobiles or something like that, the G63 AMG 6x6 has its fair share of posing-not-offroading customer. Dan Bilzerian is an example as good as any and while these people do help with milking the military-sourced cash cow, they do nothing to help the reputation of the offroading icon.
The Mercedes G63 AMG 4x4 is that kind of car that simply plays in its own league, so we expect this to sell faster than you can say “professional climbing”.
Wait, isn’t the G63 AMG a 4x4 by definition?
We know this may sound a little confusing, but the new model does make sense. You see, the six-wheeler takes the rugged terrain abilities of the standard car, if we can call it so, to a whole new level, but has one major drawback: the thing is simply too massive to handle in everyday life where the roads are flooded with Camrys and little children.Thus, Mercedes-Benz wants to give us the best of both worlds, mixing the normal length and width of the G-Class with the extravagant tricks of the G63 AMG 6X6. Oh yes and the bed is gone.
Even though it sounds rather ridiculous, we’ll name the spied prototype G63 AMG 4X4 for now. Fret not, the Germans will eventually come up with a proper name. Perhaps they'll baptize it G63 OMG.
The technical details
The spy photo gallery above allows you to see how much higher the 4X4 is compared to the G63 AMG we all know. Judging by how the prototype looks, we expect this to borrow the six-wheeler’s portal axle setup.Just like the recirculating ball steering allows for offroad driving durability, the portal axles, a military solution, seriously increase the ride height. Instead of being centered on the axis of the shaft as on, the wheels are placed lower, a move allowed by the portal gears on the axle heads.
In English, this means the G-Class’ standard ride height of 210 mm (7.9 inches) is jumps to a whopping 460 mm (18.1 inches) on the 6x6. To get an idea of what such specs allow for, we’ll mention the change takes the Gelandewagen’s wading depth from 600 mm (23.6 inches) to a full meter (39.4 inches). Enough for getting out of the car and playing the scuba game...
The ground clearance jump will be smaller for the G63 AMG 4x4 though. The same thing can be said about the wheels, which are larger than those on the normal AMG, but you shouldn’t expect the monstrous 37-inch tires of the 6x6 model.
In the real world
Our hearts are flooded with joy as we see the German engineers working on such terrain-conquering machinery. We’re not sure how much the increased track width will help the G63 AMG 4x4 deal with the extra height, but aside from this the vehicle will be a tamer of lands.Alas, before we end this story about AMG building an official lift kit for their 536 hp (544 PS) G-Class, we can’t help but think about the social component.
Just like rappers turn to wrappers in order to have their G63 AMGs turned into swagmobiles or something like that, the G63 AMG 6x6 has its fair share of posing-not-offroading customer. Dan Bilzerian is an example as good as any and while these people do help with milking the military-sourced cash cow, they do nothing to help the reputation of the offroading icon.
The Mercedes G63 AMG 4x4 is that kind of car that simply plays in its own league, so we expect this to sell faster than you can say “professional climbing”.
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