Remember the civilian 6-wheeled Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG we showed almost two weeks ago on its way to the Middle East? Well, it's official baby, the monster is going into production.
The confirmation came straight from Mercedes' head of G Class development, Alex Harries, who said that the German company plans to build 20 to 30 6x6 trucks per year. No exact information has been released yet, but we do know a thing or two about this extreme G63 AMG.
First of all, it wasn't build from scratch. The Stuttgart-based automaker used a special 6-wheeled military version of the G320 CDI built for the Australian army since 2011 as a base model. The civilian version benefits from the all-wheel drive system with five differential locks, but gains the G63 AMG's 5.5-liter V8 for an output of 536 HP and 560 lb-ft of torque.
So now it's not just huge (almost 6 meters / 232 inches), but performant as well. And while we're on the subject, Mercedes-Benz claims it will sprint from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in less than six seconds and have a top speed of 100 mph (160 km/h)! Holy cow! Of course, fuel economy is a whole different story with about just 13 mpg (18 liters / 100 km), but who cares?!
The 6-wheeler is rumored to be the second most expensive Mercedes-Benz after the SLS AMG, which means more than three times the price of the G63 AMG we just tested. We're anxiously waiting for more information on the 6-wheeler, but until then, see what this beast can do in the video below.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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