You might have found out by now that Mercedes-Benz is in the process of cutting costs. In addition to laying off thousands of employees, the German juggernaut will also discontinue a few models and nameplates.
The X-Class is one of the vehicles confirmed for discontinuation, and production will come to a grinding halt in May 2020. Codenamed W470, the luxury pickup never sold well because it’s a Nissan Navara in disguise.
In addition to Nissan-like plastic trim for the interior and the rather high starting price, Mercedes-Benz couldn’t make a case for anything more than a turbo diesel V6. AMG was rumored to drop a V8 in the engine bay, but that plan has never materialized. On the other hand, such a feat has been proven possible by Quentin Boylan of South Africa.
Starting off with a Toyota Hilux, the gentleman in question swapped the truck’s four-cylinder turbo diesel with a 6.2-liter V8 from previous-gen AMG models. Most impressive, however, is that the original instrument cluster still works and the engine is connected to a manual transmission.
The M 156 engine may be naturally aspirated, but still develops up to 525 PS (518 horsepower) and 630 Nm (465 pound-feet) of torque as standard. The 63 series currently utilizes a twin-turbo V8 with 4.0 liters of displacement and more than 600 horsepower, but then again, the newcomer’s induction and exhaust sounds are hardly comparable to those of the older M 156.
Based in Pretoria, the owner of the Mercyota has also fitted personalized license plates to his pride and joy. Affectionately called “AMG Hilux,” the truck's beefy powerplant is joined by beefier drivetrain components, enabling majestically loud and smoky burnouts.
Turning our attention back to the X-Class, an AMG with a V8 blunderbuss wouldn’t have helped the mid-sized pickup too much in terms of commercial success. But on the other hand, better bragging rights than the Ford Ranger Raptor would’ve made the X-Class 63 AMG an instant collectible.
In addition to Nissan-like plastic trim for the interior and the rather high starting price, Mercedes-Benz couldn’t make a case for anything more than a turbo diesel V6. AMG was rumored to drop a V8 in the engine bay, but that plan has never materialized. On the other hand, such a feat has been proven possible by Quentin Boylan of South Africa.
Starting off with a Toyota Hilux, the gentleman in question swapped the truck’s four-cylinder turbo diesel with a 6.2-liter V8 from previous-gen AMG models. Most impressive, however, is that the original instrument cluster still works and the engine is connected to a manual transmission.
The M 156 engine may be naturally aspirated, but still develops up to 525 PS (518 horsepower) and 630 Nm (465 pound-feet) of torque as standard. The 63 series currently utilizes a twin-turbo V8 with 4.0 liters of displacement and more than 600 horsepower, but then again, the newcomer’s induction and exhaust sounds are hardly comparable to those of the older M 156.
Based in Pretoria, the owner of the Mercyota has also fitted personalized license plates to his pride and joy. Affectionately called “AMG Hilux,” the truck's beefy powerplant is joined by beefier drivetrain components, enabling majestically loud and smoky burnouts.
Turning our attention back to the X-Class, an AMG with a V8 blunderbuss wouldn’t have helped the mid-sized pickup too much in terms of commercial success. But on the other hand, better bragging rights than the Ford Ranger Raptor would’ve made the X-Class 63 AMG an instant collectible.