Why Does This Next-Generation Mercedes-AMG G63 Prototype Show a "Tablet" Screen?

Unlike the prototypes we've previously shown you, the one we have here is wearing the maximum possible amount of camouflage, which makes it difficult to be 100 percent sure of its next-gen identity. For one thing, the newcomer should be some 4.0-inches wider compared to the current model, bringing the car up to modern handling and cabin room standards. A weight drop of up to 440 lbs (200 kg) is also on the list of benefits brought by the new platform.

The strangest part of this test vehicle is not its camo, though. Instead, the title goes to the tablet-like infotainment screen that seems to sit in the middle of the dash. That's because the future W464 G-Wagen should leave behind the afterthought infotainment screen, adopting a better-integrated display, as shown by a series of spyshots we brought to you back in July.

So, could the model we see here be based on the current Mercedes-AMG G63 and arrive as a swansong? The chances are slim, so we'll return to the next-generation part of the story.

With Afflaterbach-touched G-Class models currently making up for over half of the model's global sales mix, this is far from a discussion reserved for a small group of aficionados.

As for the motivation, the G63 should receive a further developed incarnation of the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 that now powers the G500 and G500 4×4².

Now, about the tag on the windscreen

Ladies and gentlemen drivers, did we need further proof of the fact that the future second-generation Mercedes-Benz G-Class will continue the Magna production tradition in Graz, Austria? Not really.

But do we want to see more of the next Gelandewagen? Of course, which is why we're bringing you the piece of footage at the bottom of the page. Among others, the clip shows the Mercedes-AMG G63 prototype wearing a "Made in Austria" tag.

Regardless, the new G-Class should land in 2018, as a 2019 model, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the badge.