Benz’s bush-bashing beast ruled out for Oz

A WILD, 400kW six-wheeled twin-turbo V8-engined version of Mercedes-Benz’s G-Class – borrowing bits from a vehicle built specially for the Australian Army – won’t be coming Down Under.

Rumours were rife shortly after the monstored G63 AMG was revealed in March this year – it borrows bits from the military-specification G-Wagen and squeezes a a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 producing 400kW of power and a stump-pulling 760Nm of torque under the bonnet – that it would make it to Australia.

However, it now looks as though the G63 AMG 6x6 will only be produced in small numbers, and more importantly, only in left-hand drive.

British publication AutoCar said the near six-metre-long G-Class will sell from about €450,000 ($AUD650,000) when it goes on sale Europe next month, with just 30 units confirmed for production.

Mercedes-Benz Australia senior manager of corporate communications David McCarthy told GoAuto in March there was a chance the G63 AMG could be ordered by cashed-up Australian buyers, but the conformation of only left-hand-drive production has scuppered any possibility of local orders.

Austrian specialist car-maker Magna Steyr will build the G63 AMG for Mercedes-Benz. It will be the largest street-legal SUV ever produced by the German car-maker.

The biturbo V8 is mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission, and paired to a regular G63 AMG’s front axle. The rear four-wheel-drive axles are sourced from the military version of the G-Class.

Mercedes-Benz has used the chassis from the military version of the six-wheeler, but adjusted the springs and dampers to reflect the inclusion of three axles.

The driver can choose from five differential locks, while a tyre-pressure control system can adjust the pressure of the huge 37-inch wheels from the comfort of the cabin.

Because it is a Mercedes-Benz, the cabin is luxuriously decked out in red or brown leather, and features four heated power seats, and suede-like roof lining.