2023 Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 4x4 Squared

The Mercedes-Benz G-Class has long been synonymous with hardcore off-roading. But some models are hardier than others. Yes, there was the G63 AMG 6x6, but there was also the G500 4x4 Squared. Now, the 2023 Mercedes-AMG G63 4x4 Squared straddles the difference between those two, with AMG power, four wheels, portal axles, and a whole lot of attitude. Want a mega off-roader that can go anywhere right off the showroom floor? Look no further than this. It's not a Baja racer like the Ford Bronco Raptor, but what it is is a mega toy for the mega-wealthy, and the culmination of decades of dinosaur juice-powered Gelandewagens before an inevitable electric take over.

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Sneakily revealed via the G-Class Private Lounge instead of the traditional means of launching a car, the G63 4x4 Squared will be coming out later in 2022 as a 2023 model. Expect a release date for the G63 4x4 Squared in the USA in the final quarter of 2022 or early 2023.

This one remains a complete mystery as we pretty much have no point of reference to base current pricing on. The last G-Class 4x4 Squared wasn't an AMG model, and it was built five years ago. Back then, it started at $225,995. The current G63 starts at just under $160,000, so we're expecting the Mercedes-AMG G63 4x4 Squared's price to start at $250,000.

Rivals are not exactly easy to come by as this is a very niche product. Some parallel can be drawn to the Bronco Raptor and the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392, but this is really in a class of its own.

Think a regular G-Class is intimidating? Think again. The G63 4x4 Squared has an exterior that makes a Bronco Raptor look like a dinky toy with widened, carbon fiber fenders that still struggle to contain its massive all-terrain tires stretched over 22-inch alloy wheels. With beefed-up suspension, the G63 4x4 Squared stands taller, aided by a light bar positioned above the windscreen with a built-in carbon fiber spoiler. Owners will find 4x4 Squared badging etched into the carbon fiber spare wheel cover on the rear, and the G63's signature side-exit exhausts also feature.

Shown in a hero color of dark green, we're sure a few other exclusive shades will be on offer for the 2023 Mercedes-AMG G63 4x4 Squared's available colors.

We said it was big, but just how big? Well, the dimensions of the AMG G63 4x4 Squared SUV have swollen, now boasting a 13.8-inch ground clearance (up 4.3 inches over stock), with a 35.8-inch wading depth (up 8.2 inches) and the ability to climb 45-degree inclines. There's no word on how many inches wider the SUV is, but a standard G63 is 86.1 inches wide, 191.9 inches long, and rides on a 113.8-inch wheelbase. Expect its curb weight to be more than the standard car's 5,842-lb figure, too.

Powered by the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 as a normal G63, the Mercedes-AMG G63 4x4 Squared's engine has been massaged to produce an extra 8 horsepower for a total figure of 585 hp. Torque hasn't been claimed, but the standard SUV develops 627 lb-ft of the stuff. Power goes out to a permanent 4-wheel drive system via a nine-speed automatic gearbox. The difference here is that the suspension has been drastically overhauled. Portal axles are the key, boosting ride height massively and giving the 4x4 Squared the ability to climb up and over just about anything. Multiple locking differentials and a low-range transfer case all aid this skill set. There's no 0-60 mph claim or top speed figure to brag about, but this will likely accelerate a little slower than the standard G63's 4.5-second 0 to 60 mph figure.

LOL. Come on, you don't expect a V8-powered AMG G-Class SUV with the aerodynamic properties of a shipping container, coupled with hardcore off-road suspension and all-terrain tires to be light on gas, do you? The standard G63's gas mileage figures are already silly at 13/16/14 mpg city/highway/combined, and when the EPA gets its mitts on this, expect those figures to fall even further.

The interior of the Mercedes-AMG G63 4x4 Squared is perhaps the area in which the fewest changes occur. In the initial images, we see green contrast stitching on black leather and Alcantara for the seats of the G63 4x4 Squared, and there's a model insignia on the front passenger's grab handle. Naturally, the MBUX system delivers the infotainment, while ambient lighting gives it an upmarket appearance.

Trunk space of the 2023 AMG G63 4x4 Squared is unlikely to deviate much from the regular SUV, with 38.1 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and up to 68.6 cubic feet available with the rear seats out of commission.