The Mercedes-Benz G-Class has been lumbering around for over four decades, but it was only in 1999 when performance tuner AMG finally got its speedy engineers all over the truck in celebration of the icon’s then-20th anniversary. Today, the performance automaker is celebrating another anniversary, the founding of AMG way back 55 years ago in 1967. But, instead of a special AMG sports car like you might expect, they’ve gone with the new Mercedes-AMG G63 Edition 55 instead.
Of course, as these things go, the new G63 Edition 55 is mostly a cosmetic treatment worked over a model with many of its options boxes ticked. That’s not exactly a bad thing, considering you get a hand-crafted 4.0-liter V-8 now making 577 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque. Compare that to the original AMG-tuned G-Class’s 349 hp nd 387 lb-ft of torque, which was strong in 1999, and both AMG and G-Wagen sure have come a long way, without losing any charm or character. Perhaps that’s why it was chosen to celebrate the brand, instead of one of the other sports cars.
The rest of the new G63 Edition 55 sports all-wheel drive of course, but with three differential locks, adaptive adjustable damping, and a nine-speed automatic transmission to deliver performance and luxurious comfort on and off the road.
The official Mercedes-AMG announcement says the Edition 55 “is finished in Obsidian Black metallic,” though the first image shows the Edition 55 in its other, optional G Manufaktur Opalite White paint. Those will be the only two paint options available for this limited edition, of which only 55 will be built. The AMG emblem is present in the decal package, as seen above.
The image also shows off the AMG Night Package I and II that are equipped, which paints exterior features like the bumper trim, rear wheel cover, mirror caps, and protective pinstripes, also in Obsidian Black. The new model rides on 22-inch AMG forged cross-spoke wheels with a matte gray finish, and there’s a chrome “AMG” fuel-filler cap.
The interior updates for the anniversary includes red-on-black leather contrasting seats, stainless steel door trims with red illumination, an “AMG 55” performance steering wheel, with carbon fiber trimmings on the dashboard and doors. Mercedes-AMG has thrown in a “breathable flannel” indoor car cover with AMG branding, you know, something perfect for a big bulky off-roader.
The price for the anniversary package has not been announced in the U.S. yet, but the standard G-Class is around $131,000. The Edition 55 is probably more of a “ask if you’re interested” sort of deal for those with enough money to actually afford one.
Keyword: 2023 Mercedes-AMG G63 Edition 55 Celebrates 55 Years of AMG, 23 Years Of Tuned Gs