MERCEDES BENZG 55 AMG (W463) 2004 - 2006

　　In 2005, Mercedes-Benz ramped up the G-Class lineup with the introduction of the G 55 AMG version, an off-road vehicle that could keep up with or outrun many sportscars from its era on a drag strip.

　　When the first generation of the G-Class, the W460 version, appeared on the market in 1979, it was a utilitarian vehicle. Its on-road behavior was poor but excelled on unpaved roads and off-road trails. Over the years, the car reached an iconic status and became a luxury vehicle craved by the rich and famous. But all of them blamed the lame performance of the SUV, especially on straight-line acceleration. Then, Mercedes-Benz asked AMG to create a powerful engine to silence those claims. And, in 2005, the in-house tuner company delivered the G 55 AMG, which didn’t just lower the voices of those complainers; it muted them.

　　At first sight, the G 55 AMG W463 looked almost identical to the rest of the G-Class range. It featured a flat front fascia with horizontal slats on the grille, flanked by the same round halogen headlights. On the lower side, the bumper featured standard rectangular fog lamps, which were the same for the entire range, but these were optional for other engine versions of the G-Class. But still, the automaker installed the same turn signal and parking lights on top of the front fenders, with their exposed screws.

　　From its profile, the G 55 AMG looked slightly different. First, it sat on a different set of light-alloy wheels, 18 inches in diameter, wrapped in 285/55 rubbers. A pair of V8 Kompressor chromed badges adorned the front fenders, placed between the angular-shaped wheel arches and the front doors. Like the rest of the range, though, the SUV featured exposed door hinges. Furthermore, it even had the same door mirrors with integrated turn signals. Another significant difference was for the chromed side steps fitted as standard. Finally, as a unique detail, the G 55 AMG featured side-mounted dual exhausts that peaked out in front of the rear wheels on the left side.

　　Inside, the automaker created the interior of the 2004 G-Class from scratch, and it applied the same rule to the G 55. In front of the driver, Mercedes-Benz installed an instrument cluster that looked like it had been carried over from an AMG version of a C-Class (W203). The half-circle, center-mounted speedometer sported a silver trim in the middle that surrounded the amber LCD for the car’s onboard computer. It was flanked on the left by the rev counter, while on the right was the fuel level gauge. Still, customers who wanted to check the engine’s temperature had to go through various menus on the onboard computer via the buttons on the steering wheel. The front seats were bolstered and featured inflatable areas, providing more comfort for their occupants. At the same time, those seated in the back had enough headroom and shoulder room but limited legroom.

　　However, the most significant difference between the G 55 AMG and the rest of the G-Class lineup was under its hood. On the one hand, the SUV still relied on a ladder-frame chassis with solid axles on both ends. On the other hand, the 5.5-liter V8 supercharged engine provided 476 PS (469 hp) to a five-speed automatic gearbox that sent all the oomph in all corners via a two-stage transfer box. As a result, the heavy vehicle could rocket from 0 to 100 kph (0-62 mph) in a mere 5.6 seconds, onto its way to a capped top speed of 210 kph (130 mph).