6×6 conversion based on the current G-Class
The vision of a team of Styrian enthusiasts
The result of years of research and development
A handful of individually specified examples built in a very limited series
German registration with all modifications officially approved
The G-Class could really have retired long ago when Mercedes-AMG decided in 2013 to give it another two wheels. The result was the G 63 AMG 6×6 – a vehicle that, even parked next to an ordinary G-Class, looks as though somebody got the scale wrong.
Its roots lay in the three-axle G-Class Mercedes had developed for the Australian military. AMG, however, turned it into something altogether different. Under the bonnet sat the G 63’s 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 with 544 hp and 760 Nm, coupled to a seven-speed automatic transmission. Six driven wheels, portal axles and no fewer than five differentials that could be locked on the move turned the more than five-metre-long, roughly 3.8-tonne monster into an off-roader that remarkably little terrain could actually stop.
It was built in Graz between 2013 and 2015 in extremely limited numbers, with figures of between 120 and 140 examples generally quoted. With a base price of €450,000 at the time, it was not cheap. Sensible it most certainly was not. But then common sense would always have been rather difficult to explain with six driven wheels.
With the arrival of the new G-Class, another 6×6 was no longer on the agenda for Mercedes or AMG. This left some people disappointed – and others inventive. In Styria, the acknowledged centre of the four-wheel-drive universe, a fearless group of enthusiasts calling themselves “G-Force” saw the new generation of G-Class as both a challenge and a vision. Years of time-consuming and expensive development eventually resulted in a handful of new 6x6s and a number of new partnerships.
The starting point for this extraordinary project was a Mercedes-AMG G 63. Rather than relying solely on existing production or standard components, the necessary systems and parts were developed in-house as elements of a complete vehicle concept. A deliberate decision was also made to have selected components manufactured in cooperation with specialist companies from the surrounding region. The result is a highly individualised vehicle whose technical development and craftsmanship reflect the considerable G-Class expertise concentrated around Graz.
The conversion required extensive development and integration work in numerous areas, including the chassis, suspension, drivetrain, axle configuration, bodywork, weight distribution and electronic systems. At its heart is an electronically controlled tyre-pressure management system. Operated via a head-up display, it offers three modes: Road, Gravel and Sand.
The result of this considerable engineering effort is called the G-Force 66 and, following extensive testing, it entered bespoke small-series production. Every example built is effectively unique. Even luxury tuner Mansory is happy to draw on G-Force’s know-how.
Perhaps the strongest endorsement of this technical tour de force is that the German TÜV gave it the green light for road registration. The same applies to this G-Force 66, which has covered just 244 test kilometres. With all its modifications officially entered in the papers, it is currently registered for road use in Germany.
Which, in the end, almost makes the whole thing sound sensible. Doesn’t it?