Page 75 - The Book For Men Fall/Winter 2023

clamber to some of the most remote places in the world.
By 1990, the G-Wagen had started to climb in social standing as well. A
more luxurious update to the interior positioned the G as a potential rival to early Range Rover products, though it was only available in Europe. However, after a few G-Wagens were imported across the Atlantic — and had no difficulty in selling for six figure price tags via private importation companies — Mer- cedes took notice.
When the car officially arrived in North America, it came with some serious firepower. Both models — the G500 and AMG G55 — were powered by brawny V8s. And, two years later, AMG shoehorned a supercharged 5.5 litre V8 into the G55 and created one of the most unusual performance SUVs ever made.
The G55 is the ancestor that the new Grand Edition is truly paying tribute to. With its ferocious acceleration, roaring V8, and unmistakable curb presence, the G55 hit the zeitgeist with a force few other motors ever mustered. Every rapper wanted to flex in a G. Every celebrity wanted to be photographed in one. From Rodeo Drive to Manhattan, the G ruled the streets.
This popularity must have bemused Mercedes’ engineers somewhat, es- pecially since they’d planned to phase out the G-Wagen in favour of the GLS- class in 2006. But well-heeled G-Wagen fans wouldn’t hear of it. And so, when it came time to replace the G-Wagen with the G-Class, Mercedes was careful not to tweak the recipe too noticeably. The G grew very slightly in length and
width, but it retained the boxy proportions everyone loved. Its road manners were greatly improved, with a ground-up redesign that saw everything from the steering to the suspension entirely revised. And Mercedes obsessed over getting details — like the way the G-Class doors close with a military-grade click — just right.
The on-road performance of this latest limited edition will be unchanged from the standard Mercedes-AMG G 63, which is incredibly potent. A twin-turbo V8 is paired with a nine-speed transmission, and Mercedes-AMG estimates a 0-100 km/h time of just four seconds. If you need to run from the paparazzi, the G 63 hauls itself to highway speeds quicker than most sport sedans, and both air-ride suspension and huge tires give it shockingly competent lateral grip despite its high-riding silhouette. It will, of course, shrug off any off-roading challenges, but it still rules the streets.
Ultimately, gilding the G 63 with gold accents is a fitting tribute to an icon that has stood the test of time for more than four decades. Its mission has radically changed over the years, but the G has rolled on, unfazed, cultivating an appeal that stretches far beyond the automotive realm. When a G 63 rolls up, no-one needs to explain what makes it so special or why it has become so beloved. Its appeal is obvious. And the Grand Edition is a decadent distillation and celebration of that everlasting, enchanting charm. All hail the G — may it live forever.
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