Fun fact: Geländewagen is German for off-road vehicle. The vehicle is also known as the "G-wagen" or simply the "G." Only M-B marketing types refer to it as "the G-class.”
Conceived in the early 1970s, jointly developed with Austrian truck maker Steyr-Daimler-Puch (now part of Magna Steyr), and launched in 1979, it started out as a spartan but incredibly strong off-roader designed for the world's armed forces. Civilian customers were an afterthought. Early models were slow, loud, and lacking creature comforts; no wonder they were kept off North American shores for decades.
At some point, though, Daimler woke up to the potential of the G-wagen. More luxurious and more powerful versions were added, and the low-range transfer case and the array of locking differentials eventually switched from old-fashioned lever actuation to pushbuttons. The off-roader became something of a lifestyle car. In-house tuner AMG took charge, and ultrapowerful turbocharged V-8 variants ensued. For some years now, AMG's brutal versions of the G-wagen have outsold regular models like the G550, which aren’t exactly underpowered themselves.
Excess Is Its Own Reward
But too much is never enough, right? AMG couldn't resist stuffing a twin-turbocharged 603-hp V-12 into the thing. And it’s coming to the U.S., where it will be sold alongside the 536-hp G63 AMG, marked up from the G63’s $140K by another $100,000 or so. We drove it extensively on its German home turf; in fact, we took it to the Wagnerian Festival in Bayreuth, where it felt very much at home.
We didn’t think things could get any louder than the boisterous G63 AMG, and that is still true—the G65 AMG doesn't even try. What the extra $100K does buy is the sophistication that's missing from the G63, as well as a generous helping of extra performance. The 6.0-liter V-12 fires up like a gunshot but immediately settles down to a smooth and silky idle. Paired with a seven-speed automatic, the engine unspools a massive and endless wave of torque (738 lb-ft). Straight-line performance is all but unmatched despite the G65's prodigious, 6250-pound curb weight and aerodynamics that rival a Freightliner’s. While the G63 is governed at 130 mph, the G65 carries on to 143, where it impatiently bumps up against its limiter. Accelerative antics are accompanied by an aggressive hiss, as opposed to the G63's deep rumble.
At the Limit
As much as we love to drive at high speed, that 143-mph limiter is probably a good idea. At that speed, the chassis will put the fear of God into you. The imprecise steering, perfect for negotiating rocks and off-road obstacles, begins to feel positively vague; body roll becomes excessive; and the driver needs to stay laser-focused to keep the G65 AMG in its lane. He won't have to stay focused for long: The real-world appetite of 7-to-9 mpg quickly drains the 25-gallon tank. Off road, the AMG versions of the G lose some capability, not least because of their 275/50 high-performance tires on 20-inch wheels.
The cockpit of the G65 AMG is a smorgasbord of loosely corresponding elements, reflecting both the 35-year-old interior design and the random—and randomly modern—components pulled from the corporate parts bin. The quirky arrangement works surprisingly well, but it can't hold a candle to any modern SUV. At least there’s leather and suedelike microfiber everywhere. Outside, the G65 AMG is differentiated from its lesser siblings by its unique grille and the abundance of chrome mesh.
Automotive anachronisms and provocations don’t come much bigger or brasher. The G65 AMG is one blocky beast, and we love it.
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