The immortal Mercedes-Benz G-Class is getting a heart transplant from the AMG GT

By Ronan Glon April 28, 2015

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that the mid-range G500 will get a new engine in a bid to comply with the strict Euro 6 emissions regulations that are scheduled to come into effect next September.

Currently, the G500 is powered by a 5.5-liter V8 engine that’s tuned to generate 382 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 390 foot-pounds of torque between 2,800 and 4,800 rpm. Starting next year, the 500 will pack a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 that will send at least 420 ponies to all four wheels via an automatic transmission.

The eight-cylinder is a de-tuned version of the M176 mill that powers the Mercedes-AMG GT and the C63, but full technical details are being kept under wraps for the time being. To careful observers, the change doesn’t come as much of a surprise because the G500 4×4² concept that was presented last month in Geneva was equipped with this exact same engine.

The 2016 Mercedes-Benz G500 will be introduced next fall at the Frankfurt Motor Show and it will go on sale in Europe as well as in select other international markets before the end of the year. However, the Stuttgart-based automaker has not revealed if the off-roader will be available in the United States.

What’s next?
Although it is nearly four decades old, the G isn’t going away any time soon. The lineup will be expanded towards the top next fall when Mercedes-AMG introduces the 2016 G65. Marketed as the ultimate G-Wagen, the off-roader is powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 engine that makes 621 horsepower and a massive 738 foot-pounds of torque. The nearly 6,000-pound behemoth can reach 60 mph from stop in less than 5.3 seconds.

Mercedes has been keeping quiet about the aforementioned G500 4×4² concept but insider sources have revealed that it has been all but approved for production. Set to arrive as a limited-edition model, the off-roader will be considerably more muscular than the unstoppable G thanks in part to a set of beefy portal axles.

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Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

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