Mercedes-Benz G550 4×4: Hummer Holdouts, Your New Vehicle is Here

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

A new status symbol will soon arrive in the U.S., and its ride height promises to be as jacked as its price.

After tempting Americans buyers from overseas since last year, the Michael Bay-worthy Mercedes-Benz G550 4×4² should begin arriving stateside next spring, the automaker announced.

The G550 4×4² is the ultimate version of the body-on-frame SUV line that started out as a military vehicle in the early 1970s. Keeping the host G550’s body and frame intact, the 4×4² version makes massive gains in ground clearance and track thanks to portal axles.

The setup allows the wheel hub and axle input to be in totally different rooms, with the power transferred to the vehicle’s 22-inch rims via a set of gears. With the hubs riding far below the level of the fixed axles, the G550 4×4² boasts a ground clearance of more than 17 inches, with a track widened by nine inches in the front and 10 inches in the rear.

That swaggering stance is borrowed from the insane G62 AMG 6×6.

Expect to be able ford 39.4 inches of water when a flash flood hits that gully you were tearing up. Permanent all-wheel drive, three locking differentials and an off-road low range setting should help the brute get back up to the Interstate.

Ensuring drivers have the proper motivation to handle the rigors of L.A. traffic — erm, offroading — the 416-horsepower 4.0-liter Biturbo V8 and seven-speed automatic carries over from the plain-jane G550.

Prices haven’t been announced, but expect the 4×4² to comfortably top the $119,900 entry price of the stock G550.

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Derekson Derekson on Jun 10, 2016

    Not that I'm buying either one, but I'd rather see the G350d Professional come here. The portal axles are really cool though.

  • Big Al from Oz Big Al from Oz on Jun 10, 2016

    What a beautiful off road vehicle. This G550's bigger brother the AMG 6x6 G Wagen pickup would be the worlds best pickup. It would make ground beef of a Raptor in wide open situation. Where I work we have what appears to be hundreds of 6x6 G Wagens (not AMG) and 4x4 G Wagens in most any configuration you want. From dual cab with an 8' flat bed. Single cabs with a 10' flat bed, ambulances, 4x4 single cab flat beds, vans, etc. They are all powered by the MB 3 litre V6 diesel. They look great and are supposed to do quite well off road. They are also expensive.

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    • Big Al from Oz Big Al from Oz on Jun 10, 2016

      derekson, No, only our Mogs have the portal axles. I do like the portal axles, but I would not like to pay for servicings or repairs on one of these. I'd also suspect not many will use the vehicle anywhere near it's limits. They will be a fashion accessory to those who can afford it. Our ones actually do work and some hard work at that.

  • David Dennis David Dennis on Jun 10, 2016

    This vehicle might be just perfect for recent problems with flooding in Miami Beach ... and Miami Beach residents generally will buy any vehicle as long as it's rare and expensive.

  • Sector 5 Sector 5 on Jun 12, 2016

    Wonder if we'll see it in Jurassic World 2?

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