New Mercedes G-Class updates include 4.0-litre biturbo V8
Mercedes iconic G-Class flagship SUV receives mild revisions for 2015, including powertrain tweaks and bright colour schemes
It's a rare occurence when Mercedes revamps its long-standing G-Class, and when it does you might not even notice. That's exactly what's happened here, as the large 4X4 gets subtle cosmetic tweaks and a raft of under-the-skin revisions for 2015.
The Mercedes G-Class has been in production for over 35 years in this form and it doesn't look like demand will tail-off any time soon. To keep things fresh, the 2015 model gets a revised engine range, which now includes the 4.0-litre biturbo V8 petrol engine straight out of the AMG GT supercar and the bonkers G500 4X4 concept.
For the G500 the engine has been detuned down to 416bhp and 610Nm of torque, but that's still a sizeable figure for any car. The G63 still retains the old 5.5-litre V8, which gets a power hike of 26bhp to 563bhp. And the storming V12 G65 now pumps out a whopping 621bhp.
But it's not just the gas-guzzlers which get more go, as the sole diesel option (the G350d) gets a healthy power hike of 33bhp to 245bhp, and a 60Nm increase in torque to 600Nm. Every engine except the G65 now gets start/stop as standard, although we doubt you'll be bowled over by the fuel economy improvements!
The rugged, off-road biased ladder chassis also receives a number of tweaks. New shock absorbers aim to improve the ride and reduce body movement, while the ESP software gets a retune. New two-mode adaptive dampers are now available too.
For those intent on standing out even more than you would in a regular G-Class, vibrant new colour schemes will be available. 'Alien Green', purple and 'Galactic Beam' yellow enter the brochure while a two-tone look can be acheived with contrasting bumpers and trim.
In addition, there will be a new 463 EDITION limited-run variant for the G63 and G65, which gets a two tone exterior and interior, and racier styling details including forged alloy wheels.
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