High-octane Mercedes G-Wagen hits South African showrooms – Pricing and features

The Mercedes-AMG G63 has officially landed in South African showrooms.

The luxurious flagship off-roader is now available at a starting price of R4,458,730 – reflecting a premium of R901,562 over the base G450d.

The G63 goes on sale alongside the first-ever electric G-Wagen, the G580 EQ Edition One.

What you get

The G63 now benefits from a new 48V mild-hybrid system with an integrated starter motor, complementing the powerful 4.0-litre, V8, twin-turbo petrol mill.

The setup churns out a heady 430kW and 850Nm, with the 48V system bringing a further 15kW and 200Nm of boost during acceleration.

In practice, this allows the blocky SUV to sprint to 100km/h in just 4.4 seconds and reach a top end of 220km/h, which can optionally be heightened to 240km/h.

Drive is relayed to all four corners via a nine-speed automatic gearbox and the permanent 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, and owners can select various driving modes to suit the situation at hand, encompassing Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Slippery, and Individual, as well as Rock, Sand, and Trail.

The high-performance G-Class also gets the AMG Ride Control suspension with adaptive damping for improved comfort and handling.

Visually, the mid-cycle facelift gives the G63 a new Panamericana grille, bumper with stainless steel inserts, adaptive Multibeam LED headlights, and silver brake calipers.

Additionally, buyers can choose between various alloy wheel designs ranging from 20 to 22 inches in diameter, as well as a new Manufaktur Hyper Blue Magno paint option.

Moving inside, the G-Class now boasts the latest MBUX system comprising two 12.3-inch screens for the driver and infotainment functions.

The displays provide wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, voice control, augmented reality navigation, and a new Off-road Cockpit view with relevant info such as pitch and roll angles and a transparent bonnet camera view.

It’s also equipped with a new AMG Performance three-twin-spoke Nappa leather steering wheel, and black piano lacquer finishes now adorn many of the cabin surfaces.

Customers can further customise their Mercedes with extras such as temperature-controlled cupholders, a wireless charger, a Burmester 3D surround sound system, and a Rear Seat Entertainment system with two 11.6-inch touch displays for the rear passengers.

All Mercedes-Benz vehicles are sold with a 2-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and a 5-year/100,000km maintenance plan in South Africa.

Mercedes-AMG G63