Singular but Exciting

What is the craziest, most preposterous vehicle in America?  That would happen to be the Mercedes-Benz G500 4×4 Squared which came in a bright yellow paint as the first of its kind on our shores.  This amazing SUV is only the first of what we expect to be many of its kind prowling the roads of America and there are many reasons why you might want one.  Let’s explore why this is the badass Mercedes-Benz that is right for you to drive.

Looks – This beast is a massive box on wheels and is incredible see on any road.  Sitting high on its wheels with a marauding and menacing attitude the G500 may just be the most sinister looking vehicle on the road today, even with the bright yellow paint this one showed up in.  Let this SUV be your choice for some serious fun in the dirt as you tear up the trails.

Fun – You won’t be able to stop giggling after you drive this beast.   As an enlarged G-Series SUV this is a monstrosity on wheels that can give you all the pleasure you want.  It’s a quick vehicle and quiet inside, which you would expect from this brand, but it’s not going to beat out a G63 or G65, which you wouldn’t want it to anyway.  This beauty is meant for the off road, not for the track.

Super Wide – This big beauty is over seven feet wide and has a track that is much larger than the track of the regular G.  The regular G comes with a track that is 59.6 inches wide while the G Squared shows up with on that is 71.4 inches wide.  This could be trouble on a narrow road, but you can probably run over any areas that are in your way.

Tall – With so many vehicles getting shorter and smaller it’s cool to see one that is actually extremely tall.  Yao Ming is 7 feet 6 inches tall and the G500 is 7 feet 9 inches to be a tall vehicle that will fit nearly everyone inside.  You will have more than enough headroom in this big brute as you find the right outdoor area to test its wares and see just how awesome it is.

Fenders – One of the best features of the 6×6 is the extended fenders made of carbon fiber.  The G500 4×4 Squared actually has these as well to give you a familiar look which is already present inside a massive monster of destruction.  This makes for a feature we already love and admire about the G-Series that brings you six wheels, but in one with only four.

Clearance – The big and brawny G500 4×4 Squared clears the ground by close to eighteen inches with is the same as the 6×6.  For comparison, the Ford Raptor only clears the ground by 9.3 inches which are nearly half what the G500 offers you.  With this clearance from the dirt, you can take this brute over logs, boulders and even through some shallower parts of rivers.

Portal Axels – Rather than a straight shaft the G500 4×4 offers you portal axles that come from the bigger 6×6.  Of course, the G500 only has two of them instead of three, but these axles gear to the top of the wheel instead of the center to offer greater ground clearance. These are similar to what was used on the Hummer H1 to make it an off-roading champion.

Suspension – This suspension uses eight dampers and eight springs to be one of the most active suspensions any vehicle has ever had.  This is something Mercedes learned from the rally sport as is the fact they use gas bypass struts for all eight of the dampers to ensure you can have a ride that stays completely under control even when the drive feels out of control.

Working Together – The dampers that are setup with two on a corner which has one that is fixed and one that uses variable damping rates.  There are settings you can choose such as Comfort and Sport to make it easier for you to have a much better ride.  Leaving one fixed gives this heavy behemoth the stability it needs while the active one allows for the ride you want to enjoy.

Benz not AMG – This does sound like an SUV that would come out of the AMG plant but it’s not a hand built item.  This beauty is awesome and purely Benz as it uses the 4.0-liter twin turbocharged V8 to gain all the power it could need on any road or in any off road setting. You want to enjoy this beast and won’t have to pay the added AMG premium.

Paint – The only one that has made its way to the US is painted in High Gloss Electric Beam paint to be a bright yellow machine that sits high above the ground to be easy to see in any setting.  This paint does cost a hefty price to have it this color, but with a vehicle that begs to be looked at, the $19,500 seems like it would be well worth the premium.

Massive Tires – The tires you will enjoy are Pirelli Scorpion ATR 325/55R22 which means you have tires that are made from the same company that puts tires on the Aventador from Lamborghini.  With these massive tires and the fact the G500 is a vehicle with a short wheelbase this it looks like it popped out of a cartoon when you look at it, but those tires are perfect for the G500.

Bumper – While this isn’t an AMG vehicle it does have some features you find on the massive 6×6 including the bumper which is directly from the G63 and G65.  This gives you a wonderful balance between parts that are AMG and those that are strictly Benz.  Maybe this should be called the Mercedes-Benz-AMG G500 and just put the whole group together.

Interior – The inside of this brute is the same one that you find on the G-Wagen which makes it a wonderful place to enjoy the ride.  You will feel comfortable and accommodate, which you should when you pay this much for a big SUV that carries the three point star badge.  If you want special items in you G500, Mercedes will certainly make it work for you if you are willing to pay for the added items.

Power – Using the same engine as you get in the G550 this big boy brings in 416 horsepower and 450 lb.-ft. of torque.  Would it have been better to have the larger 5.5-liter engine with more power?  I think we need to drive this one first and see how the 4.0-liter does the job and gives you all the excitement you want to enjoy in the mud.

Price – Now that I know you want one if these brutes, let’s talk price.  How does $200,000 grab you?  That is how much the Mercedes-Benz G500 4×4 Squared will cost you.  While not on sale in the US yet, hopefully, it will be soon, there are certainly enough customers in the States for this to be one of our favorite vehicles to drive on and off the road.