The Mercedes G 4×4 Squared Is Back, Now With AMG Power & Luxury

The 2023 Mercedes-AMG G 63 4×4 Squared is a twin-turbo V8 off-road monster with portal axles, and we want one!

We must not have been the only ones missing the absolute absurdity that was the Mercedes-Benz G-Class 4×4 Squared. The portal-axle monster G-Class came to the U.S. in 2017 and disappeared not long after when Mercedes-Benz redesigned the underlying vehicle. Now it’s back, in an even more extreme AMG version.

The bone-standard Mercedes-Benz G-Class is one of the most capable factory off-roaders in the world. The vehicle is legendary for its capability, used by adventurers and even armed forces around the world to get just about anywhere.

A few years back, though, Mercedes-Benz decided that the luxury off-roader just wasn’t quite extreme enough. The experiment that resulted ended with a 6×6 AMG version as well as the lifted monster G 550 4×4 Squared.

AMG Gets Squared Treatment for the First Time

A new 4×4 Squared is coming for 2023, this time an AMG G 63 version of the truck. After it’s been through the AMG treatment, the G 63 gets a twin-turbo 4.0L V8 that makes 585 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque.

The bank-vault G-Class has side-pipe exhausts, can tow more than 7,000 pounds, and can climb boulders and impress valets with equal aplomb.

The magic trick of the AMG G 63 4×4 Squared is its portal axles. This type of axle puts a small gearbox at the end of each axle. The power is passed through the portal gearbox up high and then comes out down low. This allows for a lot more usable ground clearance without having to have a big lift and/or even bigger tires.

New helical gears in the portal axles get rid of the whine of the old straight-cut gears. Adding a reduction gear in the portals adds more torque to the tires for better crawling over rough terrain. And it helps compensate for the massive wheels and tires Mercedes-Benz has fitted.

14 Inches of Ground Clearance

Adding portal axles to the 4×4 Squared increases the ground clearance by 4 inches, making this SUV look like the monster that it is. All of the key off-road capability figures are way up, including a 41.3-degree approach angle and 36.8-degree departure angle, just shy of 14 inches of ground clearance, and the ability to ford through 26 inches of water.

Like the rest of the G-Class lineup, the G 63 4×4 Squared has a clutch-type limited-slip differential in the center. It can also fully lock the front, rear, and center diffs. All of the lockers work in high and low range, too, for maximum traction at the push of a few buttons.

Carbon Flares, Front Roof Spoiler

AMG has added carbon fiber fender flares to keep the wheels legal. The running boards are lower, too, so you can actually get in. There are driving lights in the front roof spoiler, and if you order a black roof you get an even bigger spoiler.

The new wheel and tire combination is so heavy that Mercedes-Benz has had to beef up the D-Pillar so that the hatch-mounted tire doesn’t rip the back off the SUV. A stronger frame helps handle the extra off-road stresses.

There are some changes inside as well, including AMG diamond-perforation Multicontour seats. The interior is largely made by hand, and there are plenty of leather upholstery colors available.

Standard kit not found on the “regular” G63 includes a heated windscreen, full driver assistance pack including 360-degree cameras, a microfiber steering wheel, and a TV receiver. And don’t forget the 4×4 Squared ambient lighting projected from the outside mirrors.

As far as how much? We’d be guessing at this point, but a standard G 63 starts from $156,450. And the last 4×4 Squared, which wasn’t an AMG model, more than $225,000.

The AMG G 63 4×4 Squared is likely to be built in very small numbers, as well. So if you want one, act fast.

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