The burble wagon

The birth of the G-Wagon was a result of the requirement of the German. Actually the Germans wanted their own squad carrier and Mercedes created the Galendawagen, German for ‘Cross country vehicle.’ However the G-Wagon soon caught fancy with civilians and over the years, Mercedes has been giving it more and more glitter. But to make it even more special, Mercedes decided to send the G-Wagen to their ‘Lunatic Division’, AMG which is responsible for the G 55 AMG you see here.

Highlights:

-The G 55 AMG comes to India in CBU form and is priced at Rs 1.1 crore.

- It gets a supercharged 5.5-litre V8 which offers 507bhp and 700Nm torque. It has a top speed of 210kmph and does 0-100kmph in 5.8 seconds.

- The G 55 AMG comes with loads of AMG accessories like the steering wheel, wheels, exclusive leather upholstery, alcantara roof lining, DVD screens for the rear passengers and a high end audio system.

- The G 55 gets a full-time 4WD system which splits torque 50:50 between the front and rear solid axles. It has three differentials as well.

The first look is enough either to love it or hate it. The exterior is more about right angles rather than acute angles and the massiveness of this machine is omnipresent. Moreover, AMG has added the quintessential bling which include a chrome bull-bar, Mercedes sports grille, massive alloys, side exhausts and AMG badges and logos in every nook and cranny. However, I must admit that the G-wagon did have massive panel gaps, which is not something you expect in a car this expensive. Now normally at this stage, I would step inside, however not this time. I insist you pop the hood to see what lurks within. The massive 5.5-litre supercharged V8 is a work of art. Moreover being hand built, you also get a little plate with the signatures of the guy who built it. Now that’s style! Oggling over, let’s step inside.

The interiors instantly bathe you in luxury. There’s a large multifunction steering wheel behind which sits a rather small and old school dash! The electrically adjustable seats are very comfy and from the driver’s perch, visibility up ahead and around the sides is top class. The rear seats follow the theatre style pattern and this means these too offer a good view ahead. Moreover, rear occupants also get individual DVD screens for entertainment.

The G55 is a hulk and powering it is a massive 5.5-litre petrol V8. This motor churns out a humungous 507bhp@6100rpm and an equally astonishing 700Nm of torque available through 2750-4000rpm. This massive motor not only offers the performance to reach a claimed top whack of 210kmph, but is also big enough to fill up the bay of the G 55. It sounds terrific too and given the G 55’s size and shape, it’s astonishing how quickly it helps the SUV gather speed.

Start her up and the exhaust spews out a sinister burble before settling down. Slot the stick in ‘D’ and if you have given it the full beans, expect to get pushed into the seats as the G 55 takes of rather ferociously all topped up with the acoustics of the AMG exhausts. With the 100kmph dash taken care of in 5.8 seconds, the G 55 can give many a low slung sports car a run for its money. As the speed climbs rapidly the automatic gearbox shifts seamlessly to complement the engine well and in no time the speedo hits 180kmph and is still adventurous to keep climbing.

However this lunacy has a profound effect on the fuel economy as the trip computer indicated 28.8l/100km. I suggest you do the maths!

At high speeds though, the G 55 does get uncomfortable thanks to the overtly stiff suspension. Even on super smooth tarmac, at speeds low or high, the G 55 has a tendency to bob around and this is rather uncomfortable for the passengers. However, this stiff nature does show its benefits around corners where the G 55 exhibits minimal roll and good handling characteristics. The steering in spite of feeling heavy is vague and does not inspire as much confidence. But, the good thing is that AMG has upgraded the brakes with discs the size of the wheels. It bites with enormous hunger and this ensures this hulk of a metal stops well.

However, all this bling has not taken away the off-road capabilities of the vehicle; well at least not completely. It gets lockable differentials and even height adjustable suspension to ensure that the rocks don’t scratch the shiny side exhausts. Adding to this is the truck load of torque enough to pull you out of most sticky situations.

The G 55 is surely one of the coolest SUVs in the market today. No matter whether you go mud-plugging or to a swanky club, the G 55 always feels at home. Moreover, it offers massive power to ensure a high performance car doesn’t leave you in its dust. On the downside though is the ride quality and the steering which could have surely been better. But, the worst part is the price, at over a crore it’s just too expensive. Maybe Mercedes should offer the standard G-Wagon as well. That way more people could feel the magic of the G-Wagon, because a magical it sure is.