2024 Mercedes-Benz G-Class back on the menu, but pricing is way up for the upmarket Land Rover Defender rival

After a two-year hiatus, Mercedes-Benz Australia will once again begin taking orders for its AMG-tuned G-Class, but customers will be asked to pay more than ever for the V8-powered off-roader.

Now priced at $363,561 before on-road costs, the 2024 G63 is $64,685 more expensive than what it was at the time order books closed in September 2021 (priced at $298,876), and a substantial $115,861 pricier than when the current second-generation version launched locally in 2018 (from $247,700).

This makes it the most expensive ladder-frame luxury off-roader offered in Australia, easily outclassing the Lexus LX600 Ultra Luxury at $213,561, and even performance off-road SUVs like the Land Rover Defender 130 P500 (from $240,270).

Powering the G63 is AMG’s venerable 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8, producing 430kW/850Nm that is sent to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission.

This means the 2560kg SUV can accelerate from 0-100km/h in a hot-hatch-scaring 4.5 seconds.

For comparison, the Land Rover Defender 130 P500 makes 368kW/610Nm from its 5.0-litre V8, while the Lexus LX600 produces 305kW/650Nm from a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6.

And if customers act quick, they can have a box-fresh G63 in their driveway as early as November this year, as the two-year backlog has now been cleared.

As a reminder, Mercedes-Benz Australia was forced to stop incoming orders of the G-Class back in September 2021 due to pandemic-related issues and the semi-conductor shortage.

"In order to provide a proper level of customer certainty and satisfaction, Mercedes-Benz Australia has placed a hold on further G-Class backorders at this stage," a spokesperson told CarsGuide at the time.

"Our current focus is effectively managing the fulfilment of existing backorders based on production allocation."

However, while the G-Class range was also offered with a diesel-powered G400d in the past, this looks to now be discontinued.