Mercedes-Benz G-Class G55 2011 Review

Want a vehicle with more cut-through on the street than a Ferrari? Look no further than the "new" Mercedes-Benz  G55AMG.

This industrial strength, old-school, off roader might have been designed in the second half of the last century but Benz let the people at performance outfit AMG have a crack at it and the result is stunning — in more ways than one.

DESIGN

Looking a bit like a bread van on steroids, the boxy G55AMG body hides a brute under the skin that can blast a 0-100kmh sprint in under five seconds with low range engaged and sounds a bit like a door-slammer drag racing car under full, (or partial) throttle. It's a Pope-mobile with serious poke.

Benz started making the Gelandewagen (G-Class) 32 years ago as a competitor for Land Rover's Defender and possibly some Jeep models.

That's why it has a face only a mother could love but the flat featured fourbie enjoys cult status in Europe and other places.

Robust in the extreme, the G55AMG is built on a chunky ladder chassis with rigid axles front and rear, high and low range constant four wheel drive and button select diff' locks on both axles and the transfer. The steel body panels feel like they're 5mm thick, the windscreen sits nearly vertical and the exterior door handles have quaint push buttons just like an old Holden. It wouldn't have any aerodynamic rating.

VALUE

That said, the G-Class is what a full-blown "fourbie" should be — tough as teak, go anywhere.

But add in the AMG influence and you have something altogether different — something no other automaker produces albeit at a sobering $217,230 price tag. It loses much of its off road ability but picks up hugely in other areas.

The vehicle has been upgraded to feature most of the latest Benz safety and luxury equipment. It scores the full Designo leather treatment inside and suede-look Alcantara headlining. A steel sunroof is included along with a host of other goodies as befits a high end, expensive vehicle.

TECHNOLOGY

Unlike other AMG models, it's no scalpel-sharp corner-carver, too tall and the steering's too vague, but the G55AMG is an absolute hoot to drive thanks to AMG.

They crammed a 5.4-litre, supercharged petrol V8 engine under the bonnet that's good for 373kW/700Nm output — 500 horsepower in the old money. It's out of AMG cars from a generation ago, revised and tweaked for 21st century applications. Power goes to all wheels via a five-speed automatic with sequential change mode on the gear stick.

DRIVING

Despite weighing nearly 2.6 tonnes, the powerplant makes this large five seater "truck" pin back your ears as soon as you push the right pedal. It rockets away from a standstill bellowing and blatting through those four, big-bore, side venting exhausts while the large 19-inch tyres struggle for grip especially when the engine hits its torque peak at around 2500rpm.

We struggled to achieve the claimed 15.9-litres/100km combined fuel consumption often seeing numbers in the 20s. Thankfully there's a 96-litre tank to give the vehicle a decent range.

There's a full-size spare on the barn door tailgate that opens to a large load area.

Benz fits the G55AMG with its "Premium Package" as standard equipment that includes TV and heated/vented electric front seats — noice.

But the suspension is really firm to the point where everyday driving can be uncomfortable. We'd like to see a two-mode switchable system with normal and sport (soft and hard).

Apart from that, the G55AMG is one of the most attention grabbing vehicles we have driven — blasts Hummers into the weeds.