AMG is turning 55, and as a celebration, it’s building a special edition of one of the wildest performance vehicles in the stable, the G 63. The Edition 55 series represents AMG’s 55 years in the “making slow stuff fast” business, which has seen some of the world’s greatest super saloons and sports cars, as well as a few SUVs thrown in for good measure.
Only two exterior finishes will be available,
obsidian black metallic or G manufaktur opaline white bright. Not the most
exciting color choices for a special edition model, but they help to highlight
the details brought by AMG Night Packages I and II which include high-gloss
black trim on the grille, turn signals, headlights, and taillights. A chrome
gas filler cap with an AMG badge and 22-inch forged wheels bring it all
together.
Inside, the Edition 55 really gets showy
with bright red touches everywhere. The two-tone red and black Nappa leather
seats immediately draw the eye, but repeated glances reveal stainless steel
door trim with red lettering, black floor mats with red “Edition 55” lettering,
a microfiber wrapped steering wheel, and subtle carbon trim pieces. The changes
are cosmetic only, as under the hood remains AMG’s venerable twin-turbo
4.0-liter V8, producing 577 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque. Power is distributed
40/60 to the front/rear wheels thanks to the all-wheel-drive system.
Just 55 examples of the G 63 Edition 55
will be coming to US shores. In Europe, the Edition 55 package adds € 17,850
(US$ 19,719 at today’s rates) to the cost of a G 63. In the U.S, the G 63 starts
from US$ 156,450. Mercedes-Benz has not unveiled official pricing yet, but we
expect it will announce that information closer to the launch date later this
year. Nevertheless, expect to pay anywhere from around US$ 15,000 to US$ 20,000 for
the package.
The G 63 Edition 55 is the first of what
we expect to be a series of “Edition 55” branded vehicles from AMG’s history,
which started in 1967 as a tuning house for mostly Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The
first AMG-tuned G-Class arrived in 1999, and the performance firm has been in
complete control by Mercedes-Benz since 2005.