After discovering the 2013 G-Class lurking behind the updated GLK in one of the official shots and learning that Mercedes will debut the revised version of its longest running model series at the Beijing motor show at the end of April, we knew it was only a matter of time before the Germans made it official.
You will be hard pressed to find any exterior differences but there’s more than meets the eye with the 2013 G-Class, as Mercedes revamped the interior while adding two new AMG performance versions to the range.
Mercedes found no reason to alter the exterior appearance of the G-Class, which has been in production for 33 years since 1979, so the only changes are the new LED daytime running lamps and exterior mirrors for all engine variants. The AMG models also get a bespoke radiator grille with double louvres, new bumpers with large air intakes and 20-inch wheels.
There’s a lot more going on inside as the 2013 G-Class gains a brand new instrument panel borrowed from the M-Class and a center console with new controls and a large color screen for the COMAND Online system that incorporates a DVD changer and the COMAND Controller, which are standard on all models. The steering wheel design that incorporates various controls is also new.
Mercedes says it has added many new optional safety extras such as DISTRONIC PLUS, Blind Spot Assist and the parking aid PARKTRONIC with reversing camera, while it has revised ESP that now includes Trailer Stability Assist and a HOLD function.
The new model year range continues with the G 350 BlueTEC and the G 500, both as a long-wheelbase station wagon, plus the G 500 as a short-wheelbase Cabriolet model.
The G350 BlueTEC is equipped with a 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel generating 208hp (211PS) and 540Nm (398 lb-ft), while the G500 gets a 5.5-liter V8 churning out 382hp (388PS) and 530Nm (391 lb-ft). Both are fitted with a 7-speed automatic transmission and of course, all wheel drive.
What’s new in the range is the two AMG models. The G55 AMG with its 500hp 5.4-liter supercharged V8 is being replaced by the G63 AMG that features a new twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8 engine with 536hp (544PS) and 760Nm (560 lb-ft), as well as a standard ECO start/stop system.
At the top of the range we find the G65 AMG, which is the first series production G-Class model to get a V12 engine. The 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged unit delivers a monstrous 603hp (612PS) and 1,000Nm (737 lb-ft) of peak torque, making it the most powerful series-produced cross-country vehicle in the world, according to Mercedes.
Mercedes has not yet released performance numbers for the AMG models.
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