The monstrous Mercedes-Benz G 500 4×4² towered above the rest (literally; with a height of nearly 2.25 metres) at the German manufacturer’s pavilion at the Auto Expo 2016. A fitting replacement to the ostentatious, £370,000 worth G63 6 x 6, the G 500 4×4² loses one of the portal axles from its super-sized predecessor, and is built on a newly-developed variable chassis capped with the series-production G-Class body.
Permanent all-wheel drive, an off-road reduction in the transfer case, three lockable differentials, 450 mm of ground clearance, along with the aforementioned portal axles ensure that the G 500 4×4² can ford through a meter of standing water. The 4.0 litre, V8, bi-turbo heart makes 422 hp, which, along with 450 lb-ft of torque is put to the ground using a set of massive 325/55 R 22-sized tires wrapped around 22-inch wheels.
The luxurious interiors are upholstered with the designo Exclusive package (black designo leather with white contrasting topstitching), right down to the seat bolsters, head restraints as well as the dashboard, centre console and armrests in the doors . The seat surfaces and door panels feature diamond-design quilted trim, while the same trim can be found on the roof liner and body pillars as well.
| G 500 4×4² | Long-wheelbase G 500 | |
| Ground clearance | 450 mm | 210 mm |
| Angle of approach/departure f/r | 52 / 54 | 36/27 |
| Breakover angle | 47 | 21 |
| Tipping angle | 30 | 28° |
| Fording depth | 1000 mm | 600 mm |
| Slope climbing ability | 100% | 100% |
| Wheelbase | 2850 mm | |
| Track, front/rear | 1774 mm | 1475 mm |
| Wheel/tyre combination | 9.5 J x 22 325/55 R 22 |
7.5 J x 18 265/60 R 18 |
