Pricing has just been announced on the Mercedes-AMG G63. The distinctive shape and stance of the infamous G-Wagen has changed very little in almost 40 years of production, however for the new G-Wagen, it’s just about everything else that has secured an update. 
With the Manufacturers Recommended List Price (MRLP) starting at $247,700, production is slated to begin in June 2018, with deliveries expected to begin in the third quarter of 2018; subject to the G’s popularity.
Options can be had in the form of a “Night Package” which includes tinted indicator lenses, black exterior door mirror housings, trim elements in the bumpers as well as 22″ AMG multi-spoke wheels with a silver flange. The ‘Night Package’ includes only exterior livery and will set punters back an extra $5,900 MRLP on top of the price of the G63. 
There is also the “Edition 1″ options pack, that includes all of the above but with red trim on the door mirrors and black 22” wheels with a red flange, and a rather expansive interior upgrade. This includes Nappa leather seats in red/black, with diamond stitching, plus multi-contour adjustment for the front seats with massage and climatisation. Air-vents also get a silver shadow finish and metal AMG badges are embedded in the front seat back-rests. The steering wheel is an AMG performance wheel in Nappa leather with red stitching and a red 12 o’clock marker. The interior trim is also finished in red-pepper carbon fibre. The “Edition 1” upgrade will add $19,500 to the cost of the Mercedes-AMG G63. 
Power across the range is supplied by a 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8, pushing out a solid 430kW & 850 Nm of torque, up from the previous 5.5 litre V8’s 420kW/760Nm. The new G63 also includes a full 15 speaker sound system, eight lighting schemes inside the 4X4, an AMG sports exhaust as well as Keyless-Go starting function.
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Like other marques trending towards the overblown price for their off-road vehicles I fail to see the point of producing a vehicle that is no doubt capable, but full of leather and woodgrain and other consumables, that the rich might be able to afford, but will never get off-road for fear of scratching that lovely paint. The G Wagon has the perfect combination of body style, usable interior space and off-road capability to make it a great world travel vehicle but due to its price, it will hardly be found in this role.
Instead, it will continue to look good in action movies in its black guise protecting well-healed clients in convoy racing through narrow alley-ways while having missiles shot at it. Of course, there will be the rich who can afford it and want it because it looks good but will be ignorant of its true capability or even get it off the blacktop.
With Land Rover shooting themselves in the foot and not having a backup plan in place for the outgoing Defender this would have been the perfect time for Daimler AG to strip out the woodgrain, the leather seats and the other stuff not needed in a basic vehicle and sell a much stripped down G Wagon to fill the gap left by the Defender alongside their commercial vans at a much more affordable price point. Go online and read the story about “Otto’s Journey” to get an appreciation of the capability and durability of these vehicles.
It seems Land Rover is going to push the eventual replacement of the Defender up towards the luxury end of their offerings once again leaving the more affordable end of the market without a decent station wagon alternative to the ubiquitous dual cab ute.