The 500 GE V8 made its debut in an exclusive small series and marked the first high point in the history of cultivated performance on and off the road. The brand with the star is now celebrating its 30th birthday with the Final Edition G 500 V8. Discover all the details of the limited special model exclusively in the video with Toni Mäntele.
The all-new Final Edition G 500 V8 By Mercedes-Benz
The luxury German automaker allows us to pick our off-road specialist ‘poison’ – either a G 63 ‘Grand Edition’ limited to just 1,000 units worldwide or a G 500 ‘Final Edition’ to mark the 30th anniversary of the V8 engine’s introduction to the G series with 1,500 examples up for grabs.
First, do you want the good or the bad news? Suppose you’re the type that first wants to see the half-empty part of the glass to get to the half-full area faster. In that case, it’s probably best to tell you – upfront – that the mighty V8 engine will probably be no more in the G 500, as hinted by the final word in the title of the limited edition. Now, let us get started with the goodies.
So, the newly minted Mercedes-Benz G 500 ‘Final Edition’ is a limited series designed to celebrate the 30th birthday of the V8 engine in the G-Class models. Mercedes-Benz presented a V8 version of the series back in 1993 – its name was the 500 GE, and it too was a small production series model. The celebratory model, meanwhile, has a displacement of 3.982 ccs and a rated output of 310 kW, 415 hp, and 421 ps. Oh, and it will not be hard to identify its singular traits if you’re a diehard fan because of the exclusive details and equipment – including perks such as a complete Manufaktur leather package.
Plus, it will only be available in three hues – obsidian black and Manufaktur opalith white magno or olive magno, each limited to just 500 examples offered to retailers. “The Final Edition is our 30th birthday gift for the G 500, which in 1993 was considered the trendsetter and harbinger of the high-end off-roader in the luxury class. With its exclusive equipment details, the limited special model is also a fitting parting gift from the V8 biturbo engine in the G 500,” explains Emmerich Schiller, Chairman of the Managing Board of Mercedes-Benz G GmbH and Head of the Off-Road Vehicle Division at Mercedes-Benz. Other highlights of the limited series include 20-inch AMG wheels, ‘Final Edition’ lettering, Superior Line equipment, and more. In Europe, the price is quite juicy, indeed, as the order books have opened for anyone willing to part ways with at least 196,350 euros – which is over $215,170 at the current exchange rate.
Moving on to Mercedes-AMG territory, the high-performance division from Affalterbach is even more exclusive with its G 63 ‘Grand Edition’ because only 1,000 units will become available worldwide. Part of the off-road model’s portfolio since 2002, the AMG version of the G-Class is now offered with exclusive equipment and contrasting exterior colors to emphasize the distinctive design elements of the off-road vehicle icon. On the outside, the main theme of Manufaktur Night Black Magno is contrasted by gold-colored details that ultimately portray a vintage atmosphere – and even the AMG logo and the Mercedes star are dressed in Kalahari Gold Magno.
The 22-inch AMG forged wheels are dressed in Tech Gold with a matte black central locking nut, and even the AMG Indoor Car Cover now has a custom design. Naturally, the exterior is mirrored in the cabin where the Mercedes-AMG G 63 “Grand Edition” features G Manufaktur black Nappa leather seats with gold stitching, among others. Of course, now it’s also time to grab hold of the G’s handles and prepare for the MSRP’s impact – the ‘Grand Edition’ of the Mercedes-AMG G 63 is up for ordering with a European price of 228,896.40 euros, which equates to almost $251k in the United States!
