Mercedes-Benz S 580 Wald International Factory Matt Black Body Kit

They usually say that a premium brand like Mercedes-Benz traditionally has nothing to do with a mundane apparition like the Blue Oval company. Alas, that does not mean they cannot bond over the imaginative aftermarket realm’s prowess, right?
 

Normally, the status quo of the automotive industry means that Mercedes-Benz dwells around ritzy corners of the market while Fords are more likely to be seen at the grocery store, the school, or the local bowling alley. However, that does not mean there are no exceptions, such as the A-Class compact that was once envisioned as the people’s Mercedes, or the Ford GT, a true supercar in every way – including the MSRP quotations.
 

Now there is reason to believe that more stuff unites the Mercedes-Benz and Ford brands than separates them, at least in America, and at least as far as the dreamy aftermarket world is concerned. But wait, there is no need to take our word for granted, as we have a couple of eloquent examples thanks to the forged wheel experts over at Forgiato Designs, which recently flaunted an S 580 and a Bronco that have more things in common than anyone would have believed.
 
For starters, they both have the same aftermarket wheel ethos. The Mercedes-Benz S 580 limousine rocks a nice set of Y-spoke Forgis while the Ford SUV in turn has a set of big-lipped, humongous 24-inch Forgis shod in 35-inch off-road AMP Tires rubber. Indeed, they were not modified by the same aftermarket outlet, with the Mercedes being the partial work of a high-end tuner from Japan (Wald International) and the Bronco originating from Nashville, Tennesse’s BMS Off-Road (aka Brian’s Motorsports).
 

Anyway, more things connect them – such as the ‘murdered-out’ exterior appearance. But some things also separate them from the norm. For the Bronco, that would be the lifted atmosphere and the black soft top, as well as the contrasting orange touches on the wheels and Ford/Bronco emblems. For the S 580, meanwhile, that would be the factory matte black ethos combined with the aerodynamic body kit and the slightly lowered stance. It too has a contrasting feature, though – aka the white leather seen inside the posh cabin.
 
Meanwhile, we cannot be sure what Bronco version is the one seen here, but one thing is for sure – it’s nothing even close to the S 580’s powertrain. That is because Ford equips the regular Broncos with either a 300-hp 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-pot or a 330-hp 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6. In turn, the Mercedes-Benz S 580 rocks the same kind of oomph as the ritzier Maybach S 580, aka an M176 bi-turbo V8 (4.0-liter) that is aided by a 20-hp electric MHEV EQ Boost system. Even without that, though, it still makes 496 horsepower, more than enough to hit 100 kph (62 mph) in less than four-and-a-half seconds!