If there were ever two SUVs that didn't need any extreme tuning, they'd be the Mercedes-G63 AMG 6x6 and the new Mercedes G500 4×4². But "not needing tuning" rarely ever stops a car tuner like Mansory from putting its own spin on the automobiles of our times. It's already worked over the G63 six-wheeler, and now it's turned its attention to the exponential G500, adding horsepower and loads of carbon fiber.
Mercedes chose to leave the standard G500's 416-hp 4.0-liter biturbo V8 unimproved when dropping it into the production G500 4×4², but Mansory hasn't stopped at stock. It hasn't gone so power-crazy as it did with its 829-hp G63 package, but it did add a modest 62 hp for a total of 478 hp. Available torque rises to 524 lb-ft. Those increases come courtesy of Mansory's Powerbox and sports exhaust.
Where Mansory has gone a little crazy is in the carbon fiber department. It's swapped out the hood for a refashioned carbon fiber version, surrounded the headlamps with carbon, and added carbon all over the grille, mirror caps and roof, among other places. Also new is the carbon LED-lined front spoiler underlining the bumper.
The carbon madness continues inside, where carbon fabric joins leather in sprucing up the cabin. There's also a carbon steering wheel inlay, Mansory aluminum pedals, decorative stitching and beading, and logos. Mansory calls the automatic step to climb inside the "stairway to heaven," which ties in with the sky blue paint.
It's not a bad package as far as tuner cars go, but we think we'd prefer the standard G500 4×4², especially for whatever premium Mansory plans to charge over the already exorbitant sticker price.
Source: Mansory
