The most off-road-capable Mercedes G-Wagon has been spotted during pre-production tests multiple times already, but this is the first time we observe it without any camouflage on.
The photos were made near the Nürburgring, where the company has a dedicated vehicle test center. Fender flares and the spare wheel mount were the only parts glued over with black tape this time around. As for the chassis, the company mentioned that the SUV would keep its portal axles while receiving high-end, dual-shock per-wheel suspension and a wider track.
In all likelihood, the usual 4.0-liter V8 will stay under the hood, although it might get a power boost. The predecessor of the G 500 4x4² model produced from 2015 to 2017 (see video) had 422 metric horsepower (416 hp / 310 kW) at its disposal. The latest version of the engine can produce up to 585 PS (577 hp / 430 kW), and we expect the extreme G-Class to take advantage of it.
By the look of it, the SUV is ready to premiere soon, but for some reason, Mercedes did not include it in its IAA Munich 2021 lineup.