Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6×6 priced at $547K

The eye-watering before-tax pricing makes Mercedes' six-wheel-drive military-inspired behemoth second only to the 416,000-euro ($600,000) SLS AMG Electric Drive in the luxury German car maker’s range.

The G63 AMG 6x6 is also roughly three times more expensive than the regular four-wheeled G63 AMG on which it’s based.

Unveiled in near-production concept form in March, the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6x6 pick-up cuts an imposing figure, measuring 5870mm long, 2100 wide and 2300mm tall, weighing 3.85 tonnes and riding on 37-inch tyres.

The G63 AMG 6x6 pairs a 400kW/760Nm twin-turbocharged 5.5-litre V8 petrol engine with AMG’s seven-speed 7G-Tronic Speedshift Plus automatic transmission, sending drive to all six wheels. The front-drive system has been carried over from the G63 AMG while the transfer case with low-range ratio has been matched with a rear twin drivetrain from the 6x6 military version used by the Australian army, among others.

Mercedes says the 6x6’s five differential locks and 460mm ground clearance (more than double that of the standard G-Wagen) contribute further to making it capable over the toughest terrain.

Mercedes will build between 20 and 30 G63 AMG 6x6 utes per year – all in left-hand drive – with first customer deliveries set to start in early 2014.