If the G-Wagen was not good enough for you, then the Mansory Grande Entrée might fill that void the German marque left you with. The tuning house builds upon the impressive G 63, and the result is astonishing. What we see here is a limited-edition boxy SUV that puts out a ton of horsepower and looks like Rolls-Royce was entrusted with making a tank.
Given everything happening today, buying a $180,950 high-performance gas-powered all-wheel-drive SUV might not be on many people's lists. But isn't that what makes the G 63 so special? It's not something hundreds of thousands of people can buy. It complements your personality and acts like an extension of your image to the world.
However, there are people out there who want more than a V8-powered G-Wagen. For them, Mansory has created the Grande Entrée. It's not just an atypical-looking SUV but a machine that makes any other G 63 tune feel like child's play. It has some end-of-world vibes to it but manages to transcend beyond the Mansory-specific mantra of making vehicles with an in-your-face appearance.
A "normal" Mercedes-AMG G 63 has an output of 577 hp thanks to a handcrafted four-liter eight-cylinder engine. The powerplant is connected to a nine-shift transmission. These parts and the highly capable all-wheel-drive system ensure the chonky vehicle moves from a standstill to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. That's impressive for a non-hybrid that weighs nearly 6,000 lb.
But Mansory wasn't satisfied with what the German marque's high-performance arm did and upped the power figures to a whopping 850 hp and 738 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) of torque. It'll rarely have the occasion to put all these ponies to work, but having such an output is reassuring. You never know when a BMW X5 M owner or a Model X Plaid driver might feel too cocky at a stoplight.
Photo: Mansory
The tune allows the limited-edition SUV to go from naught to 62 mph in 3.5 seconds, and it'll keep running until it hits the athlete's wall at 155 mph (250 kph). But it doesn't suddenly experience fatigue; it's just what the tuning house decided to set as the safest maximum top speed.
The Grande Entrée may look like it was designed to suit the needs of a paramilitary group leader, but it's a wolf in sheep's clothing. It shows off its enhanced body finished in a cool color that's not boring but also not too bold. At the same time, it doesn't immediately stand out. You'll have to take quite a good look at it to figure out that it's not just some random G-Wagen with a body kit and some rail lights.
The hood is made from chopped carbon fiber and has a generous scoop that allows air to come directly into the engine bay, while the front fender looks a lot more aggressive and works seamlessly with the wider fenders.
But it's the side view that impresses the most. It has aerodynamic wheels, but that won't make anyone gasp in awe. It's the suicide doors. That'll get them.
Photo: Mansory
Getting out or climbing in the Grande Entrée will feel even more special with this Rolls-Royce-inspired implementation. Mansory says it has also developed a special soft-close system for these rear-hinged doors.
Even though the tuning house makes just 10 Grande Entrée G-Wagen units, the funky doors are an option. If you want to buy the SUV and don't want your passenger to feel too spoiled, you can just leave the doors as Mercedes-AMG intended.
Inside, various shades of green dominate the cabin. This color scheme allows the great materials to pop, but they don't scream exquisite. The ambiance would best suit someone who loves nature, particularly forests.
The Start/Stop button has been moved to the ceiling, just like the refreshed Model 3 has its manual controls between the dome lights, and the grip bar will always remind the front passenger that they're sitting in a limited-edition and very expensive G-Wagen.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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