Now, you鈥檙e probably familiar with Traxxas鈥?RC vehicle lineup. We mean, we鈥檝e only recently shown you what the RC Chevrolet Blazer can do on rough terrain. Today鈥檚 video keeps the off-road theme alive but adds a more extreme dimension. Well, if we didn鈥檛 know better, we鈥檇 say that the one controlling the Traxxas TRX-4 Mercedes-Benz G500 in the video you鈥檙e about to watch is Ken Block himself, during one of his Gymkhana sprees. But that鈥檚 not the case here. In fact, a lot of the car鈥檚 verve nicely caught on camera is due to its underpinnings. We鈥檙e not done yet. Serving its off-road appetite and claims alike is a set of 2.6-inch five-spoke wheels wrapped in Canyon Trail tires with foam inserts mean to dig deep into dirt for every drop of traction. They also come in handy when they鈥檙e needed to cushion a massive jump or simply go down some stairs.

Now, you鈥檙e probably familiar with Traxxas鈥?RC vehicle lineup. We mean, we鈥檝e only recently shown you what the RC Chevrolet Blazer can do on rough terrain. Today鈥檚 video keeps the off-road theme alive but adds a more extreme dimension. Well, if we didn鈥檛 know better, we鈥檇 say that the one controlling the Traxxas TRX-4 Mercedes-Benz G500 in the video you鈥檙e about to watch is Ken Block himself, during one of his Gymkhana sprees. But that鈥檚 not the case here. In fact, a lot of the car鈥檚 verve nicely caught on camera is due to its underpinnings. We鈥檙e not done yet. Serving its off-road appetite and claims alike is a set of 2.6-inch five-spoke wheels wrapped in Canyon Trail tires with foam inserts mean to dig deep into dirt for every drop of traction. They also come in handy when they鈥檙e needed to cushion a massive jump or simply go down some stairs.

That鈥檚 right; this hellish toy can do all sorts of off-road acrobatics we never thought were possible in the first place. We also don鈥檛 want to upset any G550 4x42 owners out there, but we think the RC version is a more spectacular sight in rough terrain. Speaking of the real-life version of the Mercedes-Benz G550 4x42, you should know it entered the US market in 2016 as the G500 4x42 but the 2017 model year saw its nameplate changed to G550. Nothing short of our expectations, its specs were absolutely insane: a ground clearance of over 17 inches, portal axles, four diffs, and a 4-liter bi-turbo V8 engine churning out 416 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. And if you thought the regular G-Class G550 was a badass, then think again. Here鈥檚 how it fares against the G550 4x42 when it comes to off-road prowess. Coming back to the RC G500 4x42, Traxxas says it is not available on its website at the time of writing, but asks potential customers to check their local hobby stores. We couldn鈥檛 find the product on Amazon, so you鈥檒l need a bit of luck to get your hands on a new one.

The Mercedes-Benz G-Class is one of a kind: it tackles the toughest terrain, and then after a quick shower rolls up to valet stands at the finest of hotels and plays the role perfectly in both situations. Given the SUV鈥檚 over-the-top capabilities and iconic design, it鈥檚 no wonder Mercedes has been unwilling to mess with success. That said, the all-new 2019 G-Class is a pretty big deal, since it is the most significant redesign of the legendary SUV since the first one was built 鈥?about 40 years ago. While at first glance the new G-Wagen looks the same, in reality only three items carry over from the previous-generation: door handles, headlight washers and spare tire carrier 鈥?everything else is new. The most noticeable contemporary design elements are the headlights. Still round like the original, the new lights feature an LED surround for a modern look. The AMG G63 is differentiated further with a grille similar to that found on the AMG GT, as well as a lower position of the 鈥渂ullbar. Both offer supreme off-road capability as well as the recognizable fender-mounted turn signals, exposed door hinges and the sound of a locking vault when a door gets slammed shut. Although the G-Class resides among a very elite group of premium SUVs, there really aren鈥檛 any direct competitors to this time-honored classic. A few vehicles come close to matching its off-road prowess, but these are not luxury vehicles. And there are luxury SUVs that cannot do what a G-Class can do, and no other vehicle on the road has the same cachet as the iconic G-Class. If you鈥檙e looking to stand out from the crowd in a vehicle that is unlikely to meet any terrain it can鈥檛 handle, the G-Class certainly fits the bill. And if you have the means, the G63 is definitely worth the upgrade.

Today we have a second patent filing to bring you, with Daimler filing to reserve the 鈥楪 53鈥?nameplate with the World Intellectual Property Organization. The most logical use of the 鈥楪 53鈥?badge would be for a new AMG variant of the second-generation G-Class. There is a slight problem, though. The 2019 G550 uses Mercedes-Benz鈥檚 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 416 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque in the application. Either Mercedes-Benz has a more robust version of the mild hybrid inline-six powertrain in the works for the G 53 AMG, or it just reserved the nameplate so it doesn鈥檛 get used by another automaker. We also stumbled upon a filing for G 43 AMG, so it does seem possible that Mercedes is simply covering its bases with these trademark filings. Earlier this year, AutoGuide dug up a number of other Mercedes-Benz trademark filings, which included 鈥楪 73鈥? This is a product that we are almost certain will arrive. Rumors point to the upcoming 鈥?3鈥?series of AMG models using a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 and a plug-in hybrid system. Such a powertrain was previewed with the Mercedes-AMG GT Concept, which made 805 hp. Whatever these trademark filings indicate, there鈥檚 one thing we know for sure: Mercedes-AMG is going to be very, very busy in coming years. We鈥檒l have more interesting Mercedes-Benz trademark filings to bring you shortly, so stay tuned.

I walk outside to find the G550 parked on a snow bank. Not adjacent to a snow bank, but actually on it, with the left wheels sitting on 8 inches of packed snow. But I鈥檓 not annoyed, because a car like the 2015 Mercedes-Benz G550 shrugs off such challenges. Escaping the snowdrift doesn鈥檛 even require locking any of the Gelandewagen鈥檚 three differentials. Like most buyers of the G550, I stick to paved roads. I could ford 19.7 inches of water and bounce over boulders and scale steep hills, but I don鈥檛. I turn on the satellite radio and the heated seats and the adaptive cruise control and make a phone call over Bluetooth. In other words, I drive the G550 the way every other U.S. Unfortunately, driving the 2015 Mercedes-Benz G550 is a pretty mediocre experience. There鈥檚 no escaping the fact that this vehicle was designed decades ago for crossing muddy fields, with few major updates since. I wrench at the slow, lazy steering to keep the G550 from wandering into another lane and see only sky when the nose pitches skyward under acceleration.