Perhaps the auto industry鈥檚 most unlikely icon, the Mercedes-Benz G-wagen was originally developed for the German military way back in 1979. The civilian model gained popularity for its rugged chic and anti-style style. Then AMG got its hands on the G-wagen, and the muscled-up variants including the G63 and the twin-turbo V-12-powered G65 eventually eclipsed the standard G-class in sales. It became clear that the more outrageous Mercedes made the G-wagen, the more buyers loved it. Although we鈥檝e just driven the all-new G-class, we couldn鈥 檛 pass up the opportunity to strap our test gear to this final iteration of the (nearly) original G-wagen, which literally towers over the standard model. Naturally, with its 17.2 inches of ground clearance, we had to take the 4x42 off-road. The portal axles, which use in-hub gears to locate the wheel centers below the axles鈥?driveshafts, combine with the massive wheels and tires to deliver 7.9 inches more air between this G and the ground than in a standard model. Factor in the steep approach and breakover angles (not so much the departure angle, owning to the comparatively low-hanging rear bumper), and there wasn鈥檛 an obstacle this Benz couldn鈥檛 overcome.

Perhaps the auto industry鈥檚 most unlikely icon, the Mercedes-Benz G-wagen was originally developed for the German military way back in 1979. The civilian model gained popularity for its rugged chic and anti-style style. Then AMG got its hands on the G-wagen, and the muscled-up variants including the G63 and the twin-turbo V-12-powered G65 eventually eclipsed the standard G-class in sales. It became clear that the more outrageous Mercedes made the G-wagen, the more buyers loved it. Although we鈥檝e just driven the all-new G-class, we couldn鈥檛 pass up the opportunity to strap our test gear to this final iteration of the (nearly) original G-wagen, which literally towers over the standard model. Naturally, with its 17.2 inches of ground clearance, we had to take the 4x42 off-road. The portal axles, which use in-hub gears to locate the wheel centers below the axles鈥?driveshafts, combine with the massive wheels and tires to deliver 7.9 inches more air between this G and the ground than in a standard model. Factor in the steep approach and breakover angles (not so much the departure angle, owning to the comparatively low-hanging rear bumper), and there wasn鈥檛 an obstacle this Benz couldn鈥檛 overcome.

At least, not at ground level. We had to back out of some trails when overhanging branches threatened the roof-mounted LED light bar鈥攖his beast towers seven feet four inches high. And other trails proved too narrow for this machine鈥檚 82.7-inch girth, which is more than nine inches greater than the width of a regular G550. With its three locking differentials (as in all G-class models鈥攅xcept the 6x6, which gets five), it can really dig in and crawl like a tank. Good thing, since there are no recovery tow hooks that we could find. Really, though, rather than on the trails, a better place to experience this machine鈥檚 incredible off-road prowess would be blasting across the open desert or clambering through the detritus of a post-apocalyptic landscape. The G550 4x4虏 proved less at home on the blacktop landscape of our test track, although by a lesser degree than you might expect. Powered by Mercedes-AMG鈥檚 twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8, which musters 416 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque鈥攖he latter sent to all four corners via a seven-speed automatic transmission鈥攖he 4x4虏 will launch itself from zero to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds.

That鈥檚 just 0.4 second behind the standard G550 (with the same powertrain), which is a pretty narrow difference given that the tall-boy version is 753 pounds heavier, vaulting past the three-ton marker to crush the scales at 6635 pounds. The quarter-mile comes up in 14.8 seconds at 93 mph, again just a shade behind the regular version鈥檚 14.4 seconds at 97 mph. Stay with it, and the 4x4虏 will keep accelerating past 100 mph鈥攁lthough it seems imprudent to do so鈥攅ventually topping out at 121 mph. Hauling it back down, we recorded a 196-foot stop from 70 mph, which is heavy-duty-pickup territory; then again, this thing is heavy-duty-pickup heavy. Somehow, the 4x4虏 acquits itself better on the track than it does on the street. There, we noted that every time you accelerate from rest, it makes a sort of grinding noise likely due to internal friction in the portal axles. The engine isn鈥檛 terribly loud inside (although the exhausts exiting at roughly head level on each side ensure bystanders get an earful), but once you reach highway speed, there鈥檚 plenty of tire roar and wind rush.

Characteristic of the G-class, there鈥檚 all kinds of play in the recirculating-ball steering, which is exacerbated by the tall-sidewall tires and the towering body鈥檚 susceptibility to crosswinds. Despite the suspension鈥檚 long travel, bumps seem transmitted directly to the cabin. Come to a stop, and the body rocks back and forth. As in other G-class models, the cabin has been kitted out with modern-Benz infotainment and luxuries, but it鈥檚 narrow and the cramped rear seat has barely enough room for adults. What鈥檚 different here is that the climb aboard is challenging enough that this is the first SUV we鈥檝e ever thought would benefit from grab handles near the doorsills. But unlatch the door and that mechanical click is so awesomely old-school Mercedes. Mostly, though, the 4x4虏 is just absurd out among ordinary traffic. It might seem fun to take it through the Starbucks drive-thru, but keep in mind that you may have to hop down from your perch to grab the proffered mocha Frappuccino. Drive-up ATMs prove tantalizingly out of reach. With its towering ride height, LED roof lights, side-exiting exhaust, and massive 22-inch wheels outlined with carbon-fiber fender extensions and pushed outward on a much wider track, the 4x4虏 couldn鈥檛 scream 鈥淟ook at me! 鈥?any louder if it were lit up in neon and shooting flames. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a Swarovski-crystal-encrusted brodozer,鈥?as one editor opined. And yet for all that, we can鈥檛 help but fall for its absurdist appeal. We鈥檒l miss the old G, but at least it went out as it lived: with near-obscene brashness.