2016 Mercedes-Benz G-Class

For 2016, the G550 receives exterior styling tweaks, a new 4.0-liter turbocharged V8 engine and an available adjustable suspension, while a certifiably insane AMG G 65 model joins the lineup with twin-turbo V12 power. The G-Class also receives a new instrument cluster. The 2016 Mercedes-Benz G-Class is the only vehicle sold today that successfully spans the cultural chasm between Beirut and the Sunset Strip. The G-Wagen, as it's popularly known, serves civilian owners worldwide, has seen military use on six continents and once won the Dakar Rally. To say it's versatile is a wild understatement. It's also an icon of prosperity that's perhaps uniquely resistant to rational analysis. Along with ancient underpinnings designed for navigating landmine craters, this SUV proffers healthy helpings of leather-wrapped luxury and incongruously contemporary engineering. It's square, it's heavy, it steers and rides like the decades-old military vehicle that it is and people love it anyway. The G is hilariously overpowered, particularly the new AMG G 65 trim with its bonkers V12 engine, and it's fitted with every amenity and convenience that Mercedes could find a place for. It's all about excess, you might say, which gives it an unapologetically American appeal. Powering the 2016 Mercedes-Benz G-Class are three turbocharged engines: two V8s (G550, G 63) and a V12 (G 65). The G550 uses a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 that produces 416 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque increases of 34 hp and 59 lb-ft from last year's normally aspirated V8. A seven-speed automatic is the only transmission available, distributing power to all four wheels through a full-time four-wheel-drive system with a low-range transfer case. Also included are electronically locking front, center and rear differentials for off-road use.