The limited-production G-wagen wears matte black paint and myriad gold accents but may or may not make it to America.
The 2023 Mercedes-AMG G63 Grand Edition will be limited to 1000 copies globally.
The Grand Edition features matte black paint and unique gold exterior accents
Mercedes hasn’t said how much the G63 Grand Edition costs, and it’s not yet saying if it’ll be offered in the U.S. market.
While the Mercedes-Benz G-class is known to be seriously capable off-road, it’s also known as a machine that celebrities and rich folks alike roll out to flaunt their status. The 577-hp AMG G63 variant is especially bougie, and the newly introduced Grand Edition takes that to the next level.
As the kids say, the 2023 Mercedes-AMG G63 Grand Edition has some serious drip. For those who don’t know what that means, Google’s search function is a useful resource. Simply put, the SUV’s matte black paint (MANUFAKTUR Night Black Magno) and exclusive gold exterior accents give it a fashionable appearance.There’s nothing subtle about the G-wagen’s unmistakable shape and styling that can be traced back to the 1979 original. Only a couple years earlier, the 1977 movie Smokey and the Bandit hit theaters, featuring Burt Reynolds behind the wheel of a black-and-gold Pontiac Trans Am. The G63 Grand Edition puts off those same vibes, with its gold-colored decals and multispoke wheels. The latter are forged 22-inchers painted Tech Gold, which match the color of the side graphics. Mercedes also says an Affalterbach emblem in Kalahari Gold Magno is “emblazoned" on the hood in what sounds like a German version of Pontiac’s screaming chicken.
Mercedes’s three-pointed star emblems, the AMG badges, and details on both bumpers as well as the ring around the rear-mounted spare tire carrier are coated in Kalahari Gold Magno too. Inside, the Grand Edition has black nappa leather with gold contrast stitching. The same color combo applies to the floor mats, and above the glovebox there’s a plaque on the grab handle that says “Grand Edition" with the “G" in bold. For G-wagen, get it?
Some might say the G63 Grand Edition is glitzy, but others might call it gaudy. Either way, Mercedes says it only plans to sell 1000 copies around the globe. The company hasn’t said how much the limited-production model costs, nor is it releasing any information about a potential U.S. version, which will be announced later.
Maranello, 5 May 2022 – The Ferrari SP48 Unica, the latest addition to the Prancing Horse’s One-Off series, was unveiled today and joins the most exclusive group in Maranello’s entire production: unique, absolutely bespoke cars crafted to the specifications of a single client and designed as a clear expression of their own individual requirements.
The SP48 Unica, designed by the Ferrari Styling Centre under the direction of Flavio Manzoni, Chief Design Officer, is a two-seater sports berlinetta developed on the F8 Tributo platform. Its taut lines and aggressive stance make it instantly recognisable with respect to the original model, and it is unmistakable too, thanks to its arrow-shaped front profile. Central to achieving this effect was the redesign of the headlights and the subsequent relocation of the brake air intakes.
A pivotal aspect of the design of this unique new car is the extensive use of procedural-parametric modelling techniques and 3D prototyping (additive manufacturing) which enabled the Ferrari Styling Centre designers and Maranello’s engineers to completely redesign the front grille and engine air intakes. This advanced production process resulted in perfect 3D grilles that seem carved from a solid volume creating a sense of seamless continuity and dynamic fluidity.
The procedural graphic solutions adopted on the bodywork dialogue directly with the grilles and influence the SP48 Unica’s overall design: the transition from black – which includes the windows, roof and engine cover – to the body colour is especially clear. The striking visor effect of the front is further heightened by the reduction in the size of the side windows and the elimination of the rear screen, highlighting the powerful muscularity of the SP48 Unica which seems sculpted from a single block of metal.
The plan view emphasises the central section of the roof which includes a graphic representation of the air intakes set into the rear part of the carbon-fibre engine cover before the rear wing. This angle allows the viewer to appreciate the styling research that went into the SP48 Unica and reveals the sophisticated interplay of symmetries and intersecting lines created by its forms.
The SP48 Unica’s thermal-fluid-dynamic design has been honed and perfected to guarantee it satisfies all cooling requirements in addition to delivering a different aerodynamic balance. The biggest changes compared to the F8 Tributo’s styling include the air intakes for cooling flows for the engine on the front bumper and beneath the rear spoiler. Each has a deep procedural grille, every section of which is optimally angled to maximise the amount of air passing through. The car’s configuration also allowed the engineers to locate an intercooler intake immediately behind the side windows, which in turn enabled them to reduce the dimension of the intakes on the flanks. The longer rear overhang reduces suction from the roof area, boosting rear downforce.
Although the cabin retains the F8 Tributo’s technical identity – excluding the rear screen – meticulous development work was lavished on achieving the perfect combination of colour and trim to reflect the SP48 Unica’s sleek, sporty and aggressive personality. A good example is the specially developed black laser-perforated Alcantara® used on the seats and most of the cabin trim, beneath which are glimpses of iridescent reddish-orange fabric that match the exterior colour. Its motif picks up the hexagonal motif of the grilles and the procedural livery on the roof, creating an appealing continuity between the car’s interior and exterior. In the SP48 Unica cockpit, the eye is immediately drawn to the polished sill covers with the same laser-embossed hexagonal motif. Matte carbon-fibre imbues the cockpit with a sense of technicality and exclusivity, and is complemented by the Grigio Canna di Fucile accents.
Designed for a long-standing client who was deeply involved in every step of its creation, the one-off Ferrari SP48 Unica is a bold interpretation of a sports car and cleverly enhances its racing soul and vocation for speed. The SP48 Unica achieves its goal of transforming an existing model to masterful effect, taking inspiration from and paying homage to the company’s core values of innovation and passion.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
The Special Projects programme creates unique Ferraris (so-called “One-Offs”) characterised by an exclusive design crafted around the requirements of each individual client to ensure each one becomes the owner of a genuinely one-of-a-kind model. Each project originates from an idea put forward by the client and then developed with a team of designers from Ferrari’s Styling Centre. Having defined the car’s proportion and forms, detailed design blueprints and a styling buck are produced before the construction of the new One-Off begins. The entire process lasts more than a year on average, during which time the client is closely involved in assessing the design and verification phases. The result? A unique Ferrari sporting the Prancing Horse logo and engineered to the same standard of excellence as every car that rolls off the Maranello assembly lines.
A unique new Ferrari designed to a client’s brief
The SP48 Unica is a two-seater sports berlinetta powered by the same twin-turbo V8 as the F8 Tributo
Bespoke design and aero modifications give the SP48 Unica a sporty and dynamic look
Mission X is a spectacular reinterpretation of a hypercar, with Le Mans-style doors that open upwards to the front. The Mission X represents the pinnacle of performance and modern luxury.
In its breathtaking design classic brand elements are reinterpreted.
In the sporty vet elegant cabin there is a very special interior highlight on the passenger side, where a bayonet system embedded in the instrument panel enables a stopwatch module to be quickly attached. The historical reference is unmistakable: in classic racing and rally cars, co-drivers often fitted a plate with stopwatches or a compact device with an odometer into the dashboard in this position. Porsche Design created a special timing module for the Mission X, with an analogue and digital display. The stopwatches are designed for both racetrack and rally use and can display the lap times or health data of the driver, among other information.
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