A Close Look at the 2016 Mercedes-Benz G500 4x4

Mercedes has long been known for high-end luxury vehicles but in the off-road world, they have a rich history of producing some of the most capable vehicles on the planet. Not surprisingly, the Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 6x6 that was unveiled in 2013 was an instant off-road hero despite having a price tag larger than most people’s homes. With 37-inch off-road tires, high clearance portal axles and Ohlins shocks, the G63 6x6 was the stuff that off-road enthusiasts dream of.

 

It seems Mercedes has another ace up it’s sleeve and from the looks of the 2016 Mercedes-Benz G500 4x4-2 (squared), They’ve created another off-road monster that picks up right where the G63 6x6 left off. The G500 4x4-2 can conquer virtually any terrain in it’s path thanks in part to its use of big beefy portal axles like the one’s found on its bigger brother.  

The G500 4x4-2 features a set of portal axles, lower transfer-case gearing, three locking differentials and an optional (mandatory in our opinion) set of 37x12.5R18 Mud Terrain tires mounted on 18-inch Beadlock wheels that can deflate and air up in a matter of seconds allow it to conquer the highest sand dunes, treacherous rocky terrain and even ford water crossings up to 39.3 inches deep. The G500 4x4-2 can do this thanks to the big beefy portal axles that come right from the G63 6x6 and give it more than adequate ground clearance that takes it from 8.3 inches to a whopping 17.7 inches of ground clearance along with a break over angle improvement from 21 degrees to 47 degrees.
 

Those impressive numbers are achieved thanks to the use of portal axles which not only raise the differential high up and out of the way of trail obstacles, but also further reduces gearing to help spin the massive 37-inch rubber. The higher center of gravity is countered by the much wider 69.8-inch track width that give this new G500 4x4-2 plenty of stability both on and off-road.  

Moving all this weight isn’t an easy task but the G500 4x42 gets going in a hurry thanks to Mercedes’ new 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged and direct-injected V-8 engine that pumps out 422 horsepower. This new engine features turbochargers that reside inboard of the cylinder heads in what Mercedes calls a “Hot-V” configuration to achieve a shorter and more efficient exhaust setup that helps reduce turbo-lag. Exhuast gases are then spent out a set of twin side pipes which dump out on each side just in front of the rear tire and give the G500 4x4-2 it’s distinctively aggressive growl.


One of the areas where the G500 4x4-2 differs from it’s bigger brother, the G63 6x6 is in the suspension department. The G500 4x4-2 features dual springs and shocks at every corner to soak up nasty beat up of off-road terrain. One set of springs and shocks are adjustable from inside the cab via a switch on the center console that allows the driver to flip between sport and comfort settings while on the road to deliver sports car-like handling but don’t expect the massive 37-inch Mud Terrain tires to handle curvy canyon roads like the stock 325/55R22 tires.  

Mercedes-Benz hasn’t yet said whether they will be releasing the G500 4x4-2 in the U.S. but we think it would be foolish not to bring it over to conquer some of the serious trails out here to set itself apart from the run-of-the-mill country club luxury SUV’s. All we know for sure is that it’s a pretty impressive off-road beast and we can’t wait to put it to the test off the beaten path.

News Source: http://www.fourwheeler.com/news/1502-a-close-look-at-the-2016-mercedes-benz-g500-4x4-2/

2016 Nissan Titan Overview

Nissan has a big challenge in front of it, maybe even bigger than when it decided to enter the half-ton segment almost 15 years ago. Remember the Alpha-T concept truck at the 2001 North American International Auto Show in Detroit? Not only does Nissan have the oldest and worst-selling half-ton pickup truck in the segment — the Titan — but there's also momentum building in the marketplace for new pickup sales to explode once again. It would behoove Nissan to take advantage of this.

And consider this: in the last two years, every half-ton manufacturer has completely re-engineered or significantly upgraded its products. Can any segment in the auto universe say that? If there's a truckmaker that has everything to gain with its next-generation full-size competitor, it's Nissan. So the reveal of the 2016 Titan next week at the 2016 NAIAS is a highly anticipated event.

We've spent quite a bit of time with the truck team at Nissan to watch how they've approached this daunting project and to see how this truck will either jump into the fray or continue to circle the battlefield.

"We know we can't be at the top of every single category with this new truck," said Rich Miller, Titan team leader, "but where we're not leading, we certainly want to be near the top — we want this truck to compete head-to-head with our competition in every category that a solid pickup truck needs to be in."

Naturally, we'll be fighting for every piece of information and the chance to get behind the wheel of the new Titan. You can be sure we'll be writing about what we find in the months to come. In this package of stories we're sharing information we've gleaned from a recent backgrounder and the most up-to-date press materials from Nissan.

The 2016 Titan will be available late this year, and in order to slowly and progressively ramp up its production mix, Nissan has decided to offer the Titan XD with the new 5.0-liter V-8 Cummins first, and then roll out non-XD models in 2016. It's our understanding that you won't even be able to purchase a gas-equipped Titan until the first quarter of 2016, more than a year from now.

With the 2016 Titan, it looks to us like Nissan is pursuing buyers who want something more than a half-ton but less than a three-quarter ton: a "half-ton plus" or "three-quarter-ton light," if you will. Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

News Source: http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2015/01/2016-nissan-titan-overview.html