Years ago, Mercedes-Benz and its historical in-house tuner, AMG, committed to expand the lineup of high-performance vehicles to all those that bore the three pointed star. Nowhere is this commitment more evident than in the G55 AMG sports-utility vehicle.

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Initially designed for rugged off road use, the basis for the G55 AMG is the four wheel drive, body-on-frame, dual solid-axle G-Class four door utility vehicle. A far cry, performance-wise, from the military vehicle from which it was derived, the 2008 G55 features a supercharged version of AMG's 5.5 liter V8 that pumps out 493 horsepower at a peak of 6,100 RPM. That motor is hooked up to a five-speed automatic transmission, rather than the seven-speed used in so many other AMG vehicles because of the five-speed's significant strength. An impressive 516 lb-ft. of torque over the fairly broad range of 2,800 to 4,500 RPM helps the G55 accelerate from 0-60 in a scant 5.4 seconds according to Mercedes-Benz. That 5.4 seconds doesn't seem especially fast by contemporary standards until you learn that the G55 tips the scales at 5,635 lb.

And the G55 AMG's bricklike aerodynamics don't especially help matters. This is much the vehicle that it was when it was introduced for military use in 1979. The boxy shape, chrome brush guards, exhaust outlets mounted fore of the rear tires and 18' titanium finish wheels ensure that it looks like nothing else on the road.

The G55 is only offered as a four door in North America; certain markets across the world have also received an open-top two-door G55 AMG.

Despite all of the AMG accoutrements, the G55 is still adept when the pavement ends. One of just two vehicles (the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is the other) sold in the United States with a solid axle front suspension (for off road articulation) and three manually locking differentials, the G55 knows how to strut its stuff in the turf.

AMG specifics for the G55 include the aforementioned chrome brushguards and exhaust, as well as Designo premium leather inside and AMG badging. Mercedes' COMAND DVD-based navigation system and Sirius satellite radio are standard. The G55 AMG starts at $112,725.