According to preliminary M-B test data, the 2005 G55 can haul its 5600-plus pounds to 100 kph (62 mph) from a standing start in 5.6 seconds, setting it squarely next to the Porsche Cayenne Turbo in acceleration. As with all AMG variants, bigger and stronger binders deliver enhanced braking performance, resulting in excellent, almost disturbingly calm stopping power.

Underneath, the G-Class still uses (very) old-school front and rear solid axles and a super-rigid ladder frame. Unlike last year’s G55, though, which included a stiffer, more performance-oriented suspension, the 2005 will have a softer ride and feel, more akin to the standard-issue G500.

That said, we still found plenty of characteristic Mercedes-Benz precision and control when we pushed it through the Austrian Alps. All G-Class units will continue to offer center, rear, and front independently locking differentials (and they must be engaged in that order when used), keeping the G-Class the closest thing to a steel-sided mountain goat on sale in the States. Over the last 25 years, M-B has sold over 175,000 G-Wagens worldwide, averaging close to 7000 units per year. Most of them go to various international militaries, and every one is handbuilt at the same Graz, Austria, assembly plant.