Mercedes has come out with some insane SUVs for the American market in the past, but none more so than the – officially confirmed for 2017 – Mercedes-Benz G550 4×4. The vehicle will be a smaller version of the massive G63 AMG 6×6 (with six wheels).

Even though the Mercedes G63 AMG 6×6 never made it to the North American shores, it is regarded as one of the outrageous vehicles money can buy. The Mercedes-Benz G550 4×4 has four wheels like most SUVs, but it is taller, larger, and far more capable off-road than the regular crop of SUVs.

The Mercedes-Benz G550 4×4 will measure a whopping 7.3 feet in height, which is 11.1 inches taller than the regular G wagon. The standard version has to do with just 7.9 inches of ground clearance, but it is a massive 17.2 inches on the Mercedes-Benz G550 4×4. Mercedes has been able to provide it is astronomical increase in off-road capabilities to the use of portal axles which are of military grade. Incidentally, these are the same type of axles found on the G63 AMG 6×6.

The suspension setup has been beefed in almost every possible way. The vehicle comes with two springs and two dampers at every corner. This improved suspension also results in the footprint of the vehicle being much larger than the standard variant. The width at the front track comes in at 9 inches whereas the width at the rear is 10 inches.

For hauling a vehicle of this size, Mercedes relies on the same 4.0-liter V-8 with twin turbos – the same engine used in a view of the Mercedes range of SUVs. It may be a disappointment that theMercedes-Benz G550 4×4 misses out on the AMG-built engine found on the 6×6 model, but the 416 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque produced by this engine should be more than sufficient.

On the interior front, the Mercedes-Benz G550 4×4 is similar to several other SUV models from the company. Unlike on the standard variant, the screen for the COMAND infotainment is now larger 8 inches. Mercedes has confirmed that the G550 4×4 will be joining the North American portfolio from next year onwards. The company, though, has not announced details about the pricing but it is expected to be in the region of the Mercedes-AMG G65. The latter commands a pricetag of around $220,000.