Mercedes AMG G63

BY THEIR very nature, cars with a cult following can often be very hard to define. That following, whether logical or not, can be based on a variety of differing elements as diverse as its looks to its price tag, a starring role in a film (think Herbie or The Italian Job) or even its original purpose.

But despite all that, there can be very few cult cars that are odder than this Mercedes G-Class. Originally derived as the G-Wagen for the German army in 1979, it has made the rather unlikely transformation from that old utilitarian nature into a luxury 4x4 that’s especially beloved in the Middle East.

Thanks to the likes of the Lamborghini Urus and Bentley Bentayga, the concept of a luxury 4x4 is no longer quite such a strange one, but even so, with a price tag of £143,305, this AMG G63 is only ever going to be a niche choice.

That hefty six-figure dent in your bank account isn’t the only reason it stands out either, at more than 15ft long and 7ft wide, this Mercedes is big, really big. Not only that, but it actually looks even larger thanks to its boxy styling that appears as if it was drawn with an Etch-a-Sketch without a curve in sight.

Short of roller-skating naked down your local High Street, it’s hard to imagine how you would turn more heads than when driving this.

Of course, many of those heads are turning due to the G63’s sheer noise too. It may be down-sized from AMGs of years gone by but the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine is incredibly loud even before you press the exhaust button to raise the decibels further.

With an eye-watering 585bhp, the G63 can get from 0 to 60mph in just 4.5 seconds and on to a 137mph top speed