Three years ago, Top Car presented the Inferno bodykit for the Mercedes-AMG G63, and now Manhart steps into the game combining the carbon-fiber parts with a series of mechanical upgrades, creating the G 800 Inferno.
Great On The Road, Probably Sucks Off-Road
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class is perhaps one of the most highly-tuned luxury SUVs out there. Despite its boxy old-school profile and off-road-focused demeanor, a plethora of tuners have invested in the on-road performance aspect of the G-Class, usually at the expense of off-road capability. One such tuning company is Manhart, which has introduced its new G800 Inferno kit to replace the previous G700 Inferno.
Manhart’s tuning kit is limited to the high-performance Mercedes-AMG G63 variant, which already offers a bonkers twin-turbo 577-horsepower 4.0-liter V-8 right out of the factory. For this tune, Manhart has uprated its turbochargers, installed a new stainless steel exhaust with valve control, upgraded the intercooler, fitted new air intake, and performed an ECU remap to enable the V-8 to push out a staggering 798 horsepower and 863 pound-feet of twist.
The carbon-fiber kit from Top Car Design includes wide fender add-ons, more aggressive bumpers, a vented bonnet, roof-mounted LEDs, a diffuser, and a sportscar-style rear wing. Manhart added its signature gold decal set contrasting the black shade, a theme that continues inside the re-upholstered cabin with Alcantara and perforated leather. The gold-painted Manhart Forged Line wheels look quite massive under the boxy fenders, while a set of H&R lowering springs bring the G-Wagen closer to the ground for improved handling.
Black And Gold Is The Color Of The Day
As an optional extra, the package can also extend to the interior, wherein Manhart will reupholster the surfaces in black and gold leather and/or suede. If this color combination isn’t your cup of tea, there’s an extensive catalog of colors and materials you can choose from. Then again, Mercedes-Benz also has their own in-house customization program called designo, which is probably just as diverse as what Manhart offers.
While there’s no doubt that having nearly 800 horsepower in a Mercedes G-Class is impressive, Manhart’s G800 Inferno kit is still a bit tame compared to what Brabus is capable of offering with their G V12 900. Whereas Manhart has kept the twin-turbo V-8, Brabus has given the G-Class a 6.5-liter twin-turbo V-12 that produces 888 horsepower and 885 pound-feet of torque, which is enough for this heavy, blocky SUV to sprint from 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in just 3.8 seconds.
