“The first V8 G exists because Mercedes had a pile of old engines and nowhere better to put them. Only 446 were built, nearly all in purple-ish blue, and it is the one G that ships without a front locker.”
Where it came from, why it matters, and how it changed year to year.
The 500 GE is the G-Class that answered a question nobody had asked yet: what if the army truck had a V8? Shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1993, it was the first eight-cylinder G, sold only as a long-wheelbase five-door. It came in one standard colour and with every comfort option fitted, and the price was roughly double a G 320's. Mercedes planned 500. It built 446, and the reason has nothing to do with marketing.
By 1993 the old two-valve M117 V8 was on its way out. Mercedes' newer four-valve M119 had replaced it in the saloons, but the M119 was too big for the G's engine bay. That left a limited supply of M117s, so the 500 GE's production run was set by the number of engines on hand. Mercedes' own anniversary history says the run stopped at 446, built over about two years. Wikipedia describes it as a leftover batch of 446 engines.
The engine is the 4,973 cc M117, rated by Mercedes at 177 kW (240 PS) and 375 Nm. That was enough for 0–100 km/h in 11.4 seconds and a 180 km/h top speed, which felt quick for a long-wheelbase brick in 1993. An automatic gearbox was standard; a surviving owner-documented example has the four-speed automatic. Wikipedia says the body and chassis were adapted for the V8 at AMG in Affalterbach, then still an independent tuner; Mercedes' own anniversary story doesn't mention AMG.
At launch the 500 GE cost DM 178,250. A six-cylinder G 320 cost DM 88,500, and even a 500 SE S-Class was DM 129,030. Standard equipment included air conditioning, cruise control, an electric sliding sunroof, heated seats and a leather steering wheel. The cabin was black leather with medium-grey contrast panels and walnut veneer on the console, handbrake and both selector levers. Outside, the Amethyst Blue Metallic paint ran onto the bumpers, wheel-arch flares and mirror housings, so not a single black plastic panel showed.
Off-roaders should note the compromises. Mercedes deleted the front differential lock, leaving the centre and rear locks. The suspension was softened for comfort, and fording depth is slightly less than a standard G's. The tyres were Bridgestone 265/70 R16 H on alloy wheels, which Mercedes says were the only off-road tyres then approved to 210 km/h. In other words, this is a G meant for the Autobahn that can still handle a dirt road.
The standard 500 GE was the tame version. Later in 1993 AMG offered the 500 GE 6.0, with the M117 enlarged to 5,959 cc and 220 kW (about 300 PS), according to Mercedes. It was a one-off customer order on top of an already expensive truck, and RM Sotheby's believes only around 13 were officially converted. The option code to look for is ZB6. Not every special 500 GE is a 6.0, though: one car built for Saudi Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz has the 5.0 but was specified with a wider track, larger front wings and Avantgarde green paint. It sold at RM Sotheby's for $148,500.
Then there are the Puchs. In Austria and Switzerland the G was sold under the Puch name, and RM Sotheby's describes a Puch-badged 500 GE as the first of only three. Steyr-Daimler-Puch used it for homologation, testing and press drives. As for what replaced it, the V8 dropped out of the range until the G 500 arrived with the M113 in 1998. The G 55 AMG followed in 1999 and turned the 500 GE's limited-run idea into a regular model.
Mercedes never sold the 500 GE in the US, and it was never part of the Europa International programme. American examples arrived later through private importers. One car on the German Cars For Sale Blog went through Wallace test labs in 2005, after a costly and slow process, and has been registered in California ever since. Thirty years on, a well-kept 500 GE in Germany can qualify for historic H plates. Prices run from the twenties for a high-mileage import, as the blog judged one, to six figures for documented AMG and special-order cars at auction.
The G-Class was built in Graz by Steyr-Daimler-Puch from day one, and in Austria and Switzerland it carried the Puch name instead of the three-pointed star until 2000. According to RM Sotheby's, only three 500 GEs got Puch badges. The one it offered at Essen has a VIN with "VA", showing it was built in Austria by Puch. Finished in Amethystblau Metallic (paint code DB3338) with two-tone leather, it was used for homologation, testing and press drives.
It didn't sell. RM's estimate was €60,000–90,000 and the lot ended unsold. That says something useful about this corner of the market: the badge story is great, but buyers pay most for originality, documentation and condition.
What changed, model year by model year. Sweet spot Beware
How it’s built, what it can do, and what fits under it.
Under the paint and walnut, the 500 GE is a standard early W463: a separate ladder frame, coil-sprung solid axles at both ends, and permanent four-wheel drive through a two-speed transfer case. The changes are in the details. It has a big two-valve V8 where a six-cylinder normally sat, comfort-tuned springing, speed-rated road tyres, and one fewer locking differential than any other W463.
If you're used to the three-button sequence on later Gs, the 500 GE will catch you out: it has centre and rear locks only. That's how Mercedes built it, not a fault. Engage the centre lock first, then the rear, at walking pace on loose ground, and unlock them before you're back on pavement.
| YEARS | PLATFORM | ENGINE | OUTPUT | WORTH KNOWING |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–1994 | W463 300 GE | M103 3.0 L I6 | 170 PS | The petrol W463 the 500 GE sat above |
| 1993–1994 | W463 500 GE | M117 5.0 L V8 | 240 PS · 375 Nm | 446 built; LWB only; Amethyst Blue; no front lock |
| 1993 | W463 AMG 500 GE 6.0 | M117 6.0 L V8 (5,959 cc) | ≈300 PS | Individual AMG customer order; RM Sotheby's believes about 13 were converted |
| 1993–1994 | Puch 500 GE | M117 5.0 L V8 | 240 PS | Puch-badged for Austria/Switzerland; RM Sotheby's says three exist |
| 1998–2008 | W463 G 500 | M113 5.0 L V8 | 296 PS · 456 Nm | The V8 returns as a regular-production model |
| 1999 on | W463 G 55 AMG | M113 5.4/5.5 L V8 | 354 PS at launch | AMG's V8 G becomes a series model |
| LIFT | BIGGEST TIRE | WHAT IT TAKES |
|---|---|---|
| Stock | ≈32 in overall diameter | There's no 500 GE-specific consensus. On unlifted W463s, Expedition Portal owners say up to about 32 in clears without rubbing; 33s fit on 18-in wheels with a slight rub at full lock. Most owners keep these trucks on period-correct 16s. |
Forum consensus, not a guarantee: wheel offset, tire brand and suspension wear all change clearance. Confirm before you buy.
Mercedes planned 500 and built 446, because the supply of M117 V8s ran out.
Amethyst Blue metallic (Amethystblau, DB 3338) as standard; special-request colours exist
What to pay, what to check, and how to tell a good one from a clone.
The 500 GE is a rarity whose value depends on provenance, so auction results are scattered rather than tracing a clear trend.
Too few public sales for condition bands. Figures: armoured 500 GEs sold for $38,000 on BaT in December 2023 and were bid to $33,300 (unsold) in September 2024; RM Sotheby's sold a special-order car for $148,500 and an AMG 6.0 for $218,500; a Puch 500 GE estimated at €60,000–90,000 went unsold. Prices move; checked October 2026. See live listings below.
With 446 built and plenty of later Gs wearing V8 badges and blue trim, the paperwork and chassis number are what prove a real 500 GE.
The 500 GE was never sold new in the US, and it isn't part of the Europa International story. US examples are private imports; German Cars For Sale Blog documents one that went through Wallace test labs in 2005 and is California-registered. NHTSA allows any vehicle at least 25 years old to be imported, counted from its date of manufacture, so every 500 GE now qualifies under Box 1 of the HS-7 form. Check your state's titling and emissions rules.
Rules change and vary by state and country. Confirm with your DMV and a licensed importer before you buy.
Baseline service, the repairs you’ll actually do, and where the manuals live.
Treat a 500 GE as a recommissioning, not an oil change: most surviving examples have low miles and long storage, so rubber, fuel and fluids are old even when the odometer isn't. Parts for the M117 V8 and the 1993-era W463 chassis are model-specific — order by VIN and engine number, and keep the old parts for originality.
M117 5.0 V8. Change it before any long drive on a stored car, and check for leaks once warm.
Check the airbox for nests on a stored truck.
Inspect the leads, cap and rotor if fitted.
Replace any hard or swollen hoses; a stored car's hoses age faster than its odometer suggests.
Drain-and-fill with a new filter and pan gasket; check the shift quality cold and hot afterwards.
Fill plug on the front right, drain underneath (14 mm hex). Don't fill it with GL-5 diff oil.
The 500 GE has centre and rear locks only — test both on loose ground afterwards.
Bearing clearance is set with a dial indicator — use the factory procedure or a G specialist. Owners report much lighter steering after re-greasing the swivels.
Stored cars collect moisture in the fluid; flush and bleed every circuit.
Both documented 500 GEs cited on this page had this done during recommissioning. Check the tank and lines for varnish.
Smoke-test or tee in a gauge; replace perished rubber with vacuum-rated hose, not fuel line.
The jobs owners actually end up doing, rated for a competent home mechanic with a decent tool kit. Always confirm torque figures, fluids and procedures against the factory service manual for your VIN, and work safely — support the truck on stands, never just a jack. You do this work at your own risk; see the disclaimer. Some parts links are affiliate links.
446, against a planned 500. The run was limited by the supply of M117 V8s, since the newer M119 wouldn't fit the G-Class engine bay.
SOURCE · MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS · MOTOR1No, only the centre and rear locks. Mercedes deleted the front lock and also gave the 500 GE softer suspension and a slightly lower fording depth than other Gs.
SOURCE · MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASSThe factory tire is 265/70R16, about 30.6 inches. On unlifted W463s, Expedition Portal owners run 33-inch tires (275/70R18 and 285/65R18 on 18-inch wheels), with a slight rub at full left lock on the 285s. One owner says up to about 32 inches should clear with no rubbing. On the 500 GE's 16-inch wheels, aim for a similar overall diameter (around 32 inches) and test full lock. Many owners keep these trucks on period-correct 16s.
SOURCE · MERCEDES · EXPEDITION PORTAL OWNERSMercedes quotes 0–100 km/h in 11.4 seconds and a 180 km/h (112 mph) top speed, from 240 PS and 375 Nm.
SOURCE · MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASSAn automatic was standard and no manual was offered. A documented US-imported example has the four-speed automatic.
SOURCE · MERCEDES · GERMAN CARS FOR SALE BLOGPartly. Wikipedia says AMG modified the body and chassis, and RM Sotheby's says the V8 was developed with AMG, but the standard car wears Mercedes badges. The true AMG version is the 500 GE 6.0, a 5,959 cc, roughly 300 PS customer-order upgrade (option code ZB6). RM Sotheby's believes about 13 were officially converted.
SOURCE · WIKIPEDIA · RM SOTHEBY'SDM 178,250 in 1993, about twice the DM 88,500 price of a G 320 and well above a 500 SE S-Class at DM 129,030.
SOURCE · MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASSNot new. It isn't part of the Europa International story either. US cars were imported privately later; one went through Wallace test labs in 2005 and is California-registered. Now that it's more than 25 years old, US import is much simpler.
SOURCE · GERMAN CARS FOR SALE BLOGPrices vary a lot. German Cars For Sale Blog once put a high-mileage California import at $20,000–35,000. RM Sotheby's has sold a Saudi-delivered special-order car for $148,500 and an AMG 6.0 for $218,500, while a Puch-badged car estimated at €60,000–90,000 went unsold.
SOURCE · GCFSB · RM SOTHEBY'SThe 1998-on G 500 uses the newer three-valve M113 V8 (296 PS), was a regular-production model, and has all three locking differentials. The 500 GE has the older two-valve M117, a front-lock delete, one colour scheme and a 446-unit production run.
SOURCE · WIKIPEDIA · MERCEDESWho makes the good stuff, where owners gather, and who to watch.