Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
You are probably looking at that photo above and thinking that is not a 2004 Mercedes-Benz G500. Thanks to the never-ending need for humans to look more wealthy than they really are, we end up with this creation. That is in fact a 2004 G500 with a W463.2 front grille, hood, fenders, fender extenders, bumpers, lighting, side mirrors, and giant 22″ wheels. I’ve seen it all.
Like the M635CSi from yesterday, one of the benefits of looking at the European versions of the cars that were offered here is colors. Judging from the outside, this E500’s Brilliant Silver Metallic won’t look any different than what you could find in the US. No, what I’m talking about is the interior. Specifically, this range-topping Japanese-market 500E has cloth upholstery, and it always has. Nifty? You betcha. It also has extra-flared rear wheel arches, some wild OZ Racing wheels, lowering springs, and an AMG-style rear spoiler. Let’s check it out!
There is always something satisfying about the Mercedes-Benz W123 chassis. Even more so when it is preserved like today’s example. This 1979 240D up for sale in Florida is finished in the wonderful Caledonia Green with matching hubcaps and a light beige interior. The odometer says 68,000 miles but I usually only trust these odometers as far as I can push them; though, all things considered, this one might actually be a low-mileage car. It’s all roses until you see the price.
The year is 2023 and I’m still discovering vehicles that I always thought existed, but could never prove because I had never actually seen one. That changes today with the 1998 Mercedes-Benz G43 AMG. Yes, G43. This is a W463 with the AMG-tuned 4.3-liter M113 that is most known for being in the C43 AMG. The selling dealer claims this was built for the Japanese market and resided there until imported back to Germany in 2019. Stated production was just 10, and I am inclined to believe that given I’ve never actually seen one before. I love it.
I know looking at the Mercedes-AMG GT lineup is a little confusing, because what isn’t clear about having eight different trim levels of the same car, but considering Porsche currently has 26 (!) different 911 variants, I think we can sort this out. The base AMG GT, if you want to call it that, was launched back in 2014 and offered a nice package. In the same way the base Porsche 911 is a nice package. But once you start comparing it to the higher trim levels, it doesn’t seem like a great value when you can have more for just a small amount of money. It’s the same way the large-size french fry is only .30 cents more than the medium. You’d be crazy not to buy the large, but the medium exists and people do buy them. However, there isn’t a market for 5-year-old french fries the way there is for 5-year-old cars. So why for basically the same money would you get the lesser trim when the next level is literally right there? People still buy those medium fries.
