2021 Mercedes-Benz G-Class G63 AMG

The G63 AMG makes no logical sense on paper yet remains one of the most compelling vehicles money can buy. Built on the same ladder-frame architecture that dates to 1979, this 2021 example pairs that deliberately anachronistic boxy body with AMG's hand-built 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8, producing 577 bhp and 850 lb-ft of torque. The nine-speed AMG Speedshift Plus gearbox and permanent 4MATIC four-wheel drive handle the mechanical duties, while a 3,500 kg towing rating confirms this is as capable as it is conspicuous.

At 44,196 miles from new, this car has been used but remains well within normal parameters for a five-year-old daily driver of this type. The specification is strong: Burmester surround sound, heated and electrically adjustable front seats with memory functions, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Headlamp Assist, and a towbar with ball-type head. It presents in black — the colour most associated with the G-Class's military-meets-luxury persona — and is VAT-qualifying, which has practical implications for business buyers.

The G63's performance numbers (137 mph, 0-62 in 4.5 seconds) are impressive but not class-leading; the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and Lamborghini Urus are quicker. The appeal here is the theatre — those three round exhaust pipes, the side-exit pipes, the portal axles under a body that looks purpose-built for somewhere considerably more hostile than a Chelsea school run. It is emphatically not a rational choice, which is precisely why demand for clean examples remains consistent.