Collaborations between automotive brands and artists are common, often limited to color or material options. However, Mercedes and Will.I.Am take it a step further. The composer, record producer, and Black Eyed Peas vocalist has created a unique model based on the foundation of the AMG GT four-door and the front end of the Mercedes G-Class.
The car maintains the proportions of a long coupe with a substantial hood that is also more voluminous than the conventional model. Instead of the Panamericana grille, the front features typical off-road elements, including round headlights and a square grille, accompanied by aggressive bumpers.
The large wheels have a five-spoke design reminiscent of some 1990s Mercedes models or those available in the Maybach lineup.
Certainly, the most unusual detail is the doors. They have been reduced to just two, and their opening is opposite to the usual direction. The artist explains his creation this way: “I grew up in the ghetto. I grew up with hip-hop. I saw legendary hip-hop artists rapping in Mercedes, so it has always been a dream for me to have one. For many inner-city kids, having a Mercedes is a dream, a symbol of progress beyond struggle. Now I’ve achieved my goal and go a step further by reimagining and creating my own vision of an AMG model.”
Will.I.Am noted that there are no changes to the mechanical parts of the model, as he believes that AMG manufactures the world’s best engine.
It is an AMG GT, but the brand has not specified which version it is based on, leaving two possibilities: it could be the AMG GT 53 4MATIC+, which uses a tandem six-cylinder engine, produces 367 horsepower, and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. Alternatively, the AMG GT 63 S E PERFORMANCE is a plug-in hybrid with a V8 engine producing 843 horsepower, completing the sprint in 2.9 seconds.
