Mercedes-Benz
500 GE V8 (W 463)

Why it matters

The 500 GE V8 was the first G-Class sold with a V8 engine, developed together with AMG and built only in 1993 and 1994. The archive counts 446 cars, a few short of an original forecast of 500. A much rarer conversion, the AMG 500 GE 6.0, was sold only as an individual upgrade of a new car.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

RM Sotheby's says Mercedes-Benz unveiled the V8-powered 500 GE, co-developed with AMG, in early 1993; the first ten V8 cars were allegedly assembled by AMG in Affalterbach, and the older two-valve M 117 engine was used because the four-valve M 119 was too large to fit. The archive lists production from 1993 to 1994 and a price of DM 178,250.

Later in 1993 AMG offered a 500 GE 6.0 conversion with a bored-out M 117 of 6.0 litres and 300 horsepower, according to RM Sotheby's, which says the cars were delivered in Amethyst Blue Metallic and that only 13 were made. The ZB6 option code on the build sheet is cited as the marker of an official conversion. One Austrian-built Puch car of 1993, used by Steyr-Daimler-Puch for homologation, testing and press drives, is described as the first 500 GE.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

The factory type is 463.228 (five-door station wagon) with the M 117 E 50 engine, internal code 117.965, permanent four-wheel drive and a 4-speed automatic. It runs 265/70 R 16 tyres on 7.5 J x 16 rims and has a 96-litre tank under the load floor. One RM Sotheby's car was specified with a wider track and larger wheel arches to take the AMG alloy wheels. For the 6.0 conversion, RM Sotheby's cites the ZB6 option code ("500 GE (AMG)") and Amethyst Blue Metallic paint, notes a speedometer scale to 260 km/h, and warns that it is difficult to separate official conversions from later lookalikes. A Puch-built car carries a VIN with "VA" marking Austrian construction.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   500 GE V8, 1993 - 1994 Level A Mercedes-Benz Public Archive (Classic M@RS)

   • Units produced : 446
   • Engine designation / type : M 117 E 50 / 117.965 (Specifications)
   • Number of cylinders / arrangement : 8 / 90° V (Specifications)
   • Displacement : 4973 cc (Specifications)
   • Bore : 96.5 mm (Specifications)
   • Stroke : 85.0 mm (Specifications)
   • Compression ratio : 10.0 (Specifications)
   • Number of valves per cylinder : 2 (Specifications)
   • Injection pump / injection system (type) : ... (Bosch KE-Jetronic) (Specifications)
   • Rated power : 177 kW / 241 DIN/hp at 5000 rpm (Specifications)
   • Nominal torque : 375 Nm at 3500 rpm (Specifications)
   • Gearbox type designation : 4-speed automatic transmission (Specifications)
   • Forward gears (total) : 4 (Specifications)
   • Gear ratio : I. 3.87; II. 2.25; III. 1.44; IV. 1.0; R. 5.59 (Specifications)
   • Axle drive ratio : 4.38 (front/rear) (Specifications)
   • Drive : permanent four-wheel drive (Specifications)
   • Frame design : box-section ladder-type frame (Specifications)
   • Front axle : 2 trailing arms, 1 wishbone (Panhard bar) (Specifications)
   • Rear axle : 2 trailing arms, 1 wishbone (Panhard bar) (Specifications)
   • Brakes front : discs, internally ventilated; Rear brakes : drums (Specifications)
   • Steering (type) : recirculating ball (Specifications)
   • Wheelbase : 2850 mm (Specifications)
   • Vehicle length : 4670 mm (Specifications)
   • Vehicle width : 1810 mm (Specifications)
   • Vehicle height : 1963 mm (Specifications)
   • Front track gauge : 1475 mm (Specifications)
   • Rear track gauge : 1475 mm (Specifications)
   • Unladen weight ... : 2370 kg (Specifications)
   • Maximum speed : 175 km/h (Specifications)
   • Acceleration 0-100 kpm : 10.5 s (Specifications)
   • Fuel tank capacity/of which reserve : 96 l (Specifications)

   Accessed 2026-11-12
2. 2
   Mercedes-Benz Classic M@RS archive – 500 GE V8, 1993 - 1994 Level A

   • 446 units produced

   Accessed 2026-11-12