Off-Road Mercedes S500 Will Give The G500 4x4 A Run For Its Money

Vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Unimog models show that the German brand knows how to create a very capable off-roader, but a very talented fabricator in Russia is going one better by combining a 1990s W140 S500 luxury sedan and a Gaz 66 military truck into a hardcore rig that can go just about anywhere. The video above details the entire build process and ends by showing the wild machine wading through water and pushing through deep snow.

Creating this hardcore off-roader was far more complicated than just setting an S500 on top of the Gaz chassis because the builder had to tear the Mercedes apart in order to incorporate it into the Gaz. The drivetrain still uses Mercedes parts, including the 5.0-liter V8 making 320 horsepower and automatic gearbox. Controls hidden in the center console storage box appear to control the locking differentials, too. The fabricator also gives the machine a major brake upgrade by switching from drums to discs. A set of beefy Mickey Thompson tires look great and should provide plenty of grip on rugged terrain.

The owner finishes off the machine by giving it a properly apocalyptic appearance. Massive bull bars make this rig look like the driver could simply run over trees rather than going around them. Steel panels protect the fenders, bumpers and lower body. There are no worries about adventuring in the dark because of the bank of lights hanging from the front end.

The high-riding S500 is amazing to watch on the move for the way that the big sedan leans and bounces on top of the heavy-duty chassis. The video suggests the police might not think the rig is quite so cool because a couple photos show the cops pulling it over and checking things out.