Skip to main content

A good day to drive hard: Dartz armors the Mercedes G63 AMG 6×6

When it comes to insane tuner cars, Dartz is in a league of its own. So what did this Latvian house of craziness decide to do to one of the most insane vehicles on the market, the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6×6?

While it looks like the product of a Doomsday Prepper’s paranoid delusions, Dartz’s modified 6×6 is actually inspired by a movie vehicle and, no, it’s not Herbie the Love Bug.

Inspiration came from the MRAP (Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected) armored vehicle from A Good Day to Die Hard, leading to the pun-tastic name Drive Hard 6×6 G.

Whereas most modified vehicles feature bigger wheels or upgraded engine-control software, the Dartz Drive Hard 6×6 G features B8-grade armor that is resistant to small-arms fire.

It also makes this rolling bunker significantly heavier. Curb weight is estimated at around 11,000 pounds, compared to around 8,500 pounds for a stock G63 6×6.

That shouldn’t be a problem, though because Dartz has also upgraded the 5.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V8, which now produces 1,019 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque.

The Drive Hard 6×6 G may be the most extreme version of the G63 AMG 6×6 around, but it’s actually fairly typical for Dartz.

If an armored urban assault vehicle isn’t your style, consider the Sahara G-eopard, a lengthened 6×6 with gold and silver trim, a 3D television, and upgraded Bang & Olufsen sound system.

It’s amazing what can happen when both money and taste are no object.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Ford offers 10-year warranty as EcoBoost engine-failure probe ends
2021 ford f 150 review front three quarter

It began in July 2022 as regulators started looking into reports of engine failures affecting 2021 Bronco SUVs. It then turned into a two-year probe covering more than 411,000 vehicles outfitted with Ford’s EcoBoost engines, including the Ford F-150 Bronco, Edge and Explorer, as well as the Lincoln Aviator and Nautilus.

And now, the verdict is in.

Read more
Zero Motorcycles expands line with lighter, lower-cost models
A rider sitting on a Zero XE watching another rider doing donuts in the dirt on a Zero XB.

Zero Motorcycles announced its 2025 lineup with two new lightweight electric on- and off-road models that expand its reach to the e-bike and light e-motorcycle markets. Zero's current electric commuter, touring, and adventure motorcycles cost more than $12,000.  Zero plans to roll out six new sub-$10,000 models during the next two years in what it terms an "All Access" strategy to meet the needs of additional riders. The new models will comprise Zero's new X Line.
The Zero X-Line

The XE and XB motorcycles resemble motocross bikes with narrow knobby tires, flat saddles, relatively flat bars, and ample clearance between the wheels and fenders. When they arrive at U.S. dealerships in the summer of 2025, they will be sold for off-road riding only, although both will be sold as street-legal models in Europe.

Read more
AT&T, Voltpost bring internet connectivity to EV charging lampposts
att voltpost streetlight charging newlabdetroit 63

Move over, Supercharger network.

EV charging networks have been fast expanding across U.S. roads and highways over the past year, led by the likes of Electrify America, Tesla, and Chargescape, to name a few.

Read more