The world of the Mercedes G-Wagon has some of the most extreme, groundbreaking tech. Of course, everybody remembers the G63 6×6 almost 10 years after its release, but there are also desert buggies from Brabus, drone carriers and pickup conversions. So why not a “Forward Control” vehicle, which plays in with the rich army vehicle history of the Mercedes brand?
Just to make things clear, nobody has yet to build a Forward Control G63. It would probably be easier to put the front end from this AMG model on an existing army vehicle of something of that sort rather than re-engineer the body.
What we’re actually dealing with here is a rendering from an artist who’s famous for Forward Control conversions; we featured his odd-looking Bronco FC just a few months ago. However, Samir Sadikhov is actually a legitimate car designer. Although he was involved with the Urus concept and penned two Genesis concepts, the Mint and Essentia, he’s most famous for the Rezvani Tank.
In any case, the idea of a Forward Control conversion has been floating around the automotive design community for quite some time. It’s so interesting to have the windshield of the G63 start right from the front of the vehicle, which creates more space for the cabin within the existing footprint of the car.
Where would you take a G63 FC?
This vehicle probably wouldn’t pass current crash test requirements because the engine being right next to the passengers could be deadly in a frontal impact. But it would make a great exploration vehicle, a serious piece of kit to drive to the North Pole and watch the bears… or whatever people do over there.
Of course, numerous other alterations have been made in the 3D world, from new fenders to a lifted front bumper and off-road accessories. But it’s still immediately recognizable as a G63, which makes this quite a successful rendering.
When you write about this kind of vehicle, you begin to realize that many automakers had Forward Control vehicles. Land Rover, for example, made the 101. Its name denotes the wheelbase of this army vehicle designed to be airdropped (had to be small).
Most American automakers produced Forward Control commercial vehicles. The 1957-65 Jeep and the Ford Falcon Van are among my personal favorites. Meanwhile, classic COE (Cab Over Engine) pickups are some of the sexiest designs ever made.
And what about Mercedes? Well, they also made vehicles for the army, but you could argue the utilitarian Unimog trucks have a Forward Control design. They’re just as rugged and versatile as the G-Wagon, having been turned into everything from high-end campers worth over $1M to garbage trucks. I wonder if you can put an AMG V8 engine into one of those.
