V8-Powered Mercedes V-Class Is A Luxury Super Van

The standard V-Class is a comfortable people carrier and can be kitted out with some seriously luxurious features, making it the perfect VIP transporter, but it is somewhat lacking under the hood. The V-Class is powered by a 2.1-liter OM651 turbo diesel four-cylinder that produces around 200 horsepower. This is fine if you're in no rush, but GAD Motors saw a glaring gap in the market and decided to double the capacity and amount of turbos.

The V63, as GAD Motors likes to call it, features an M177 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, the same unit used in the Mercedes-Maybach GLS andAston Martin DB11. This motor is mated to a 9G-Tronic TCT automatic transmission rated for up to 808 lb-ft of torque.

According to GAD Motors, the installation wasn't easy and required many modified GAD parts. The install uses a new ECU and electronics and features a custom oil cooling system, oil sump, a hardier gasket kit and a dual-flow 70 mm stainless steel exhaust system with cross-flow silencer. Thanks to some software tuning , this van now delivers a respectable 585 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque, and GAD Motors use it to comfortably cruise down the Autobahn at speeds in excess of 124 mph. The best part is that from the outside, you would never be able to tell that you're looking at a van with nearly 600 horsepower.

GAD Motors didn't leave the exterior completely stock: the van now features a set of Maybach lookalike wheels, a sporty rear diffuser, and a GAD emblem where the old Mercedes-Benz badge used to go. The interior features a 8,000 rpm tachometer. The best part is the tow bar at the back; this car is used to tow customer cars and can probably destroy your hot hatch even when towing a G-Class.

The van also runs on custom suspension and features a six-piston front brake system with 14-inch rotors, and four-piston calipers in the rear. GAD Motors offers customers some optional extras, including an improved suspension setup, carbon ceramic brakes, and ambient interior lighting. The company says that it will only be building ten of these highway monsters per year, and order books are officially open.