Sir Lewis Hamilton-inspired $680,000 Mercedes G-Wagon: All you need to know
Mercedes introduced a new edition of their ultra-popular G-Wagon worth $680,000 to pay tribute to Lewis Hamilton. The new Mercedes G-Class is named the HOF Sir Class, and only 11 of them will be made by the German brand.
The Silver Arrows unveiled the car ahead of the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Hamilton's final race for Mercedes. The HOF Sir Class G-Wagon is Mercedes' fastest G-Wagon, with a top speed of 300 kilometers per hour (186.4 mph).
The car boasts a mammoth 1063 horsepower, which is nearly equal to a present-day Formula 1 car. It's also the first Mercedes Benz to have ceramic brakes in a G-Class. All in all, the new SUV is a rare piece and a steal for motorsport and automobile enthusiasts.
Amna Al Qubaisi, the first female Emirati motorsport racing driver, had the opportunity to drive the Mercedes G-Class HOF Sir Class car during the launch at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The car was crafted, keeping Lewis Hamilton in mind. Here's why:
According to the car's lead designer Etienne Salome,
"Its design pays homage to Hamilton’s iconic career, incorporating elements that echo the cutting-edge innovation of F1: carbon-fibre components inspired by Formula One technology, ceramic-coated tailpipes, and an exclusive F1-style paint finish.”
Lewis Hamilton boasts a $16.5 million car garage, and the recent addition to his collection was the Mercedes hyper-car, the AMG One. (He bought two units of this model, one for him and one for his father, Anthony Hamilton.)
Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes career in a nutshell
Lewis Hamilton joined Mercedes in 2013 to race alongside Nico Rosberg. He replaced retirement-bound Michael Schumacher, an F1 legend and another seven-time world champion. In his first season, he finished the year in P4.
In 2014, Hamilton claimed his first championship with Mercedes and his second by beating teammate Rosberg. He repeated the feat in 2015. However, Rosberg turned the tables, getting the better of Hamilton by five points in 2016 and snatching the championship.
In 2017, Lewis Hamilton returned to his winning ways and kept on winning till 2020. It was his sixth title with Mercedes, and seventh overall. With this title, the British driver became the most successful F1 driver in history.
Hamilton was on his way to winning the eighth, but Max Verstappen had other ideas. The Red Bull driver stopped Hamilton in the last lap of the last race and denied the record-breaking eighth world title in 2021. Following that season, he was far from being competitive.
In mid-2023, the British driver signed a one-plus-one-year contract with Mercedes. However, in early February this year, he shocked everyone when he signed a multi-year deal with Ferrari, the most successful F1 team in the sport. He is all set to return to the Prancing Horse next season.