The Hofele HG 63 – Liquid Mercury
We’ve written at length about every imaginable variety of the Mercedez-Benz G Class. We’ve covered the factory versions, and tuned cars by Brabus, Lumma, Mansory, and more. Each one of these brings their own spin to the iconic styling and capabilities of this iconic luxury SUV, usually bringing greatly increased horsepower to the table as well as luxurious custom interiors. All of the brands above are fairly well-known in the United States among enthusiasts, but as you might expect, there are quite a few more German companies specializing in hopping up their national vehicles. One of these companies that really flies under the radar in the US is Hofele, and their take on the “G Klasse” can truly hold its own among any other atelier.
Hofele G Classes come in every range from mild to wild, but what we’ll take a look at here is the most refined version they have to offer, which they call their HG 63. Based on the Mercedes-Benz G 63 platform, it serves as a masterclass in restrained vehicle styling and masterful craftsmanship from the interior on out, but let’s start with the exterior refinements first.
Cosmetics of the Hofele G Class
The Hofele G Wagons are gorgeous, and fall somewhere between the stylized Lumma body work and the tough, burly designs from Brabus. While this is likely considered to be the “entry-level” vehicle from Hofele, the fit and finish are still far above even the best Mercedes work.
It’s likely that the first thing you’ll notice are the large, intricate wheels. These are bespoke to the Hofele cars, and fill up the carbon fiber wheel wells nicely. Buyers can choose any size from 22” all the way up to 24”, depending on their individual taste.
Hofele offers these in a standard-width body as well as a wide-body look. It’s hard not to think these are some of the more handsome G Wagons on the market; in fact, even the wide-body looks almost like it rolled out of the Mercedes factory this way. Other than the Hofele “H” badge in the front grille and the Hofele name on the rear tire cover, you may not even realize you are looking at an ultra-exclusive vehicle at all. In a world of ostentatious, over-styled body kits, the restraint shown here is a breath of fresh air. Subtle LED accent lights add a touch of modernity to the upgraded front bumper, and an extremely low-profile light bar on the A-pillars looks great and will provide a bit more light in a pinch.
An extra, subtle touch are the electronically-retractable running boards that serve as steps. When extended, they fit nicely over the classic side-exit exhaust to aid in entrance and egress into the cabin, and cleanly blend into the body work when not in use.
Other than that, the whole exterior has a certain je-ne-sais-quois about it. You can tell it’s much better looking than the stock Mercedes cars, but it’s hard to say just what has been tweaked. This is just about the highest compliment a designer can receive.
Wold-Class Interior
Every big shop these days appears to be capable of remarkable interiors, and Hofele is among the best of the best. Every detail is entirely bespoke, and the whole cabin is completely re-done on an individual basis. That said, the cars in the Hofele press material show gorgeous, supple Nappa leatherwork throughout the cabin. The seats are re-upholstered in a large diamond pattern, and equipped with additional padding on the headrest (similar to what you’d find in a private jet).
The quilting extends to the leatherwork on the center console, door panels, and dash. The headliner is trimmed in Alcantara, and even features a “starry sky” mode a la Rolls-Royce. Mood lighting is provided throughout and can be set to match the lights in the headliner. This makes for a world-class luxury experience inside the HG 63 when the sun goes down. Buyers can select to keep the standard 5-seat setup with a rear bench, but when optioned out for rear bucket seats, those passengers in the back will also enjoy added massage, heating, and ventilation.
The Best of the Best
The exclusivity of Hofele is absolutely on par with Mansory and Brabus. They maintain low production numbers of completely bespoke vehicles, so determining pricing information is fairly difficult, and is ballpark at best. That said, expect to spend at least $350,000 on your HG 63.
Who is the target demographic for this Hofele creation? This vehicle was clearly designed for those who seek the very best luxury automobile that money can buy, but don’t need the wild styling of something like a Mansory and all the attention that comes with it. But open the door and climb in the cabin, and you’ll find all of the wild luxury touches with no compromise. It is an old-money luxury car in a new-money world, and Hofele does a fantastic job of taking the G 63 platform to heights that less than a handful of other shops can dare dream of matching.
Mercedes-AMG G63 HG 63 Sport By Hofele
