Mercedes G-Class 6×6: Three Custom Builds at Kubay Design’s Car Tuning Workshop
As of September 2026, Kubay Design has three separate Mercedes G-Class 6×6 conversions moving through the workshop at the same time — and no two of them look alike.
The donor vehicles come from three completely different model years: 2016, 2022 and 2025. Each has its own specification, its own level of customization, and its own engineering problems to solve. They’re also headed to three different parts of the world — one to the United Kingdom, one to the Middle East, one to Africa.
All three share the same end goal: turning a standard Mercedes-Benz G-Class into a fully functional six-wheel-drive vehicle. How each one gets there, though, is a different story.
G-Class 6×6 Build: Key Facts at a Glance
| Detail | Overview |
|---|---|
| Builder | Kubay Design |
| Base vehicle | Mercedes-Benz G-Class |
| Conversion type | Full 6×6 (genuine six-wheel-drive, not a visual kit) |
| Projects currently in production | 3, built simultaneously |
| Donor model years | 2016, 2022, 2025 |
| Destination markets | United Kingdom, Middle East, Africa |
| Standard build time | ≈ 2 working months (with components in stock) |
| Custom / one-off builds | Longer — requires original design, molding and fabrication |
| Deposit required | 50% advance payment |
| In-house capabilities | Carbon fiber & fiberglass composites, frame and body fabrication, custom part design and mold-making |
| Status as of | September 2026 |
What a Real G-Class 6×6 Conversion Actually Involves
At Kubay Design, a 6×6 conversion is far more than bolting on a third axle and stretching the body. It’s a full re-engineering of the vehicle.
The frame, drivetrain, suspension and body structure are all reworked. The body is extended and rebuilt, an entirely new rear section is manufactured for the extra axle, and dozens of exterior components have to be re-proportioned to fit the vehicle’s new dimensions. Critically, the drivetrain is engineered so the finished vehicle genuinely drives all six wheels — it doesn’t just look like a 6×6.
Because Kubay Design manufactures most of these components in-house, the team can develop custom solutions for builds that off-the-shelf parts simply can’t cover. That includes composite components made from carbon fiber and fiberglass, and completely new parts taken from initial design and 3D modeling through mold production to the finished piece.
That in-house capability matters most when a customer wants something that has never been built before — which is exactly the situation with the first project below.
How Long Does a 6×6 Build Take?
| Build type | Typical timeline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard G-Class (pre-2018) 6×6 conversion | ≈ 2 working months | Applies when all required components are already in stock when the donor vehicle arrives |
| Heavily customized / one-off builds (e.g. a retained body kit) | Considerably longer | Requires original design work, mold production and custom fabrication before assembly can even begin |
Because of that first-stage prep work, Kubay Design typically works on a 50% advance payment. It lets the team reserve and prepare the required components before the donor vehicle even arrives, so production can start immediately instead of losing weeks to parts lead time.
The 2016 ONYX G-Class below is the clearest example of how far that timeline can stretch once a project moves outside the standard playbook.
Three G-Class 6×6 Builds Currently in Production
Here’s how the three projects compare at their current stage:
| Project | Donor year | Destination | Body style | Production stage | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project #1 | 2016 (RHD) | United Kingdom | Existing ONYX body kit, retained | Custom carbon-fiber arch extensions being designed and molded | First-of-its-kind ONYX-spec G-Class 6×6 |
| Project #2 | 2022 | Middle East | Standard 6×6 platform | Extended frame complete; body fabrication and reconstruction underway | Full frame-to-body reconstruction in progress |
| Project #3 | 2025 | Africa | Standard 6×6 platform, individually specced | Frame and suspension complete, body painted, now in final assembly | Furthest along of the three — nearing completion |
Project #1 — 2016 Mercedes-Benz G-Class ONYX 6×6 (United Kingdom)
This is the most unconventional of the three vehicles in production. The donor is a 2016 right-hand-drive Mercedes-Benz G-Class from the UK, already fitted with an ONYX body kit. The owner’s brief is specific: after the 6×6 conversion, the car has to keep the recognizable look of its original ONYX tuning package.
That single requirement changes the whole approach. A standard 6×6 conversion uses body components designed around the dimensions of Kubay Design’s own 6×6 platform. On this car, many of those components have to be redesigned from scratch to work with the existing ONYX bodywork.
The 6×6 conversion widens the track, shifts wheel position and reshapes the rear body geometry — and with portal axles and 37-inch tires, that width increase is significant. The original ONYX wheel arches simply don’t fit anymore, so the team is redesigning and manufacturing new extensions that keep the visual language of the original ONYX kit intact.
The front arches are being remodeled and supplemented with newly designed carbon-fiber extensions. The rear is a bigger job: the existing arches have to be cut and reshaped for the 6×6 body geometry, with roughly 10 cm-wide carbon-fiber extensions developed so they line up correctly with the rear body and bumper while fully covering the wider wheels.
For a lot of this, there’s nothing available to buy off the shelf. The process starts from zero — design the part, model the geometry, manufacture the mold, then produce the finished carbon-fiber or fiberglass component. The result, as far as the team is aware, hasn’t been done before in this exact configuration: a fully functional ONYX Mercedes-Benz G-Class 6×6 that keeps the design identity of the original car.
For the full engineering breakdown of this build — including the drivetrain, interior and color story — see our dedicated feature: Building the World’s First ONYX Mercedes G-Class 6×6.
Project #2 — 2022 Mercedes-Benz G-Class 6×6 (Middle East)
The second project is based on a 2022 Mercedes-Benz G-Class and is currently at an earlier stage of production.
The donor vehicle has already been disassembled and cut to the required 6×6 dimensions, and the extended frame has been manufactured. Work is now underway on fabricating and reconstructing the body.
This stage matters because the added axle changes the entire geometry of the rear half of the G-Class. The extended frame, suspension mounting points, drivetrain and new body structure all have to function as one integrated system — not as separate parts bolted together.
Next up: further body fabrication, drivetrain and suspension installation, exterior assembly and final finishing.
Project #3 — 2025 Mercedes-Benz G-Class 6×6 (Africa)
The newest donor vehicle in production is a 2025 Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Unlike the highly customized ONYX build, this one follows Kubay Design’s more standardized 6×6 engineering solution, though its final equipment and specification are individually selected for the customer.
This project is considerably further along than the other two. The extended 6×6 frame is complete, the suspension has been installed, and the body has already been painted. The team is now assembling the vehicle — meaning it’s approaching the final stages, where the mechanical, exterior and interior systems come together as one finished 6×6.
Additional specification and photos will be added as this build progresses.
Three Cars, Three Continents, Three Different Approaches
Running these three vehicles through production at the same time makes one thing obvious: there’s no single formula for building a Mercedes G-Class 6×6.
One build starts with a 2016 right-hand-drive G-Class and requires preserving — and completely re-engineering — an existing ONYX body kit. Another starts with a 2022-generation G-Class currently undergoing major frame and body reconstruction. The third is a 2025 G-Class already approaching final assembly.
They’re also being prepared for three very different parts of the world — the United Kingdom, the Middle East and Africa — where climate, customer requirements and specification all shape the final configuration.
What connects all three is that the majority of the engineering, fabrication, bodywork, composite manufacturing, painting and final assembly happens entirely within Kubay Design. When a component doesn’t exist, the team doesn’t have to go looking for it — they design and manufacture it.
Car Tuning at Its Best: Why Build Your 6×6 With Kubay Design
That in-house capability is what makes it possible to build not just standard G-Class 6×6 conversions, but one-off projects where practically every major detail has to be rethought from scratch — like the ONYX build above.
Kubay Design’s manufacturing background covers composite production (carbon fiber and fiberglass), custom part design and modeling, mold-making, and full frame and body fabrication — all handled under one roof rather than outsourced piecemeal. That’s what lets three fundamentally different builds, for three different markets, move through production at the same time without any of them waiting on outside suppliers.
Key Takeaways: Building a Mercedes G-Class 6×6
Kubay Design currently has three Mercedes G-Class 6×6 conversions in production, and together they show just how different a “6×6 build” can be depending on the donor car and the customer’s brief:
- Project #1 — a 2016 UK-spec G-Class that must retain its original ONYX body kit, requiring custom-designed and molded carbon-fiber arch extensions built from scratch.
- Project #2 — a 2022 G-Class for the Middle East, currently mid-way through frame and body reconstruction.
- Project #3 — a 2025 G-Class for Africa, already painted and in final assembly, closest to completion.
A standard 6×6 conversion typically takes around two working months once components are in stock; heavily customized builds like the ONYX project take considerably longer because parts have to be designed and manufactured from zero. Across all three projects, the common thread is Kubay Design’s in-house engineering and composite manufacturing capability — the reason these builds can go far beyond a standard conversion when a project calls for it.
The team will document each build separately as they progress — covering frame and body fabrication, suspension, drivetrain, carbon-fiber components, interior and final assembly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a Mercedes G-Class 6×6 conversion take?
For a standard Mercedes-Benz G-Class built before 2018, Kubay Design’s typical production time is around two working months, provided all required components are already in stock when the donor vehicle arrives. Heavily customized projects — like a build that must retain an existing body kit — take considerably longer, since parts often have to be designed and manufactured from scratch.
Do I need to pay a deposit before my G-Class 6×6 build starts?
Yes. Kubay Design normally works with a 50% advance payment. This allows the team to prepare and reserve the required components before the donor vehicle arrives, so production can begin immediately rather than losing weeks waiting on parts.
Can Kubay Design convert a G-Class to 6×6 while keeping an existing body kit, like ONYX?
Yes — the 2016 ONYX G-Class project currently in production is a direct example. It requires redesigning and manufacturing new carbon-fiber wheel arch extensions from scratch so the existing ONYX body kit fits the wider 6×6 track and new rear body geometry, rather than replacing it with standard 6×6 body components.
Is a Kubay Design 6×6 a genuine six-wheel-drive vehicle, or just a visual conversion?
It’s a genuine six-wheel-drive vehicle. The drivetrain is engineered so all six wheels are actually driven, alongside major modifications to the frame, suspension and body structure — not a cosmetic kit that only changes the vehicle’s appearance.
What markets does Kubay Design build Mercedes G-Class 6×6 vehicles for?
Kubay Design builds for customers worldwide. The three projects currently in production are headed to the United Kingdom, the Middle East and Africa, with each vehicle’s specification adapted to its destination market and customer requirements.
Does Kubay Design manufacture its own components for G-Class 6×6 builds?
Yes. Kubay Design produces many components in-house, including carbon fiber and fiberglass composite parts. When a part doesn’t already exist for a given build, the team designs it, models the geometry, produces the mold and manufactures the finished piece — which is what makes fully custom, one-off 6×6 conversions possible.
Explore More From Kubay Design
- Browse the full portfolio of G-Class 6×6 builds →
- Read the full ONYX 6×6 build feature →
- See the Mercedes-Benz G-Class model page →
- Learn more about Kubay Design’s manufacturing capabilities →
- Follow every build stage on the Kubay Design blog →
Ready to start your own Mercedes G-Class 6×6 project? Get in touch with Kubay Design to discuss your specification.
