Mercedes-Benz is no stranger to bespoke one-off models, with recent examples including the Project Maybach in collaboration with the late fashion designer, Virgil Abloh. This time, Mercedes-AMG teamed up with rapper will.i.am to create yet another one-off, and well, all we can say is that it’s all kinds of weird.
The bespoke model is called the Will.i.amg, which, obviously, is a wordplay between Will.i.am and Mercedes-AMG. It’s cute, and luckily they know it too, with the badging plastered all over the exterior. Curiously, most of the one-off’s heavy lifting was actually done by West Coast Customs instead of Mercedes themselves – although the latter did give their final stamp of approval.
The Will.i.amg is based on the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe, but now made into a literal coupe with only two massive doors that opens towards the rear (à la suicide doors). The doors are hardly the biggest departure from the GT’s former sleek silhouette, however.
That accolade goes to – as you must have noticed by now – the blocky face of the car that’s borrowed from the G-Wagen. And to complete the look, there’s also a unique emblem on the square radiator grille. The bear-shaped logo, dubbed “Bear Witness”, is supposedly inspired by the three-pointed star and the vehicle sound, and will tie in to a line of bespoke apparel and merchandises born from the collaboration.
The air vents by the front fenders are also unique to the Will.i.amg, as are the unique two-piece panoramic sunroof. While we can’t say that we’re a fan of the bespoke model’s styling efforts, at least the mono-block wheels do fit in with the rest of the car.
The rest of the car, we presume, hasn’t been adulterated too much, as no photos of the rear-end and interior have been provided. We do know, however, that the mechanical bits underneath the bonnet hasn’t been modified at all, because “AMG really does make the best engines” according to Will.i.am.
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The Will.i.amg is part of a larger collaboration between the rapper and Mercedes-Benz, called “The Flip”, that aims to give more students from disadvantaged communities access to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education. Mercedes-AMG noted that all activities surrounding the car will benefit the Will.i.am’s i.am/Angel Foundation.
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