The iconic offroader has never been more popular than it is now, so Mercedes-Benz knows it can't mess with the styling of the next-generation model G-Class. And, as you'll see from these latest spy shots of the G63 AMG testing in Portugal, it has no intention of making any wholesale changes to the aesthetics of the Gelandewagen. Just this month, Mercedes revealed it would be widen the G by 10 cm, and these images prove that to be the case.

The fenders have been beefed up in order to house wider wheels, and the front bumper sports bigger air intakes to help the engine breathe better. When Mercedes upgraded the G-Class for 2016 earlier this year, the primary change to the G63 AMG was giving the 5.5-liter V8 a bump in output to 563 hp and 560 lb-ft of torque. The next-generation Mercedes-AMG G63 will come powered by the carmaker's ubiquitous 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 mated to a new nine-speed 9G Tronic automatic transmission. The V8 delivers up to 612 hp in the E63 and will do likewise in the top trim of the new G63.

Mercedes will also strip over 660 pounds of mass from the boxy offroader, aiding both performance and fuel economy, the latter being further improved thanks to an electric steering system and cylinder deactivation. By stretching the G, occupants will be afforded more interior space, which will receive a total redesign in line with the new E-Class, including its digital display and other high-tech goodies. The new G-Class is expected to be built by Magna in Graz, Austria, alongside a base version of the current model that will continue to be made for a few years. Expect to see a reveal of the new G-Class, and perhaps the G63 AMG variant, at the Frankfurt Motor Show next year.