Simply put, the Mercedes G-Wagon has seen its fair share of customizations and restorations, especially in the last couple of decades. However, when Polish luxury modifier Carlex Design encountered a Swedish gunsmith’s falcon-inspired rifle, it sparked something far beyond your typical widebody kit or interior refresh. What emerged after four years of obsessive craftsmanship was the G-Falcon, a one-off Mercedes G63 AMG that looks more like a driveway sculpture than a weekend warrior’s toy truck. For the task, Carlex Design partnered with its muse, Swedish bespoke rifle maker VO Vapen, to create something that honors both Northern European precision and Arabian falconry traditions.
Swedish Steel Meets Polish Precision
The story begins with VO Vapen’s Falcon Rifle, a Damascus steel masterpiece featuring intricate engravings of Peregrine and Saker falcons that can command over $800,000 alone, taking some 18 months to complete. When Carlex founder Damian Skotnicki discovered this weapon — which was owned by Ulf Olsson and recently sold alongside its namesake G-Wagon — both companies realized they’d independently fallen under the spell of the bird’s imagery.
Falcons hunt with instinctive precision, combining speed, power, and elegance in ways that resonate with both companies’ design philosophies. The collaboration celebrates not just the bird itself, but the hunting traditions that elevated it to cultural significance across the Arabian Peninsula.
Sculpted Metal and Diamond Dust
The G-Falcon’s defining feature is its handcrafted roof, where falcon reliefs are hand-engraved from polished metal with subtle gold accents, extending across the roof, side moldings, and wheel arches. The patterns originated from traditional paper sketches by Carlex’s head designer Konrad Łabędź, then translated into three-dimensional relief work over months of painstaking execution.
Beyond the metalwork, Carlex employed their proprietary Diamond Dust coating technique across the entire body. This process incorporates 1kg of actual diamond dust into the paint, hand-brushed to create a finish that shifts based on lighting conditions. Combined with the natural amber base color, the effect makes it so you can’t even tell it’s there at certain angles.
The exterior package includes a ten-piece carbon fiber body kit with revised bumpers, fender extensions, and a front grille that retains the G-Wagon’s utilitarian ethos, but merged with an eye for design. Custom 24-inch forged wheels complete the ground-up transformation, though specific wheel specifications weren’t disclosed.
Artisanal Interior Work
Inside, Carlex showcases their mastery of leather patination, an ancient technique that artificially ages hides to create impossible-to-replicate depth. The cabin features hand-stitched leather straps throughout, falcon claw door handles clutching golden orbs, and pure silver elements crafted by specialized jewelers.
The “Flowing Lines” motif appears in both cast precious metals and hand-relieved surfaces, transforming functional components into objets d’art that elevate the interior way beyond that of your typical luxury vehicle. You almost wouldn’t want to sit in it.
Still The Same OG(-Wagon)
Inside this marvelous body sits a standard Mercedes G63 AMG 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with an expected 577hp and 627lb.ft of torque. Carlex’s decision to leave the powertrain untouched reflects their philosophy of enhancing rather than replacing Mercedes’ engineering, focusing instead on areas where traditional manufacturers can’t justify investing the time for this kind of artisanal finishing.
Spec Sheet
Model: Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG (2023 base)
Engine: 4.0L Twin-Turbo V8
Power: 577hp, 627lb.ft torque
0-60: ~4.5 seconds
Top Speed: 149mph
Special Features: Hand-engraved falcon relief roof, diamond dust coating, patinated leather interior, carbon fiber body kit
Limited Edition?: Yes, 1
Pricing & Availability
The original G-Falcon sold as part of “The Fellowship of Falcons” package alongside the matching VO Vapen rifle at the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition. While pricing wasn’t disclosed, the complete package likely approached seven figures given VO Vapen rifles alone command over $800,000.
Recap
Carlex Design x VO Vapen G-Falcon SUV
Carlex Design was inspired by VO Vapen’s falcon-designed rifle to make this one-off uber-bespoke G-Wagon with literal diamond dust inside and a beautiful image of the namesake bird on the exterior.
