WILL.I.AMG: Singer teams with Mercedes-AMG on unique one-off

Is it an AMG GT? Is it a G-Wagen? No, it’s a WILL.I.AMG.

This one-off Mercedes-AMG project has been built in collaboration with musician will.i.am (or William Adams) of Black Eyed Peas fame.

It combines the front end from a G-Class with the rear from an AMG GT 4-Door, but packs rear-hinged coach doors that call the Rolls-Royce Wraith to mind. In other words, it’s a two-door AMG GT 4-Door G-Wagen.

Why has Mercedes-AMG allowed will.i.am to hack up a GT 4-Door? It’s designed to promote a project giving “students from disadvantaged communities” access to science, technology, engineering, arts and maths education “in order to be equipped with the skills required for future-focused jobs and to invent new technologies”.

“I grew up in a ghetto. I grew up with hip hop. I watched legendary hip hop artist rap about Mercedes, so it was always a dream to own a Mercedes,” will.i.am said.

“For a lot of inner-city kids, owning a Mercedes is a symbol of progress and advancing out of struggle,” he said. “Now I’ve reached my goal and pushed even higher by re-imagining and creating my own vision of an AMG model.”

The engine in the GT 4-Door hasn’t been changed, but the bear icon on the nose replaces the traditional three-pointed star emblem. It’s been dubbed “Bear Witness”, and ties in with a clothing collection being launched at the Mercedes-AMG Experience Centre in Miami.

This isn’t the first time will.i.am has dabbled in the automotive world. His previous automotive project led to the creation of some eye-catching one-offs, including a DeLorean lookalike built by West Coast Customs using Dodge Challenger parts.