mercedes and the G55 AMG mercedes? is it actually worth the extra 20,000.. cuz that will put me overbudget?

G55 and G500 are not very different up to model year 2004.
If the G55 is a 2005 model or newer, there is a huge performance difference between the two.
05's and newer have the Supercharged engine which makes the truck very fast and has to be one of the most interesting Benz's ever.
Worth an extra 20k? In my opinion yes. It's a whole nother' level with all the attributes that make a G500 desireable without compromise.

The difference between the G500 and G55 AMG is simply the performance package. If you like the G500 the way it looks right now than dont bother with the upgrade. The G55 has the nicer AMG suspension a few engine mods, and different wheels. In my personal opinion its not worht the extra 20k unless youre loaded and dont know what to do with the extra cash.

the AMG version is just a souped up model of the g class

The g500 is a standard with a 5.0 liter engine V8. The g55 AMG would be the MUCH sportier version. you can go test drive them and you will feel a big difference between them in options such as, rims, handling, upgraded stereo, and much more. AMG is basically the sportline for mercedes benz. The g55 is a V8 5.5 liter with a little bit more horsepower to it. I hope this helps and answers your question!

as everyone has already told you, the G55 is just a more expensive version of the G500. in terms of performance, it beats the crap out of the g500, its engine is a lot better, so is the interior and probably pretty much everything else (except the fuel economy).

it's worth the 20 grand only if:
1) you have lots of money and you don't know what to do with it, but you said it's overbudget so I would say go with the G500
2) you want to keep this car for a very very very long time, AMG's hold their value better and eventually the G55 will become a classic, so if you plan on keeping it for many many years to come, then I guess you could get it

Is the AMG worth it. AMG takes a very good car and makes it a very good very fast car. Had I the money to purchase an AMG I would, you only live once. But I live in Germany and my non-AMG Mercedes E320T will bury the speedometer at 260KM ph. I save on plane tickets.
The G is interesting because it is probable the best off road vehicle made, it's only contender is the Land Rover Defender.
Q. Do you intend to use the vehicle off-road?
If I needed the G for off road and climbing mountains etc I would spend the additional money of the off road package.
If I just wanted a roomy SUV and my only concern about 4x4 was snow in the winter and I had the ability to drive the vehicle without speed restrictions then I would get the AMG G55.
When I return to the states I would not buy an AMG, or even a large motor Mercedes, fuel economy and comfort would be more of an issue than speed. After living on the autobahns I rarely even look to see what speed I am driving.
I would be interested in the diesels motors Mercedes has.

So I would consider what I needed the vehicle for. The G500 is by no means less a vehicle than the AMG. The differences are, the engine is set for maximum performance, economy and enviromental considerations are tossed out, suspension & brakes are beefed up to handle the additional power, and the interior and extrior are giving the legendary AMG sport look. Depended on the package, some packages are just the look, and a mild chip tunning.

I hope I was able to help.
Mercedes, all the rest are just cars.

AMG is a "performance" Mercedes (plus minor cosmetic changes.)
This is very simplistic definition, but true regarding not just this model, it applies to all Mercedes models available in "AMG package."

the performance in the g55amg is alot better i recomend it and the body style is amazing own one myself and its the quickest suv i've driven