NEW WHEELS
Mercedes-Benz’s Geländewagen has been left virtually unchanged for 39 years, as its supporters like it. But alas, a new G-Class is on its way.
The story began with Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, who approached Daimler-Benz to conceptualise a military vehicle for his army. Development started in 1972 with a focus on off-road driving abilities and comfort. Daimler-Benz’s engineers in Stuttgart saw to the design while Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Austria built the prototype. A hand-built Geländewagen was completed in 1974 and was tested in German coalfields, the Sahara Desert, and the Arctic Circle. In 1975 a completed product was presented to the shah, and the first consignment was supposed to ship to Iran in 1979 but shortly before the delivery date Ayatollah Khomeini put paid to the shah’s plans...
What do we have here?
The shah’s loss was our gain. Because the Geländewagen lost its primary client it was offered to the public and it wasn’t long before 4x4 enthusiasts heaped praises on the vehicle. The main goal behind the new G-Class (we don’t call it the Geländewagen anymore) was to continue building on its predecessor’s off-road abilities. It’s an unusual objective as there was nothing wrong with the Geländewagen’s abilities. The old-school ladder frame chassis remains but has been improved, and the three diff locks are still there as well as low-range gears if things get hairy. The new G-Class can climb a 45º slope, the ground clearance has been increased by 6 mm to 241 mm, and the fording depth is now 70 mm – 10 mm more than before. Its tilt angle is now 35º (7º more) and its approach/ departure angle is 1° more – 31° and 30° respectively. It therefore looks like Mercedes succeeded in making the G-Class even more competent that its predecessor.
The exterior
At first glance it doesn’t seem like they made many changes to the bodywork. It remains boxy, the front indicators still sit on top of the fenders, the side
The main goal behind the new G-Class was to continue building on its predecessor’s off-road abilities.
windows are huge, and the door hinges are clearly visible. The bodywork, however, is actually brand new, although you really have to look closely to see the differences. The biggest changes are perhaps the headlamps and brake lights that now look thoroughly modern. The body is 53 mm longer and 121 mm wider than before, which is welcome news for occupants since it affects leg and elbow room.
Underneath
Things might look familiar from the outside but underneath Mercedes really went to town on the G-Class. The circulating ball steering has been replaced with a rack-and-pinion setup. It should stabilise the handling on highways and allow precise steering input on technical terrain. The transfer case is bolted directly to the nine-speed automatic transmission and 40% of the power is sent to the front and 60% to the rear wheels in normal driving conditions. The front live axle with coil springs and control arms have been replaced with an independent wishbone suspension but they’ve kept the rear live axle. The front struts are attached directly to the ladder-frame chassis, and apparently allows for more articulation than before. The rear axle has been raised a few millimetres to slightly improve ground clearance and is kept in place by four control arms as well as a Panhard rod to stabilise the suspension. The G500 model is powered by Mercedes’s newest M176 4 ℓ twin turbo V8, but a G63 model will also be available. The G-Class offers five driving modes: Comfort, Sport, Eco, Individual and G-Mode. The modes control the suspension, engine revs, steering action, fuel injection and air flow, just like its GLC and GLE cousins. G-Mode, however, takes matters further and also controls the low-range transmission. By the way: You can switch from high to low range on the fly as long as you keep the speed below 40 km/h.
The interior
There are grab handles above each door that passengers can hold on to if the driver gets a bit carried away. The upholstery is beyond neat and is reminiscent of the S-Class’s interior. The gear lever is gone and has been replaced with a stalk on the steering wheel with which you control the automatic transmission. The handbrake lever has also been removed and replaced with an electronic brake button on the dashboard. Because the levers are gone there are now cup holders neatly concealed beneath a lid. As before there are three large knobs in the centre console – each engages one of the three diff locks. The remaining buttons on the panel are lifted from the E- and S-Class. The speedometer and tachometer in the dashboard are digital displays and you can change their appearance. On offer are three designs: Classic, Sport and Progressive. Other info includes height above sea level, compass direction, tilt angle, climb angle, and which diff locks are engaged.
Conclusion
Nearly all car manufacturers are dialling back on the ruggedness of their off-roaders, citing owners not using the 4x4 abilities as an excuse. Mercedes’s G-Class rejects this pretext and is a vehicle that will satisfy its fans in terms of appearance and off-road ability. We’re keeping an eye on Land Rover to see if they will follow suit with the new Defender.