Stronger than time

Amodel as storied as the Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen needs little introduction. And the owner profile of the venerable machine, renamed the G-Class, is pretty varied. From battle-hardened, older examples modified to smash off-road courses on weekends, to gleaming contemporary variants swanking around Melrose Arch, there is a niche for all fans of the boxy overland machine. Sowetan Motoring got to grips with the latest version in France last week. But such an acquaintance would have been incomplete without experiencing the origins of the lineage. Picture me behind the wheel of a classic short-wheelbase 230 GE. And not your ordinary variety either, but one equipped for use in the German fire department. The sirens were out of commission, sadly. But it had a radio system and an axe, in the event fellow motoring scribe Sergio Davids and I needed to pursue activities related to the felling of timber. Actually, that 230 GE is a bit of a heavy, slow lumberjack, awesome though it may be. What a far cry from the trappings expected in a modern-day premium utility vehicle. Power-assisted steering? Nothing of the kind here, my friend — put your arms into it. Working through that five-speed manual gearbox does not yield a drastic increase in pace. Just the achievement of decent momentum, at which to serenely enjoy the Gaelic countryside. As we climb up and into the 2018 G-Class we are greeted with the obvious technological revelations bound to happen in 38 years. Indeed, the evolution of this stout block has witnessed its share of global developments: from military exploits to carting revered religious figures and others in power, and from the desolation of the desert to the energetic settings of the richest square mile on our continent, the G-Class has made a home of virtually all habitats.

Although its core character has transformed to pander to a more upscale audience, the inherent ruggedness remains. “The new G is still a G, only better,” said Ola Källenius, responsible for group research and development at Mercedes-Benz. You can’t help but think such a line was uttered on a hip-hop track at some point. As you’re sitting elevated at the helm, the feeling is undeniably gangster. While the engineers trimmed 170kg from the overall recipe, be in no doubt that this is a large and in-charge behemoth that flattens everything underfoot and has to suck in its tummy before negotiating tight European streets. There are welcome enhancements on the handling front. Not that you would ever delude yourself into thinking that the GClass could ever convincingly emulate something with a lower centre of gravity. Wind noise intrusion, while purportedly minimised, is noticeable. But we suppose it would be, given its slab-sided shape. Perhaps aerodynamics is one element of nature the G-Class cannot beat into submission. On an off-road course through the wilderness of Perpignan near the Mediterranean coast, we traversed obstacles that would make the most agile Karoo mountain goat wince. Having experienced my share of treacherous geography in nearly a decade as an automotive scribbler, it is safe to say that this was the most useless I have ever felt. You can leave the G-Class to its own devices. It treks over anything with ease — and without the jingling that usually upsets occupants on the rough stuff. With three differentials and a ground clearance of 270mm, getting stuck would take serious effort. On “suitable surfaces” Mercedes-Benz claims a slope-climbing ability of 100%. The child in me wants to attempt driving up the side of our Parktown building, on a day that conditions permit. For now, there are two petrol flavours on offer, with diesel derivatives on the cards for 2019. A nine-speed, torque-converter automatic is standard across the board. The G 500 employs the turbocharged 3982cc eight-cylinder unit familiar from the contemporary Mercedes-AMG range. In this application it produces 310kW and 610Nm. This is all you need, providing plenty of shove and enthralling acoustics. Of course, there are those who may prefer even more. And that can be had in the form of the G 63, running the same hardware as its G 500 sibling, albeit with 430kW and a tar-melting 850Nm. Consider for a second that this 2 485kg tank can hustle from standstill to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds. It creates a mighty awesome din, as expected, delivering those thunderous and fearsome noises we have come to appreciate from the Mercedes-AMG stable. Apt that Mercedes-Benz has settled on “Stronger than time” as the tagline for its latest G-Class. Much has changed — and is changing — in the landscape of cars, where the concept of “mobility solutions” is supplanting “motoring” in its traditional sense. Curiously, the model has not sought to incorporate radical, future-forward elements. Instead, it is the smart culmination of nearly four decades of improvement. Incremental changes, not drastic reinventions for the sake of it, has seen the Geländewagen endure. Expect the Mercedes-Benz G-Class in South Africa in the third quarter. Pricing is yet to be confirmed.