COVER New Mercedes G-wagen

● ● FIRSTRIDE

First pictures of new 4x4 leak, plus we go for a ride in it

WHILE the world around it has changed beyond recognition, the Mercedes G-class (or G-wagen) has remained on sale virtually unchanged for almost four decades. Despite this, sales in the past few years have been the best that Mercedes has ever seen.

Now Auto Express has joined the team developing the new generation, which will be unveiled at next week’s Detroit Motor Show, although images have leaked out prematurely (opposite).

We’ve come to Schöckl in Austria, a 1,445m-high mountain where the original G-class was developed. The swirling camouflage of the prototype isn’t fooling anyone; the shape is pure G-class, while signature design details like those prominent wing-mounted indicators leave no doubt about the car we’re riding in. But under the skin this car is all new. Oliver Metzger, head of G-class development, confirms that there are only five carry-over parts from the old car: the door handles, headlight washer nozzles, towbar, interior sunshades and spare wheel cover.

As part of the G-class’s iconic status, it has to be a proper off-roader. The new car retains a body-on-frame construction, but the wheelbase has grown by 40mm and the body is 50mm longer. This will help crash performance, as well as increasing space in the cabin.

Riding in the new car up Schöckl, it’s clear that the off-road performance exceeds that of its predecessor. For this, you can thank the more sophisticated chassis, which gains a revised rigid rear axle with four links and a Panhard rod to improve control.

Passive dampers are standard, and these use a frequency-actuated bypass valve that allows huge wheel articulation off road, but affords a controlled ride on it. As an option there’s a variable damper set-up with selectable modes, which is what our prototype features.

The car retains the three-diff set-up of its predecessor, so it’s extraordinary in the rough. This prowess is also helped by a ‘G-mode’, which re-calibrates the damping, steering, transmission and accelerator response for off-roading.

There’s a huge increase in space inside, and the greater rigidity from that new body and chassis improves refinement. The new G-class is very familiar in how it looks and feels, but is up to date in how it rides and drives.

This combination of old-school design and interior modernity means the car already looks like a very clever replacement of its iconic predecessor.

First ride in disguised 4x4 Retro looks hide new platform