Wednesday 18th February 2009

Merc G-Class 30th Anniversary

Special editions launched to mark big birthday

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Mercedes is celebrating 30 years of the Geländewagen with a couple of special editions that highlight the iconic off-roader’s dual 'rough and smooth' personality.

First up is the EDITION30.PUR, a long wheelbase model paying homage to the first generation G-Models, and optimised for the toughest assignments off the beaten track.

With 280 CDI power, this real man’s car comes with all-terrain tyres on 16ins alloy wheels, flexible wheel arch flares, protective lamp grilles and a bonnet designed for walking on so you can access the optional roof rack. Inside the four individual seats can be cloth or leather covered, and you also get rubber floor mats, spray protected controls and drainage apertures in the footwells, essential kit for those deep-water river crossings.

The EDITION30 is a premium version of the same vehicle – this time a G 500 with a mighty five-litre petrol V8, a posh black paintjob, and an interior resplendent in luxurious leather and wood. The EDITION30.PUR and 30 models will cost from €59,381 and €97,461 according to the German press release.

The G-Class itself was apparently first developed as a military vehicle for the former Shah of Iran – himself once a significant stakeholder in Daimler-Benz. Around 200,000 examples have been hand-built in Austria by Magna-Steyr since 1979, making it the longest serving passenger model in M-B history. According to Daimler boss Dieter Zetsche there are no plans to end the G-Class success story yet.

[danielhodgkiss]

How does this vehicle manage to deftly avoid all the SUV haters? Clever stuff.

[Wilburo]

By being fantastically utilitarian.

Got followed by a G55 AMG the other day, on the A3. That was a bit silly, really.

[Sheriff JWPepper]

danielhodgkiss said:

How does this vehicle manage to deftly avoid all the SUV haters? Clever stuff.

Quite a clever tactic really, they just don't sell. When was the last time you saw one?

Also helps they have a sort of classic quality about them like Defenders.

[Frimley111R]

Sheriff JWPepper said:

danielhodgkiss said:

How does this vehicle manage to deftly avoid all the SUV haters? Clever stuff.

Quite a clever tactic really, they just don't sell. When was the last time you saw one?

Also helps they have a sort of classic quality about them like Defenders.

I thought they stopped making them years ago.

[danielhodgkiss]

I see quite a few but admittedly I live in central London where they're still seen as űber fashionable.

Edited by danielhodgkiss on Wednesday 18th February 12:33

[gumsie]

Now, THAT, is a real off roader. 55 engine too please.

[Ed.]

Any plans for a SWB G63?

[AbarthChris]

Is it me or is the bonnet designed for walking on the coolest thing ever! I want one

[don logan]

SO SO SO cool and soo expensive!!!!

[Sivraj]

AbarthChris said:

Is it me or is the bonnet designed for walking on the coolest thing ever! I want one

But what about the 'Active Bonnet' on the new E class coupe ?
Could they combine the two so that if you knock sombody over the bonnet tilts and shoots the person of to the nearest A&E.....

[raharley]

Why do you never see them on the road? Or off for that matter..

[dpbird90]

raharley said:

Why do you never see them on the road? Or off for that matter..

This will answer your question:

£££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

[BUG4LIFE]

The coolest car on the planet...period! I'll take a Brabus one please

[Gentleman Geoff]

Always had a soft spot for Mercs and Landys. Could this be the best of both worlds?

[ZesPak]

dpbird90 said:

raharley said:

Why do you never see them on the road? Or off for that matter..

This will answer your question:

£ x 250

Idd, they cost tons of money, while a "range rover" is cheaper for luxury and a defender/patrol/pajero is equally amazing off road.

[xspencex]

I love these things, seen quite a few in the Middle East and in Central London, G500's, G55's and the odd Brabus knocking about.

[collateral]

Not a fan of Benz or SUVs but I'd love a battered old G!

[KM2]

Preferably a mil-spec convertible one, with the collapsible windscreen and a 55 powertrain

[raharley]

ZesPak said:

dpbird90 said:

raharley said:

Why do you never see them on the road? Or off for that matter..

This will answer your question:

£ x 250

Idd, they cost tons of money, while a "range rover" is cheaper for luxury and a defender/patrol/pajero is equally amazing off road.

So who do they sell them to if we never see any on the roads, they cost a st load, a range rover does luxury better and a defender does mud plugging better?

[Schermerhorn]

raharley said:

ZesPak said:

dpbird90 said:

raharley said:

Why do you never see them on the road? Or off for that matter..

This will answer your question:

£ x 250

Idd, they cost tons of money, while a "range rover" is cheaper for luxury and a defender/patrol/pajero is equally amazing off road.

So who do they sell them to if we never see any on the roads, they cost a st load, a range rover does luxury better and a defender does mud plugging better?

- They're popular with Russian/ex-Soviet state gangsters
- Immensly popular in the UAE and the Middle East (Sheikh Maktoum has a fleet of them, all in white)
- Quite popular in American pop culture (several Hollywood celebs drive them)
- Popular in Germany too (look on www.mobile.de to see how many are in the classifieds).

They haven't been marketed that much in the UK; mainly because Mercedes didn't do RHD versions IIRC and because they're about 2-3 times as expensive as a Landrover Defender.

Have a look on Youtube though for some G55 AMG videos on the G-wagen going offroad. They're immensly capable both on and off-road.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6AQ1WvTII4 (AMAZING!!!)

Part of the appeal of them lies in that they're so expensive and seen as a status symbol for the rich. It's a trick that Land Rover missed big time.