Mercedes has revealed its second generation G-Class, a luxury off-road vehicle that closely resembles the original utilitarian off-roader launched in 1979. With the latest update, the off-road icon - which has been continually enhanced technically over the decades but visually has hardly changed - is making the leap into a new era, both in terms of technology and form.
Iconic elements continue to serve very specific purposes and to give the G‑Class its unique appearance, including the distinctive door handle and the characteristic closing sound, the robust exterior protective strip, the exposed spare wheel on the rear door and the prominent indicator lights.
The enhanced design of the G-Class follows the philosophy of Sensual Purity and at the same time remains true to the character of the original. As a result, the door hinges positioned on the outside and the surface-mounted bonnet are carried over to the new generation.
The new G-Class is also 53mm longer and 121mm wider and now has even greater presence. The revised dimensions of the now larger G-Class benefit not only the driver and front passenger, but also the passengers in the second row.
While the exterior maintains the iconic classic look, the interior of the G-Class has undergone a fundamental modern redesign. Getting in the G-Class reveals that numerous design features from the exterior have been transposed into the interior. The shape of the round headlamps, for instance, is reflected in the side air vents.
The very clearly arranged and completely redesigned instrument panel features timeless tube-look analogue round dials as standard. As in the new E-Class and S-Class, an instrument cluster in the form of a large display showing virtual instruments in the driver's direct field of vision and a central display above the centre console is available as an option.
In this case the two 12.3-inch displays blend visually into a Widescreen Cockpit beneath a shared glass cover.
Alongside the interior, the other major focus for the new G-Class has been improved handling, to make it significantly more agile, dynamic and comfortable than its predecessor.
The new suspension has been developed with AMG. The independent suspension uses a double-wishbone front axle in combination with a rigid rear axle. The raising of the axles has helped increase ground clearance to 241mm, up 6mm. Other improvements to off-road capability include a 70cm maximum fording depth (10cm more than before), a 30-degree departure angle and a 31-degree approach angle.
Two 12.3-inch displays blend visually into a Widescreen Cockpit that dominate the cabin
The four-wheel drive model also offers up to five driving modes. Comfort, Sport, Individual and Eco modes are offered across much of the Mercedes range, allowing vehicle characteristics such as engine, transmission, suspension and steering to be modified. The fifth mode, G-mode, is for off-road driving only.
It incorporates the three differential locks plus low-range gearing. G-mode adapts the damping and steering as well as the accelerator, avoiding unnecessary gearshifts, all of which ensures optimum control and maximum off-road capability.
Another significant change is the adoption of a new steering system. A contemporary electromechanical rack and pinion arrangement offers a precise and suitable steering response for on and off road. It also allows for the implementation of driving assistance systems such as Parking Assist. The model also gets Mercedes' nine-speed 9G-Tronic automatic transmission with torque converter.
In the new G500, a high-performance 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine ensures powerful propulsion. The new biturbo engine produces 416bhp and a maximum torque of 610Nm.
