Will the latest version of the G-Wagen find its way officially to Malaysia? Born out of a joint venture in 1979 between Mercedes-Benz and two other companies, Steyr and Puch of Austria, the Steyr-Daimler-Puch Gelaendewagen was (and still is) virtually hand-built in Austria. It was first and foremost a heavy-duty off-road vehicle favored by various military groups and big game safari hunters. Loosely translated, Gelaendewagen means “tough terrain vehicle.” Those familiar with this rig usually call it by its nickname, G-wagen. Usually propelled by a diesel engine, the early G-wagen was not luxurious by any stretch (manual windows and tartan cloth seats were the order of the day) but developed a reputation for being able to get through most anything, no matter how treacherous or steep the terrain.
These workhorses were offered with a variety of relatively frugal gasoline and diesel power plants. As with other Mercedes-Benz models, the numbers and letters indicated the engine’s size and whether it was petrol- or diesel-powered, e.g., the 230 G (petrol) and 240 GD (diesel). Two petrol models (the four-cylinder 230 and six-cylinder 280) and two diesel models (the 240 and 300) were available with horsepower ranging from 72 to 150. There were three body styles to choose from, a pair of short-wheelbase two-doors (hardtop and convertible) and a long-wheelbase four-door wagon.
Although the G-wagen was not offered for sale in Malaysia officially, the so-called “gray market” of the 1980s made them obtainable by a handful of Malaysians with deep pockets. Over the past few years the G-Class has undergone a series of (largely cosmetic) updates, and reports now indicate that Mercedes has another one in store for this classic go anywhere SUV.
We hear of a new version being offered in Europe with an uplifted interior including a rear wooden floor and a new range of engines. While the boxy exterior is expected to carry over as the G’s calling card, a few minor tweaks are in those cards, likely centered around the lights, bumpers and such. The cabin is slated for a thorough update, while updates under the hood will see the entire range Euro 5 emission engines.
The model family currently includes three body variants (short Station Wagon, long Station Wagon and Cabriolet), which can be combined either as the G 350 CDI which is the most logical version to be sold in Malaysia (replaces the previous G 320 CDI). It also comes as a G 500 with a powerful 5.5-litre V8 petrol engine. The top-of-the-line G 55 AMG – available solely as a four-door long Station Wagon – offers muscular performance, which, together with the incomparable vocals, underpins the character of this decidedly sporty version. This evergreen Mercedes-Benz off-roader provides a superior synthesis of high-performance drive and dynamic handling control systems. The standard specification includes the electronic traction system 4ETS, the Electronic Stability Program ESP® and three differential locks selectable at the push of a button, alongside the permanent all-wheel drive with off-road ratio.
