"We are proud to have produced 400,000 off-road vehicles. Just over three years have passed since the 300,000th anniversary. We would like to thank our loyal customers and fans as well as our employees and our production partner Magna Steyr in Graz. Demand currently far exceeds the available production capacity," emphasizes Dr. Emmerich Schiller, Head of the SUV Product Division and Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz G GmbH in Graz/Austria. "And we are making our icon future-proof, because there will be an emission-free future for the G, the model series will be electrified."
The 400,000th G went as the G 400 to a long-standing customer from the Rhineland, who has been on the road with around 20 models of the angular classic since 1979, motto: "You can't do without a G."
The history of the G
The G-Class is the top model among luxury off-road vehicles. It is not only by far the longest-built passenger car model series in Mercedes-Benz history, but also the forefather of all SUVs with the three-pointed star - which is why all Mercedes off-roaders bear the capital G in their name.
What began in 1972 with a cooperation agreement between the then Daimler-Benz AG and Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Graz, Austria, is today a story peppered with superlatives and milestones. Even the first concept that is developed is different. The team designs a vehicle that impresses with its superior off-road capability, but at the same time finds its buyers as a fully-fledged and safe automobile for leisure time. All-wheel drive and differential locks with 100 percent locking effect have since been just as much a part of the "G" as the robust ladder-type frame.
At the market premiere in spring 1979, four engine variants with a power range from 53 kW/72 hp to 115 kW/156 hp were available. Customers could choose between convertibles with a short wheelbase and station wagons with a short or long wheelbase.
The vehicles of the 463 series in 1989 marked the start of an evolution that not only constantly adapted the off-road vehicle to technical advances. It also steadily expanded the circle of its fans and emphasized its character as an exclusive vehicle for every occasion. Since 1993, the child has also had an official name: G-Class.
The G-Class models are world-famous as the "Papa-Mobil". The first of these representative vehicles for the head of the Catholic Church is the Mercedes-Benz 230 G off-road vehicle painted in mother-of-pearl with a special glass body. It accompanied Pope John Paul II on numerous trips from 1980 onwards.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the G-Class, a very special model refined by Mercedes-AMG is launched on the market: the G 55 AMG Kompressor. The eight-cylinder power package (350 kW/476 hp, 700 Newton meters of torque) gives the robust off-roader unprecedented performance and demonstrates the enormous potential of the G-Class.
In 2015, the G 500 4x4 not only offers a luxurious interior, but also 45 centimeters of ground clearance and impressive off-road performance.
Thanks to the Mercedes-Maybach G 650 Landaulet, the iconic "G" reinvents itself once again in 2017. With its superior V12 engine, portal axles, electric soft top and exclusive equipment in the rear compartment, this very special off-road vehicle, which is limited to 99 vehicles, meets the expectations of customers who demand the very best from their vehicle. Probably the most exclusive kind of open-air driving pleasure.
In summer 2018, the new edition of the G-Class was launched in top form. Whether off- or on-road, the off-road vehicle impresses in all operating conditions with its performance, modern assistance systems, outstanding driving characteristics and safety. At the same time, the new suspension, the "Dynamic Select" drive programs, the "G-Mode" and the three 100 percent differential locks increase both ride comfort and agility - on any surface.
