Mercedes-Benz G-Class is First Produced

The Mercedes-Benz G-Class or G-Wagen, short for Geländewagen (or cross-country vehicle), is a four-wheel drive vehicle / sport utility vehicle (SUV) produced by German automaker Mercedes-Benz. The Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, a major Daimler-Benz shareholder during his reign, proposed the development of a military vehicle in the early 1970s. A major reason to start development was the need of the German Army for a light military vehicle, but later the cheaper Volkswagen Iltis were chosen without any joint test. After a design change to a civilian cross-country vehicle in co-operation with the Austrian car manufacturer Steyr-Daimler-Puch, production of the G-Class began in 1979 with the 460 Series models. The G-Class has been sold under the Puch name in certain markets, and the Peugeot P4 is a variant made under license, with a Peugeot engine and different parts.
Mercedes-Benz secured military contracts for the vehicle in the late 1970s and offered a civilian version in 1979. Designed to be a durable, reliable, and rugged off-roader, the G-wagen utilizes three fully locking differentials, one of the few vehicles sold in the U.S. to have such a feature, along with the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, Toyota 80-series Land Cruiser, Pinzgauer High Mobility All-Terrain Vehicle, and Mercedes-Benz Unimog. Among the engines offered in the G-Class for the 2004 model year is a 5.5-liter V8.
In its 25th anniversary, the 2005 Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG was launched again as the G55 Kompressor or G55K and improved in power, thanks to a 5.5-liter, supercharged V8 developing 469 hp (350 kW) and 516 lb·ft (700 N·m). of torque.

The G-Wagen was first offered for sale in 1979 and redesigned in 1990/1991. A new version was expected for 2007, but the new GL-Class will not replace the G-Wagen, and it will continue to be hand-built in Graz, Austria at an annual production of 4,000 to 6,000 units. In February 2009, Magna Steyr, the operating unit of Magna International, announced that it s...

The Mercedes-Benz G was first introduced to the press from February 5 – 10, 1979. Its distinctive design, largely unchanged in thirty years, and its outstanding engineering have long since elevated the cross-country vehicle to cult status and made it one of the most coveted vehicles in the automobile market.
Development of the cross-country vehicle commenced in 1972 with a joint venture agreement between Daimler-Benz and Steyr-Daimler-Puch, based in the Austrian city of Graz. In 1975 the decision was taken to launch the series and build a new plant for it in Graz, where the G is still mostly made by hand even today.

At the 1979 market launch, the vehicle came with four engine variants, with outputs ranging from 53 kW/72 hp to 110 kW/150 hp. A station wagon and a panel van, each in a short- and a long-wheelbase version, were the four original body variants available. These were complemented by an open cross-country vehicle with short wheelbase as a fifth body variant.
The current 463 series comprises three body variants: a two-door cabriolet, a three-door station wagon and a five-door station wagon. The top model of the current series is the five-door G 55 AMG Station Wagon, whose eight-cylinder engine delivers 507 hp (373 kW). There are also special versions for commercial customers and the military.
Owing to continuous model refinement, the G-Class has kept abreast of technological progress. It boasts an extremely efficient drive system. Combining permanent all-wheel drive with the electronically controlled 4ETS traction system, ESP®, a “low-range” ratio, plus three driver-selectable differential locks, the G-Class is a match for any off-road challenge, and at the same time affords typical Mercedes-Benz handling safety on the tarmac.
From the very beginning the G-Class was designed for operation in extremely difficult terrain. A sturdy base is provided by a perimeter frame made of box-section longitudinal and cross members that afford extraordinary rigidi...

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 safari zealots. 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 gasoline- or diesel-powered, e.g., the 230 G (gas) and 240 GD (diesel). Two gas 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 the U.S., the so-called "gray market" of the 1980s made them obtainable by Americans with deep pockets. The gray market consisted of companies that brought European-spec vehicles over to the States and modified them to meet our government's safety and emissions standards. One such company, Europa International, became so successful at this that it struck an agreement with the G-wagen people to build the vehicles it ordered to U.S. standards — that way Europa International wouldn't have to deal with modifying the vehicles itself anymore. Advertising in such high-brow publications as Robb Report, Europa built up a nice business, importi...

first Mercedes Benz G Class was made available for sale and purchase by Mercedes in the United States in 2002, though the G Class had been in manufactured and distributed overseas since 1979. The Mercedes Benz G Class, also known as the Gelaendewagen or G-wagen, is a heavy duty SUV style vehicle with extreme off road capabilities and were initially very popular with the military and those who traveled over rough terrain. Until 2002, quite a few G-wagens made their way to American drivers with the assistance of companies that would import the vehicles, modify them to meet U.S. regulations and sell them to upscale and anxious Americans at a tremendous profit.

Although additional models were made available in Europe by 2002, only one model was made available for sale by Mercedes in the United States in 2002 - the four door G500. The Mercedes Benz G500 made quite an impression both with its mechanical engineering and its formidable design.

Just about every concievable interiror luxury feature available at the time was standard on the 2002 Mercedes Benz G500. The power controls, leather seats, wood trim, premium sound system, and sunroof were reminicent of the interior of a large upscale luxury sedan. The Mercedes Benz G500 had a 112 inch wheel base and a 5.0 liter V8 engine that generated 292 horsepower. The G500 was quick to accelerate and tackled the majority of off road duties with ease. The major competitors to the G500 were the Land Rover Range Rover and Porsche Cayenne, both falling short of the power of of the G500.

Since its introduction to the United States, the Mercedes Benz G Class has not seen an extrodinary amount of change. The 2006 model year saw the introduction of the G55 AMG to the Mercedes Benz G Class lineup in the United States. The Mercedes Benz G class;s competitors now include vehciles that are similar in style and function of the likes of the Mercedes G500. The Mercedes G Class G500 and G55, introduced in 2006, have proved themselves...