At a glance, what isn’t broken hasn’t been fixed in the new 2016 Mercedes-Benz G-Class. The visual formula hasn’t changed, as the G-Class was already one of the most stunning SUVs on the market. What sets the new G-Class apart from its predecessors is the monstrous power source under the hood.
The engineering spec reads like an AMS coupe brochure. But this beauty was built for what happens beyond the pavement. It’s the good old-fashioned G-Class, but it’s built like a race car under the hood.
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It’s a G-Class of the original cloth, it’s built with serious power, but it looks right at home in busy urban environments
The G-Class was first introduced by Mercedes-Benz all the way back in 1979. It was the brand’s utility vehicle, built for safaris, towing and off-road sport. It was re-introduced in 1997 with an appearance similar to its latest iteration. It was bold, boxy and purpose-built, a vehicle built for causing trouble long after the pavement ends. Since the 1997 re-introduction, the visual styling hasn’t changed much. As I said above, it’s a formula that hasn’t needed changing. It remains one of the most desirable, recognizable utility vehicles on the market.
What makes the 2016 Mercedes-Benz G-Class different is the mass of power it holds under the hood. It’s powered by 4.0L V8-engine that features a pair of turbochargers for a total output of 422-horsepower. Typically, when a Mercedes sports a pair of turbochargers, it’s built for the track. This one brings that same level of performance and engineering to the off-road circuit. Which makes it one of the more powerful non-truck utility vehicles available today.
Granted, not many of the 2016 Mercedes-Benz G-Class purchases will be driven off-road. These are still city vehicles in most cases, so they’re built with city feature sets. Like a fine luxury interior with all the connected bells and whistles one could desire. Or stop-start driving to keep fuel consumption low. It’s a G-Class of the original cloth, it’s built with serious power, but it looks right at home in busy urban environments.
The new 2016 Mercedes-Benz G-Class will begin shipping in Europe this summer. North American versions will be detailed soon, but expect them to feature the same story lines we’ve shared here. [mbusa]
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I dunno. It seems, to me, Mercedes has been paying attention to everything else except the looks of this beast. I don’t like it and, despite the excellent text about it, find it undesirable.