German Car Forum

And to think the plan was to replace the G with the GL and call it the G-Class. Yikes. Glad Mercedes realized this was a mistake at the last minute.


M

I have never seen anything like that here. You guys seem to somwhow always thrash the best of intentions with misguided ambition :-)

Let the record reflect that the GL, with suitable tyres and rims and low-range option has been independently assessed by 4x4 magazines here in SA to be extremely competent offroad.

Well, nobody uses the G offroad... Would you put your $100.000 leather-wrapped AMG in the mud and risk screwing with the custom paint? I wouldn't.

The G is not a offroader anymore, it has acquired the myth-status and therefore, doesn't need an utility any more.

It's his sheer outdatedness, his lack of design effort whatsoever, the now useless purpose it was conceived for, and the crazy pricing, that are its main attributes.

I love it, for all these reasons. This is a driving oxymoron, a rolling contradiction, a cruising paradox.

It shouldn't exixst any more, it doesn't make any sense at all in our modern world. Which is precisely why it is so worshipped. It's a dinosaur, the witness of an ancient time, who somehow managed to survive and is now deliciously out of place.

Its other main argument is that it's so expensive it makes a Cayenne-guy look like he has no money, because only a very rich guy could spent that money on such an machine.

It doesn't make any sense at all to buy a G-Class. Therefore, it's the only SUV I would ever consider buying.

Like François de La Rochefoucauld said, "He who lives without folly is not as wise as he thinks." (Qui vit sans folie n'est pas si sage qu'on croit).

It is far less of an oxymoron than 99% of the SUV:s out there.

^ One can see that you fellas don't live in Africa.

A luxury SUV is not illogical at a car: it is more impressive than a sedan, but no less luxurious. Good for you, bad for the neighbour, all that makes perfect sense.

A $100.000 off-roader, with leather and wood and GPS everywhere but a real ski underneath, three 100% mechanical locks but sports-tyres with low-profile on "20 alloys, exceptional visibility and angles for the off-road and king-size AMG side-exhaust just where they shouldn't be for off-road, two straight-axles but AMG lowered suspensions....... Now that doesn't make any sense at all from a logical PoV!

The W461 "Wolf" (still available, but for army purpose only), which is basically a pre-1989 G with no modifications bar the engine, this one makes sense. It's an off-road focussed truck, without luxury equipment, almost as naked as a Defender.
A W463 G55 AMG on the other hand, is hardly considered an off-road weapon by its buyers...

One more time, guys: The G-Class is not an SUV, it's a genuine off-road vehicle. SUVs are the product of the 90's.

Comparing G-Class to GL-Class is the same as comparing Land Rover Defender to Range Rover.

Although I do agree with coolraoul about the AMG version which is clearly a big step away from its original use.

However, unlike the Defender, it managed to be considered as an SUV, and is now used as this. A bit like the Range Rover, still good off-road but more luxurious than ever.

The AMG G-Wagen is so gorgeous... I love that thing. So mean, so out of time, so unique... It "magnetizes" me like few other cars.

However, I did prefer the pre-09 grille and wheels, when it did not share anything with any other Merc (from the outside).

It looks better in the metal than in photos. Its amazing how the ML63 and X6 leads the votes.

Everything looks good, but the front bumper. I've seen it in person and I'm still not a fan of the Bumper. Of course I still would purchase it over the others.


But...I did race a X6 the other day and I was impressed. It has a fat back, but it's still nice too look at.