New Mercedes direction

[Carmel_Dude]

YEAH! I have something to complain! I HATE the fact that Mercedes-Benz is dropping the legendary Gelaendewagen!!! and replacing it with some souped up ML that won't even compare to the prowess of the old G!
Wheres my tylenol!

 

[BMWCool]

Ahhh don't get me started! LOL

 

[SDNR]

YEAH! I have something to complain! I HATE the fact that Mercedes-Benz is dropping the legendary Gelaendewagen!!! and replacing it with some souped up ML that won't even compare to the prowess of the old G!
Wheres my tylenol!

God...How many times........- The thing is bloody ancient, if MB want to continue to be recognised as THE leader of the industry, then the G class has to be updated - I love the G class too, but it is time for it to be replaced....end of story.

 

[MoSs]

the g-class is amazing IMO but the style is allready tooo old ,,, its a 25/30 year old car ,,, i think they should come out with a new style already...

 

[Carmel_Dude]

I know, I know, I just wanted to vent a bit I guess what I'm really mad about is not MB discontinuinfg it, but not replacing it with something evolutionary in design. The sp shots all show a big ML, I see no traces of the G.

 

[SDNR]

I know, I know, I just wanted to vent a bit I guess what I'm really mad about is not MB discontinuinfg it, but not replacing it with something evolutionary in design. The sp shots all show a big ML, I see no traces of the G.

Yes. I agree with you there. I do think the new G (if that is what it is going to be called) looks good, but it does just look like a bigger ML - I too, wish it was a bit more like the original G class.

But the G class is a classic now, a cult car - that already puts it in a special category of it's own.

 

[Mark]

Yes, I agree with you. I really like the G-class but I understand that times have changed; MB needs to focus on new demand and update it! They know it.
I also agree with your point Carmel_Dude, I too would love to see a next generation G class that is evolutionary.. lol let me quote myself from another posting:

You know what would be really nice?? If by 2008 they announce that the 1978 model is indeed retiring (after 30 years in production!) but it is being replaced by a new one that looks just like it except that is is wider! just that modification IMO would make it soo much nicer!!

NSL

NSL

 

[Alx]

i think they should leave the G wagon (perhaps update it a bit without changing direction) , and if they want produce that GL minivan thing which i dont care for. I rather they just leave the current G alone....

 

[SDNR]

If they don't replace it now, the thing is just going to start to look older and older. I think once it is out of production for a while we will start to notice more and more how out-of-date it is. I mean, it has a similar look to the original VW Golf..and look how old that looks now.

 

[Alx]

If they don't replace it now, the thing is just going to start to look older and older. I think once it is out of production for a while we will start to notice more and more how out-of-date it is. I mean, it has a similar look to the original VW Golf..and look how old that looks now.

i know what you mean, but i wish they would have just modified it a bit instead of changing it completley into a oversized ML.

i say they make limited production, and just leave it alone....

 

[Carmel_Dude]

...is indeed retiring (after 30 years in production!) but it is being replaced by a new one that looks just like it except that is is wider! just that modification IMO would make it soo much nicer!!

Exactly my point and frustration NSL. Yes! Thats the one thing I would change cause the truck is so darn tall it looks narrow cept that it is huge nevertheless. Wider? Oh baby!! thats what I'm talking about

Listen to your alpha-customers and experts and take notes Mercedes-Benz!!

 

[Alx]

i just hope they dont make all their new models look alike, it seems like its headed for that direction .... bah!

 

[Jono171]

I agree it is a shame that the day of the G is almost over. The model range is probably a burden on Mercedes-Benz production facilities though. Quite small production numbers, coupled with outdated design/construction can't be something Mercedes can continue forever - The new one will be far cheaper to produce, as it can be made alongside the rest of the Mercedes range. Does anyone know where they are planning to make them? Will they be built in America alongside the ML?

 

[SDNR]

I'm not sure about that - the G was built in Austria.

 

[Sayyaaf]

Jono171: I think so .. they will be built in Alabama at the same plant of the current M Class ..

BTW i dunno why in UAE most of delivered M Classes are german made .. i know it is good but in the current weak Dollar situation .. it is much more expensive than its predecessor ..

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Are the new ML's being made I europe also? I thought it was Alabama only.

 

[Merc1]

This has come up many times every since Mercedes announced they were putting the old guy out to pasture.

I too will miss the "G", but I think Mercedes has to keep up with Land Rover and Lexus in the high-end luxury SUV game and the current G just ain't it.

Now, I too don't like the fact that this new ML-based GL (as they are now calling it) won't be what the current G is, but thats the price Mercedes has to pay since they've become about volume now.

Back in the old days Mercedes would have re-designed the G with its own platform and priced it how they pleased. This is personally what I wanted. A new G with the look of the old one (you know like how L-Rover keeps the Range Rover shape from gen to generation), built in Germany with the same quality of the new S-Class and the ability of the old truck off road, with the luxury of the S-Class and priced anywhere from 80-90K for the G500 version.

Now enter the world of shareholders and profits that must be made immediately and enter the shared platform with the M/R-Classes.

I don't like it either, but it is what it is. Plus the thing looks so damn common. Oh well I don't like SUVs anyway!

M

 

[Centurion]

I'm not really liking MB new direction. Don't get me wrong all their new cars look good but many of them don't have their own unique identity. If you look at the R, S, A, B and the new ML they all look like nothing more than a new benz. The look fresh but at the same time they seem a bit boring.

 

[SDNR]

Now enter the world of shareholders and profits that must be made immediately and enter the shared platform with the M/R-Classes.

I don't like it either, but it is what it is. Plus the thing looks so damn common. Oh well I don't like SUVs anyway!

M

Yep, that pretty much sums up the reality of the situation.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Even if it uses the same platform, from what we can gather from the spy pics, the design could have been much better. Somthing special. The test vehicles look so plain and drab.