While the Mercedes-Benz G-Class may be best known today as a boxy, brutish AMG-tuned behemoth driven by A-list celebrities, Mercedes has wound back the clock for a new special edition G-Wagen that celebrates the model’s origins.
Dubbed the ‘STRONGER THAN THE 1980s’ edition – yes, in all caps – and wearing suitably retro looks to match, it pays tribute to the first W460 model of the ’80s that created the iconic image of the ‘Geländewagen’ with its unique combination of superior on- and off-road capability.
As a nod to the original’s model code, just 460 examples are up for grabs worldwide with two different 3.0-litre straight-six engines on offer – the G450d diesel and G500/G550 petrol.
Blending the modern tech and comfort of today’s G-Class with the charm and aesthetics of a heritage model, three suitably retro non-metallic paint colours are on offer.
The Agave Green hero colour is the pick of the trio, especially since models finished this way come with a bonus roof rack, but Cream White and Colorado Beige are also available.
Perhaps the most prominent retro touch are the amber indicators sat atop the boxy front guards, while the rugged look of the original G-Class is rounded out with the front bumper, radiator grille, brush guard, underguard, front and rear bumpers, side sills, flared wheel arches and exterior mirror housings all finished in Night Black Magno.
Mercedes’ older style of badging is used, including the brand’s historic emblem with a laurel wreath and classic lettering on a blue background. The ‘Schöckl Proved’ badge on the B-pillar is also redesigned to a 1980s style, while it rides on simple 18-inch five-spoke alloys shod in all-terrain tyres.
Inside, the upholstery is the biggest nod to the ’80s, with the black leather seats featuring Dove Grey fabric inserts as was popular at the time. The front door sill panels also feature the topography of Schöckl mountain near Graz, Austria, showcasing the test track where the G-Class has proven its off-road capabilities since 1979.
There’s no official Australian pricing as yet, nor confirmation of how many of the 460 worldwide examples will reach our shores, but pricing starts at €160,055 in Europe, with the UK and US also confirmed export markets.
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