MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS

''For G-class stars, see Stellar classification.''
The 'Mercedes-Benz G-Class' or 'G-Wagen', short for 'Geländewagen' (or cross-country vehicle), is a four-wheel drive vehicle / luxury SUV produced by German automaker Mercedes-Benz. It was born by proposals for a military vehicle in the early 1970s by the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran, a major Daimler-Benz shareholder. Developed in co-operation with Steyr-Daimler-Puch,[1], production of the G-Class began in 1979 with the 460 Series models. [2] 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 other equipment.
Mercedes-Benz secured military contracts for the vehicle in the late 1970s and offered a civilian version to the public in 1979. Designed to be the most 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, 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-litre V8.
Marking its 25th anniversary, the 2005 Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG was relaunched as the G55 Kompressor or G55K and received a boost in power, thanks to a 5.5-liter, supercharged V8 developing 469 horsepower and 516 lb.-ft. of torque.

Contents

History

W460/W461

W463

W463 Cabrio

W463 / X164 (2006 and beyond)

Military operators

Models

References

External links

History

The G-Wagen was first offered for sale in 1979 and redesigned in 1990 and updated in 1997. 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 rate of 4,000 to 6,000 units.

W460/W461

The original W460/W461 G-Wagen went onsale for the 1979 model year. It was offered in two wheelbases and three body styles: A 2-door short-wheelbase convertible, a 2-door short-wheelbase wagon, and a long-wheelbase 4-door wagon.
This version of the G-Wagen was popular with military and offroad enthusiasts, with more than 50,000 built in the first decade. The vehicle was not offered in the United States officially, but with the demise of the "casual importation" grey-market in the mid-1980s, importers like Europa G-Wagen were successful in selling G-Wagens (mostly W463s) that had been modified to meet US DOT specifications for around $135,000.
The main technical difference between the W460/461 and W463 model, apart from the choice of engines and gearboxes, is the layout of the drive train. Whilst the W463 offers full-time 4wd, the W460/461 is basically rear wheel drive with manually selectable 4wd. This means that these models do not have a centre differential, thus no centre diff-lock. Only front and rear locking differentials are needed to obtain a fully locked drive train. The front lockers were not fitted as standard, but as a factory-fitted option. The difflocks are manually operated using hydraulic levers next to the transfer case selector handle.
Other differences between W460/461 and W463 models are, counting out things like a slightly stiffer suspension, mainly cosmetic. The W460/461 can be easily recognized by its grille and headlight covers which differ slightly from the W463 are always black (on a factory standard car that is), even if the rest of the bodywork is not. From behind, the biggest differences are the fuel cap, which is not covered on the W460/461, and the arrangement of the taillights. The last and most notable difference can be found inside the car. The W463 is very luxurious (wood/leather/electrics etc.) but the simpler model is quite basic, with a dash and trim that closely resembles the original vehicles from the late 70's. Apart from the choice of rugged materials, some luxuries like AC, central locking and electric windows were available for the W460/461.

W463

Main articles: Mercedes-Benz W463

The chassis was revised for 1990 as the W463 with anti-lock brakes and a full trio of electronically-locking differentials. The V8-powered 500GE was new for 1993, catering to more of a luxury than off-road crowd with only center and rear differential locks and a luxurious cabin of leather and wood. This luxury-Wagen lasted just two years, however. All G-Wagens began using Mercedes-Benz's new letter-first naming scheme in 1994.

The range was refreshed again in 1997, including the introduction of a power-topped convertible and two new engines, the turbo 2.9 L Diesel and the V6-powered (M112 motor) G320 - previous years' G320s were outfitted with the M104 I6. The luxury G-wagen returned for 1998 as the G500, with official sales beginning in the United States in 2002 at $75,000. The 349 hp (260 kW) G55 AMG cemented the vehicle in the American market, however, with many snapped up by celebrities. A 476 hp (355 kW) G55, introduced in 2004, could hit 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds.

W463 Cabrio

The G-class Cabrio is the only handmade 4x4 in the world that has a power-top and the highly sophisticated off-road vehicle utilizing three fully locking differentials (The only SUV sold in the U.S. to have such). There are only twenty of these handmade vehicles produced a year in Graz, Austria. [3]Mercedes Benz USA does not import the G-class Cabrio to the United States but private importers such as Europa G-Wagen have imported these vehicles that cost up to 135,000 U.S. dollars.[4]

W463 / X164 (2006 and beyond)

It was rumored that, with military contracts for the G-Class completed, production of the old G-wagen in Graz, Austria would cease as of 2006. However, current reports[5] state that production of the current G-wagen will continue for the foreseeable future, alongside its once-intended replacement, the GL-Class (X164). An outcry among enthusiasts who admired the G-Class for its tremendous off-road potential (for example, the only SUV in the North American market with 3 locking differentials) showed that a market still existed for such a vehicle. Mercedes-Benz elected to continue G-Class production for the hardcore off-road market, while the larger 3-row GL-Class would be marketed as a competitor for the likes of the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator.
As of July 2006, Mercedes-Benz announced a late-availability 2006 model year G-Class on their website.[6] The company also decided to show a facelifted 2007 model at the Paris Auto Show in September of 2006.[7] and to increase the power of the G 55 K AMG version from 476 to 500 hp.
It is also possible that a compact off-roader called G-Class will be built, both as a 3-door and as a 5-door, besides the GLK-Class compact crossover SUV.
The new G-Wagen will use the company's updated 4-valve V6 and V8 engines and will have an updated interior and exterior.

Military operators

;: The Austrian Army has been a long time user of various Puch G models.
;: The Bulgarian Army has signed a deal with Mercedes-Benz for the supply of various G models as part of its on-going modernisation plan.
;: A total of 1,159 vehicles have been ordered by the Canadian Army beginning in late 2003.[8] An armoured kit can be fitted (or removed) in 8 hours by three soldiers. Their light armour has been criticised for leading to loss of life in Afghanistan.[9]
:Delivery of these vehicles to Reserve units has also begun; they will be employed in armoured reconnaissance units. It is currently set to completely replace the ILTIS in armoured recce units by 2007 in LFCA. Other units will replace the Iltis with a militarized Chevrolet Silverado known as the MILCOTS (or colloquially as the "Milverado".)
:For the most exposed missions in Afghanistan 75 RG-31 Nyala built by BAE Land Systems OMC, South Africa, will be used. [10]
;: The Danish Army bought the 240GD/24 to supersede the M151A1, the Volkswagen 181 ("Jagdwagen") and the Land Rover 88. First deliveries were in 1985 and more than 1.300 have been put in service. Currently the Danes are taking delivery of up to 1.000 270CDIs. A number of 290 GDs and 300 GDs have also been used.
;: The Dutch Army uses various versions of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, mostly W461 290GD and 290GD TD models with manual gearbox. Also the Dutch police and Koninklijke Marechaussee are using the G. Most of these are armored W463 models.
;: The Estonian Defence Forces have a small number of various G-Class vehicles, which were recently purchased to replace the outdated UAZ and Volkswagen Iltis jeeps.
;: The Finnish Army uses the Geländewagen mostly as armored vehicles and ambulances, but other versions are also in service.
;: The French Army have the Peugeot P4 which is a derivative from the ''G-Class'' equipped with Peugeot engine and equipment.

;: The German Armed Forces uses the G-Class under the name "Wolf". Over 12,000 vehicles have been delivered in over 50 versions, ranging from ambulance vehicles to armored vehicles used by the German special forces.
;: The Greek Army as well as Air Force, Navy and Police use several versions of the Geländewagen, manufactured by ELBO the Hellenic Vehicles Industry as W462.
;: The Hungarian Ground Forces are using a small number of G-270 CDI BA 10, which is mounted with UMF light-machine gun platform.
;: The Military of Luxembourg uses the 300D variant of the Geländewagen.
;: The Norwegian Army bought 240 GD to replace Volvo and Land Rover jeeps in the mid-1980s, and 300 GD to use as ambulances. During the 90's 290 GD's where bought, and in the first half of the 00's a small number of armoured 270 CDI's were put into service. Today the Defence Forces operates a total of 3000 vehicles.
:The escort company of the Norwegian Royal Guard employs a black G500 AMG with police lights on the roof.

;: The Serbian Army used mainly for special forces and military police/anti terrorist units, more are expected to be purchased for conventional ground forces use.
;: The Singapore Army bought the 270 and 290 versions as secondary military transport. It is used in soft-top truck configuration and is known as a 1.5-tonner to its users. And also some were used also for patrolling in a jeep form known as Taurus to its users. The Army also deploys the extremely short-wheelbase, soft-top version for its Colonels, Battalion COs, Brigade and Division Commanders as personal field transports.
;: The Swiss Army uses the 230 with soft top as the primary general purpose carrier, and a hardtop version as mobile radio access point. It is in service since 1985 and gradually replaced Willys Jeeps, Haflinger light transports and Pinzgauer medium transports in the liaison and transport role. All versions in Swiss Army use are unarmed.
;: The USMC Interim Fast Attack Vehicle (IFAV) is a modified version of the Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen 290. It replaces the modified M-151A2 1/4 ton truck (MUTT jeep) used by the Marines as a FAV in the 1990s. The U.S. Marine Corps acquired 157 of the IFAVs distributed as follows:
:(I) Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) Camp Pendleton, CA (33; (II) MEF Camp Lejeune, NC (25); (III) MEF on Okinawa, Japan (27; (IV) 17 Force Recon, Afghanistan (22); (V) 3 Force Recon Bn, Iraq (23); (VI) 1st Provisional DMZ Police Company, Korea (15); and (VII) various miscellaneous (12)
:(II) U.S. Army soldier Marco Benz the great great grandson of Karl Benz was featured in an article with a W463 cabrio owned by Captain James Van Thach.[11]
;: The government of the Vatican City owned two converted Mercedes-Benz G-class, which are known as the "Popemobile". One is on display at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany.

Models

★ '200GE' - M102E20 2.0 L I4

★ '230G' - M115 2.3 L I4, 102 hp (75 kW), ??? ft·lbf (172 Nm/3000 rpm)

★ '230GE' - M102E23 2.3 L I4, 125 hp (92 kW), ??? ft·lbf (192 Nm/4000 rpm)

★ '280GE' - M110 2.8 L I6, 156 hp (115 kW), ??? ft·lbf (226 Nm/4250 rpm)

★ '240GD' - OM616 2.4 L Diesel I4, 72 hp (53 kW), ??? ft·lbf (137 Nm/2400 rpm)

★ '250GD' - OM602 2.5 L Diesel I5, 94 hp (69 kW), ??? ft·lbf (??? Nm)

★ 'G 270 CDI' - OM612 2.7 L Diesel I5 (turbocharged), 156 hp (115 kW), 294 ft·lbf (400 Nm)

★ '290GD' - OM602D29 2.9 L Diesel I5, 95 hp

★ '290GD TD' - OM602DLA29 2.9 L Diesel I5 (turbocharged), 120 hp

★ '300 GD' - OM617 3.0 L Diesel I5 - later rebaged G 300

★ '300 GE' - M103 3.0 L I6 - later rebaged G 300

★ 'G 350 DT'

★ 'G 300 DT' - OM606 3.0 L Diesel I6(turbocharged), 177 hp (130 kW), 244ft·lbf (330Nm)

★ 'G 320' - M104 3.2 L I6, 217 hp (161 kW), 229 ft·lbf (310 Nm)

★ 'G 320' - M112 3.2 L V6, 215 hp (158 kW), 220 ft·lbf (300 Nm)

★ 'G 320 CDI' - OM642 3.2 L Diesel V6, 224 hp (165 kW), 397 ft·lbf (540 Nm)

★ 'G 400 CDI' - OM628 4.0 L Diesel V8 (turbocharged), 250 hp (184 kW), 411 ft·lbf (560 Nm)

★ '500 GE' - M117 5.0 L V8

★ 'G 500' - M113E50 5.0 L V8, 296 hp (218 kW), 336 ft·lbf (456 Nm)

★ 'G 55 AMG' - M113E55 5.5 L V8 supercharged, 476 hp (350 kW), 514 ft·lbf (700 Nm)

★ 'G 63 AMG' - V12 N/A, 444 hp (326 kW), (620 Nm/4400 rpm) (only 12 ever built)
Mercedes-AMG Chairman Volker Mornhinweg claims that one third of all G-Class vehicles are the G55 AMG model.[12]

References

# Mercedes Expanding Presence, Products in Alabama

External links

★ Mercedes-Benz International

★ Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen

★ G Class Centre

★ Mercedes Gelaendewagen links

★ AutoGuideWiki.com

★ Europa G-Wagen Mercedes-Benz G Klasse Cabriolet

★ EuroTruck Importers

★ Europa G-WAGEN Mercedes-Benz G Klasse Cabriolet

★ Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen

★ Marco Benz the great great grandson of Karl Benz photographed with a Mercedes G-class Cabrio along with Captain James Van Thach

★ Rheinmetall Defence - militarised G-wagen 'Wolf'

★ Twenty-five years of the 'G'