Wondering what that means? Read on.
When Mercedes-Benz announced a while ago that it would be replacing the G-Class with an all-new model, we were certain of a few things. Mostly, that it would recognise that it has to make its civilian buyers a greater priority (something Mercedes couldn’t have possibly imagined when the first G-Class launched in 1979), and that in doing so, would compromise all-terrain ability in the name of comfort, sophistication, and luxury.
In the last four decades, the G-Class’ customer has changed drastically. Where it used to be the reserve of army servicemen around the world, the modern G-Class customer is more likely to be a Russian oligarch or Arab sheikh rather than someone with stars on their shoulder and medals on their chest. There were concerns from G-Class fans around the world that the new model may swing too far in accommodating civilians that it’ll lose its rough-and-ready appeal that has, for the most part, kept it alive for nearly forty years.
Mercedes, in their latest release, recognises that concern and addresses it soothingly.
“Every G-Class has to conquer the Schöckl. Mercedes-Benz uses the 1,445 meter high local mountain near the Austrian city of Graz as a test track. The 5.6 km route includes gradients of up to 60 percent and lateral inclinations of up to 40 percent. During the development stage, a "G" has to endure over 2,000 strenuous kilometers on this very demanding course. The new G-Class masters the route with noticeably more control and comfort.” — Mercedes-Benz
The German manufacturer explains that a “primary goal” of the new G-Class’ development was to make it more effective off-road, retaining one of the critical, defining qualities of the G-Class. It’ll retain its body-on-frame construction (how’s that for a throwback), its three diff-locks, as well as its low-range automatic gearbox. Further underlining the G-Class’ all-terrain ability are things like the double-wishbone front suspension (mounted directly to the ladder-frame of the G, negating a suspension subframe), robust front-axle, ultra-rigid rear-axle with longitudinal control arms (four of them on either side, imagine), and truly impressive approach angles.
New to the G-Class is something called ‘G-Mode,’ which doesn’t turn you into a covert government agent. What it does instead is align all of the controllable, adjustable settings of the G-Class and set them up to offer the greatest amount of off-road ability and improve the controls to improve the ease with which the harshest terrain can be dealt with. Steering, damping, and accelerator dynamics get altered for better off-road usability, ensuring that “the driver does not have to frantically hold on to the steering wheel to manoeuvre effortlessly.”
The last tidbit that Mercedes has offered with the latest teaser comes in the shape of the G-Class’ transmission. Because it’s 2018 and it’s about bloody time, the G-Class will feature Mercedes-Benz’s 9G-Tronic automatic transmission, though its been revised for its application here. Shift times and response times have been reduced for the G, thanks to dedicated software, which balances comfort, efficiency, and usability deftly. Power will (obviously) go to all four corners in a maximum 60:40 split, ensuring that all-wheel drive grip and control will always be at the G-Class’ driver’s disposal.
What we know already is that the G will pack all of Merc’s latest tech on board, in the form of a 360º camera (aiding view of obstacles below the window line), a full-HD screen (or screens), dynamic guide lines to help off-roading (or even tight in-town manoeuvres), as well as a dedicated off-road screen that displays info like height, gradient, angle, compass, steering angle and activated diff-locks. And in case you’re serious about taking your G off-road, Mercedes will offer 18-inch all-terrain tyres, should you want them.
The new G-Class will debut on January 15th, so stay tuned to CarShowroom as we bring you more updates as they come.
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