What turns cumbersome into the wind like a castle, but is 215 km / h fast? A G-model. And what had the Bundeswehr the German Forces chosen as the successor to the flip VW Iltis? Also the G-model. You can easily underestimate this star-shaped tin box: it can do just about anything. Is not too bad for anything. And last forever. In fact, Mercedes planned a lot when in 1972 the traffic light for the project jumped to green. They wanted to construct the best off-road vehicles in the world, one that is better scrambled than a Jeep or Land Rover. And who drives on the road as safely as a normal car. A good car, of course. The result is 1979 G. Is there a more genius, a simpler name for a SUV than G?
The G quickly became a national hero. He was one whom one knew, was not afraid off. Except for his horrendous price. Mercedes has managed to date, not to water down. They have not subjected his true values to marketing dictates, have not softened them. Just a little polished, they have their G, combined with lifestyle. SUVs became fashionable, even with stars - they run parallel to the G, carry different names, serve other target groups. The G remained a niche. The original was allowed to live on, despite its small numbers. It still has giant steps behind, the G. Today, there are two separate model series: the W 461 and the W 463. Until August 1991 there was only the W 460, the original G.
This early G was an ascetic vehicle. Fun at work was not in the foreground for him, rather skill. But the name of the company that built the G-prehistoric from 1979: it was actually called Geländefahrzeuggesellschaft mbH. The company with the dust-dry name had founded Daimler-Benz and Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Graz, Austria. Their product dismissed the GFG as Mercedes-Benz and (rarely) as a puch on the markets. It was available as a "station car", of course, but (from 1980) also with a windowless hardtop, as a flatbed or plane-covered "open car". Creamy white, wheat yellow, colorado beige, carmine red and agave green had to suffice as colors and white but only for the Pope!
Three years later, Jacky Ickx, also with a white G, raced to victory in the wild Paris-Dakar Rally. The Pope and Ickx, that is a balancing act that you have to do first. Also typical is the fact that initially surveyors and foresters resorted to men who cranked on a hard two-spoke steering wheel, dispense with decadent extras such as a heated rear window, but could switch the drive by hand on the front axle. They sat on washable MB-Tex and paid extra for a power steering, at least in the four-cylinder models 230 G and 240 GD (with brave 72 hp!). Who ordered a 280 GE or 300 GD, got the servo from the factory, but spent so much money that Mercedes would have delivered for an S-class.
The Graz factory built the G with a high proportion of manual labor. Nothing has changed to this day. No wonder that the numbers remained manageable, usually there were only a few thousand a year. For the mass, the G was too professional, too expensive anyway. "Highly talented, but unsuccessful," commented How To Cars 1990th Until 1991, this first chapter of the G-story enough. Then it was over with the Spartan W 460 - but not with the G. Mercedes at ones had seen the chances: The new W 463 (from 1990) looked as always. And yet it was another car: all the wheels were now permanently driven, finally ABS could be integrated, a five-speed gearbox was standard. Leather, sunroof, soon also airbags and a V8 version (first 1993) offered the price lists. More genius than ever, the G plowed through the terrain, an electronic traction system and three switchable differentials help since then.
When all differentials are blocked the heavy box drifts through passages that hardly a pedestrian can handle. Nevertheless, purists were shaken in 1991. No globetrotter needs buried wood in the cockpit or an electrohydraulic soft top The salvation came in 1993 with the W 461 a reissue of the original version of the G, This was followed by the robust "worker" in 2003, now with the permanent four-wheel drive of the W 463, but better equipped for a day-to-day work - and, unfortunately, no longer intended for private customers - in three decades For many, the all-around win-win was the car-partner for life sounds so banal, but true: The G is the Mercedes under the SUV s.
In more than three decades, a lot has come together. Thus behind the G are four series: W 460, W 461, W 462 and W 463. In 1993 Mercedes renamed it and the G-Modell became the G-Class. The W 460 is the original model. It started in 1979 and was built until 1991. As 230 G, 280 GE, 240 GD and 300 GD began his career, the "station car" there was a long and short wheelbase, as an "open car" he came only in a short version - and with a tarpaulin. A real convertible top followed in 1985, then began production of the pick-up, the rarest G variant (built until 1996). Gradually, Mercedes makes the G a little longer-distance and luxurious. Thus the W 463 can score. In 1990 he came as a successor and is still built today. He has permanent four-wheel drive, plus a lot of modern technology - including electronics, which makes the new G more susceptible than its predecessors. For rough operations is therefore the W 461 (from 1993, with interruptions) - he is a craftsman, not a bon vivant. Similarly knitted is the W 462. This is the name of the build in license variant.
The G is great off road, also ideal as a hauling master. Mercedes has designed it to last a long time - with an indestructible frame, a body with little cavities and a technology that knows no secrets. So far so good. But now comes the but. There can still be rust especially on floor plates, under the windshield, on spring mounts, in the rear, on the tank. Mechanically, the W 460 is considered very robust, but there may be problems with the W 463. The electronics are always causing trouble. Since the Ur-G are the easier choice, but also the rougher. In addition, they do not yet have the safety standard of the later series, which scores with their permanent four-wheel drive and which are also available with ESP and ABS. Great caution is required in a hard past life: continuous use on construction sites or expeditions gnaw on the most robust technology.
There are hardly any worries about the spares . Almost everything a G needs to get away is in the Mercedes parts rack ready for home prices. But there are plenty of uses, and some engineering components are compatible with car or van components. Rare is used clothing for seats here the supply suffers from considerable gaps.
The offer is generally enough. But the demand for good G-models has never subsided, and so the off-road Mercedes has never gone through the deep price valley cult costs. Cheap offers are so rare, and even for used copies are usually called self-confident prices - in the hope that a layman in love does not recognize the shortcomings. Anyone looking for a rare G variant as a collector, a pick-up or the short, windowless hardtop version, for example, will have to bring along a lot of patience.
For lovers of robust, simple cars no way leads by the W 460 gradually they drive in the direction of H-plate that s special plates for Oldtimers, which is the topic (diesel) tax here in Germany from the table. The W 463 series offers more luxury and safety only permanent four-wheel drive is worth considering. They are younger and thus much more expensive. The petrol engines are considered problem-free, particularly well harmonizes the five-liter V8 with the G. drinking all gasoline about 20 liters and more on 100 km are no exception. The diesel can do better. But beware: The G 400 CDI suffers from vulnerable technology.
