The arrival of the new Mercedes-Benz G-Class was celebrated at Al Serkal Avenue in Dubai this week. The event introduced to the region the legendary flagship model – taking a leap into a new era in terms of technology while staying true to its unrivalled legacy.
Haven undergone its greatest change in history, the new G-Class maintains its iconic design and remains a benchmark for originality, ruggedness and luxury – with regards to comfort and safety. Beneath its classic rugged exterior lies the latest cutting-edge technology, giving its drivers a much better performance than ever before.
The new model presents itself in top form – whether on or off the road and whatever the operating conditions, the off-road vehicle impresses with its performance, advanced assistance systems, outstanding handling and safety.
At the same time, the new suspension, the DYNAMIC SELECT driving modes including the “Desert” driving mode designed specifically for the G 500 in the Middle East, the “G-Mode”- an intelligent off-road control system – and the three 100 percent differential locks enhance not only ride comfort but also agility – on any surface.
Commenting on the launch, Lennart Mueller-Teut, Head of Marketing and Communications, Mercedes-Benz Cars Middle East, said: “The Middle East has eagerly awaited the launch of the latest G-Class. Being one of the first markets around the world to welcome this model, we believe our customers will be immensely satisfied with its new developments, especially innovations made specifically for the region – alongside its unparalleled performance, comfort and world-class safety systems. The G-Class remains an icon, only better and stronger – but at the same time stayed true to itself and kept its character”.
Reinterpreted for today
The luxury off-road vehicle from Mercedes-Benz has long been considered a design icon. In as much as the new G-Class is 53 mm longer and 121 mm wider than the previous model, its external appearance has not changed significantly since 1979. It follows the philosophy of Sensual Purity and at the same time remains true to the character of the original. Iconic elements continue to serve very specific purposes, now as then, and to give the G-Class its unique appearance. All these are still found in the new model: the distinctive door handle and the characteristic closing sound, the robust exterior protective strip, the exposed spare wheel on the rear door and the prominent indicator lights. Extraordinary features like these in concert with the off-roader’s angular lines define its special look – giving it an even greater presence, on the road as well as in terrain.
More than ever, the new G-Class appears to be cast from a single piece. All surfaces have a tauter design and have more tension, while the surface quality has been taken to an even higher level. This results in narrower, more precise gaps and more harmonious transitions. In addition, the wheel arches and bumpers form a more integral part of the body and thus look less like add-on features.
Interior: authentic icon
While the exterior maintains the iconic classic look, the interior of the G-Class has undergone a fundamental modern redesign. With its off-road character and top-class luxury appointments, the model has always combined two extremes into a harmonious symbiosis. Unmistakable at first glance and from the first touch, only high-quality materials are used. Every detail is finished by hand with the utmost care.
Getting in the G-Class reveals that numerous design features from the exterior have been transposed into the interior: the shape of the round headlamps, for instance, which is reflected in the side air vents and the design of the iconic indicators, found again in the shape of the loudspeakers. Hallmarks of the model include the grab handle in front of the front passenger and the chrome-highlighted switches for the three differential locks; both have been meticulously optimised and retained as characteristic features.
The very clearly arranged and completely redesigned instrument panel features timeless tube-look analogue round dials as standard – with two 12.3-inch displays blend visually into a Widescreen Cockpit beneath a shared glass cover. In other words, fans of classic round instruments will certainly not be disappointed in the new G‑Class. Drivers can choose between three different styles for the displays – “Classic”, “Sport” and “Progressive” – and also select relevant information and views according to their individual needs.
Off-road: the legend surpasses itself
The primary goal of development was to redefine the quality of the handling both on and off the road. This goal has been achieved: The new G-Class performs even better off-road, while on the road it is significantly more agile, dynamic and comfortable than its predecessor – thanks to its standard ladder-type frame, the three 100-percent differential locks and LOW RANGE off-road gear reduction.
The new suspension emerged from the collaboration between Mercedes-Benz GmbH and Mercedes-AMG GmbH. The result is an independent suspension with double-wishbone front axle in combination with a rigid rear axle. The new front axle is designed in such a robust way that the off-road performance and off-road capabilities of its predecessor are maintained and partly even surpassed.
On-road: agile, comfortable, superior
The specification for the G-Class not only included solidness and superiority in terrain, but also greater driving dynamics and comfort on paved roads. Thanks to the new front axle design, the on-road performance has therefore been enhanced at the same time. On the road, the “G” is as agile as it is comfortable and provides the driver with a better steering feel.
Using a digital prototype, the developers simulated the service life of individual components and closed systems to find out in which places it would be possible to make use of lighter raw materials. The diet worked, as the G-Class has shed around 170 kg. The recipe for success: a new mix of materials comprising strong, high-strength, ultra-high-strength steels and aluminium, as well as improved production processes at the Magna Steyr plant in Austria. The rigid body shell is now made of a variety of steel grades, while the wings, bonnet and doors are made of aluminium.
However, less mass in no way translates into less stability – on the contrary, it was possible to increase the torsional rigidity of the frame, body shell and body mounts by around 55 percent, from 6,537 to 10,162 Nm/deg.
The new “G-Mode” paves the way where there is none
One of the prerequisites for the improved off-road handling characteristics is the new “G-Mode”. The G-Class changes to “G-Mode” independently of the chosen driving mode as soon as one of the three differential locks has been activated or the LOW RANGE off-road reduction gear has been engaged. This off-road mode adapts the adjustable damping of the chassis and the steering as well as the accelerator characteristic, avoids unnecessary gear shifts and thus ensures optimum control and maximum off-road capability. Drivers are able to enjoy inch-perfect manoeuvring even in the steepest terrain and receive excellent feedback on the traction capacity of the surface.
New automatic transmission on board
For the transfer of power, the 9G TRONIC automatic transmission with torque converter was specifically adapted to meet the needs of the off-road icon. The developers have managed to reduce the shift and response times of the 9-speed transmission by means of a dedicated software application. The wide transmission ratio not only makes driving quieter and more comfortable especially at low engine speeds, it simultaneously also contributes to reducing fuel consumption.
The powerful Mercedes-AMG G 63
The new Mercedes-AMG G 63 underpins its unique position among performance off-road vehicles with the powerful drive system, the newly developed AMG RIDE CONTROL suspension, the AMG-specific transmission modes and new interior with optimal widescreen cockpit.
The AMG 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine now also replaces the previous 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine in the G 63. It generates 430 kW (585 hp) in this model and delivers a maximum torque of 850 Nm. This is available across a wide rev range between 2.500 and 3.500 rpm, providing a sense of effortless superiority. It absolves a sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds.
The eight-cylinder delivers its power with muscular torque in all engine speed ranges, combined with maximum efficiency for low fuel consumption and emission figures.
Unmistakable design features give the new AMG G 63 its unique appearance: the boxy silhouette, the proud bonnet, external door hinges, round headlamps, mounted direction indicators, robust door handles, muscular protective strips with inserts in high-gloss black with a silver AMG emblem, the exposed spare wheel on the rear door with a stainless-steel cover and three-dimensional Mercedes star.
The front section of the G 63 is characterised by the AMG-specific radiator grille and the AMG bumper with large side air inlets and trim in matt iridium silver. The headlamps, indicators and tail lights are in LED High Performance technology as standard.
With adaptive adjustable damping: AMG RIDE CONTROL suspension
The new G 63 performs even better when off-road, and on the road, it is more dynamic and comfortable than its predecessor. The agile driving impression is substantial due to the suspension system, which has been completely redesigned by Mercedes-AMG and features coil springs all-round. For the first time the front axle has an independent, double wishbone suspension; a rigid axle with a five-link suspension is used at the rear.
The AMG RIDE CONTROL suspension with adaptive adjustable damping is standard equipment. This fully automatic, electronically controlled system adjusts the damping at each wheel to the current requirements, improving driving safety and ride comfort.
Via a switch on the centre console, the driver can choose between three different sets of damping characteristics, namely “Comfort”, “Sport” and “Sport+”, and thus individually influence the driving experience from very comfortable to taut and sporty.
Characteristics at the touch of a finger: AMG DYNAMIC SELECT
For the first time in the history of the Mercedes-AMG G-Class, the driving characteristics can be individualised at the touch of a finger with five on-road and three off-road driving modes.
With the five DYNAMIC SELECT on-road modes “Slippery”, “Comfort”, “Sport”, “Sport+” and “Individual”, the characteristics range from efficient and comfortable to very sporty and “M” button to switch directly to manual mode.
Three off-road modes – “Sand”, “Trail” and “Rock” – are available when driving off the beaten track. These can then be selected with the DYNAMIC SELECT rocker switch. “Trail” allows maximum performance on soft, muddy or slippery surfaces. “Sand” modifies the parameters for sporty dynamics and the best possible grip and steerability on sandy stretches or desert sand dunes. “Rock” is the mode for extremely demanding, rocky terrain with severe axle articulation and frequent lifting of one or more wheels.
AMG Cylinder Management cylinder deactivation system
For more efficiency, Mercedes-AMG has equipped the V8 engine in the G 63 with the AMG Cylinder Management cylinder deactivation system. In the partial-load range, cylinders two, three, five and eight are deactivated, which significantly lowers fuel consumption.
The AMG main menu on the instrument cluster informs the driver whether the cylinder deactivation system is in use and whether the engine is operating in the partial or full-load range.
AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G transmission with shorter shift times
The AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G transmission is used in the G 63. This has a model-specific software application to achieve very short shift times. The multiple downshift function allows more spontaneous bursts of speed, while the double-declutching function in “Sport” and “Sport Plus” transmission modes make for an even more emotional driving experience. Defined engine manipulation makes for even faster gear changes.
“Manual” mode can be selected using a separate switch. The gear changes are based on the selected transmission mode, and the driver can now change gear using paddles on the steering wheel. Moreover, the transmission stays in the selected gear and does not automatically shift up when the engine speed reaches the limit.