You are an executive at one of the most storied and prestigious widget manufacturers in the world. You have a large and successful product portfolio, but one widget in particular stands out from the rest, both for its very specific skill set and for its inimitable profile. Nearly 40 years old, it has garnered a growing legion of devotees and inadvertently become a status symbol due to Mercedes’ steadfast refusal to modernize it. Despite its hefty price, sales continue to climb with its age, defying many of the generally accepted tenets of the widget business. How, exactly, do you ease your fully functional, cash-printing, totem widget into the 21st century without diluting its legacy? In a word, carefully. For an example of how to properly execute this process, look no further than the 2019 Mercedes-Benz G-class.
We’ve adored the G-wagen since its inception in 1979, and we’re happy to report that our recent trip down Austria’s famed Schöckl Mountain in the passenger seat of the 2019 G-class indicates its capabilities have survived the redesign intact. As for the exterior, well, just look at it. The changes are so subtle that it appears as if the hard corners were simply softened by the gentle breeze of time.
While it may look similar, the primary goals from the outset were to improve things you can’t readily see, primarily among them overall rigidity. Increased stiffness was accomplished by focusing on the construction of the body and the connections between the suspension, the drivetrain, and the all-new ladder frame. During the process, additional care was taken to create tighter body panel gaps and provide more stylish integration of the wheel arches and bumpers. The body shell is constructed with various grades of steel while the doors, hood, and fenders are aluminum. G-wagen faithful will notice two exterior similarities: The spare-tire cover and the door handles are the exact same parts found on the outgoing model. (The only other carryover part is the headlight washers.) Look closely, though, and you’ll see a—gasp!—curved-glass windshield. Rest assured, the remaining glass is as flat as a frozen lake.
The G-wagen is nominally larger too, measuring 2.1 inches longer and 2.5 inches wider than the outgoing model—but it’s also a reported 375 pounds leaner. Interior space has increased, with noticeable gains in front and rear legroom. Shoulder and elbow room are up slightly as well.
Interior aesthetics are evolutionary, blending the current Mercedes design ethos with traditional G-class touchstones such as the passenger grab handle and silver switches for the three differential locks. Traditional round instruments and a 12.3-inch navigation display are standard, although an optional wide-screen gauge display can be specified that features digital round instruments. Heated front and rear seats, leather, three-zone automatic climate control, a glass-panel sunroof (a first for the G-class), acoustic laminated side glass, and a Burmester audio system all make the standard-equipment list. The real victory in terms of the interior redesign is the arrival of dual cupholders front and rear, signaling the end of the line for the G-class’s quirky Nerf-basketball-net-like mesh front drink holder.
12:16 AM
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Mercedes-Benz car
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