The 500,000th Mercedes G-Class has rolled out of the gates of the Graz, Austria plant. This unit is a one-off Mercedes G 500 with retro elements from the 280 GE from 1986.
Mercedes found a unique way to celebrate the production of the 500,000th Mercedes G-Class. It has produced a one-off Mercedes G 500 model using design elements from the 1986 280 GE.
Thus, this model is painted in agave green, one of the first colors available for the G-Class; the turn signals are the same from 1979 onwards but have an orange-tinted color typical of the 1970s, and the historic spare wheel cover has the Mercedes logo from decades ago and is larger than the current one.
Also, the interior of this anniversary G-Class model is inspired by the 280 GE, having checkered upholstery for the center seating area, while the passenger side grab handle has the No 500,000 engraved in agave green.
In contrast, the Schockl door sill trim is now available in the G Manufaktur personalization range, and the door release button with the Mercedes logo embossed on it is black, while on the current model, it is silver.
Developed initially as a militay vehicle
The G-Class was originally developed as a military vehicle at the suggestion of Iran’s Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, a major shareholder at the time. Its design began in 1972 following an agreement signed by Daimler-Benz and Steyr Daimler Puch of Graz, Austria.
Launched in the spring of 1979, the first civilian generation Mercedes G-Class, codenamed W460 (1979-1991), was initially available with four engines ranging from 53 to 150 hp (two types of diesel 240 GD with 72 PS/71 HP and 300 GD with 88 PS/87 HP and two petrol engines 230 G with 91 PS/90 HP and 280 GE with 150 PS/148 HP) combined with three body types: short- and long-wheelbase station wagon and short-wheelbase cabriolet.
W460 has two successors: W461 for military use and W463 for civilian use
Mercedes then decided to separate the versions offered for military and civilian use. As a result, production of the W460 ended in 1991 and was replaced by the W461 utility version.
The W461 used the W460’s drivetrain and body but the engines of the W463. There were also civilian versions of the W461 built-in limited series called PUR or Professional. And in 2022, the military version was replaced by the new generation W464.
In 1990, Mercedes launched the successor to the civilian version of the W460, called W463, which marked the transition from a utility model to a luxury model that competed with the Range Rover of the time. It was produced until 2018, when the current generation came out.
The current generation was launched in January 2018 at the Detroit auto show and kept the W463 codename. The current generation’s motto is “Stronger than time.” A special “Stronger than time” series was launched for the G 400 d, G 500, and AMG G 63 models to celebrate the 40th anniversary in 2019.
On 5 September at the Munich Mobility Show, Mercedes presented the EQG concept of the future electric Mercedes G-Class. With four electric motors, the Mercedes EQG will be launched in 2024 and will be the world’s first electric car to have an optional solid-state battery with much higher energy density than current batteries.
The Mercedes G-Class has had many special models, but three of them are truly spectacular:
– Mercedes-Maybach G 650 Landaulet (2017) with the V12 engine from the G 65.
– Mercedes G 65 AMG with V12 engine (2012-2018)
– Mercedes G 63 AMG 6×6 (2013-2015), a 6×6 pick-up derived from a model developed in 2007 for the Australian Army.
