Mercedes Refreshes G-Class. Again.
For the last thirty years, Mercedes has manufactured the car we Americans know as the "G-Class" or "the Mercedes that looks like a brick shit house." The Geländewagen was originally built in the year the Shah of Iran skipped town (1979). Since then, Mercedes' truck has been regularly upgraded– provided you think giving an army truck a sedan interior represents an improvement. Someone does; the brand sells a fair number of these mucho macho SUVs into the U.S. luxury market. With this go-round, the G gets a new grille (to keep it consistent with the rest of the lineup) and a major engine upgrade. Out goes the G500's 290 horsepower V8. In comes Benz's ubiquitous 5.5-liter 388hp V8. Rappers and other off-road enthusiasts can also order some new toys, like a reverse camera and a Harmon Kardon stereo (perfect for soothing lions, gangstas and other savage beasts). Although some pundits had predicted that the urbane-in-comparison seven-seat Mercedes GL would replace the G-Wagon, the $90k+ style statement lives on. And yes, there is an AMG version.
Immensely bored law student. I've also got 3 dogs.
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210delray : The flat glass is supposedly there in case the glass gets blown out when an IED goes off next to you, you can take panes of glass from a house and put it in the doors. Then again, my friend's father, who has a G500, might have been making it up. It's strangely comfortable for being such a dated platform, and for the few who dare to do so, capable off-road.
I really like the G, especially the strippers and the AMG, it's just completely mad and irrational to have an AMG version of this thing it's absolutely great. The Finnish military also uses these. This thing is almost as cool as the even more ancient Land Rover Defender, though it's almost too easy to drive as it goes up pretty damn steep hills idling without the driver touching the trottle.
Don't like no city 4x4 Don't like no momma's cayenne Don't like no SUV Don't like no trucks in the city Don't like no SAV I don't know what it is but I like the G. I like it a lot.
TexasAg03, I stand corrected. For some reason, I thought that the Ram Power Wagon was no longer offered. Lockers are to 4x4's as turbochargers are to performance 4-bangers. I can't imagine why more models are not offered with them. I'm looking at you Xterra and F-series...