Since it was first introduced in 1979, despite being on the road for nearly 40 years, it’s never once received a complete redesign. Until now. Meet the brand new 2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Class one of the most expensive, most capable and most distinctive SUVs in the world.
The most obvious link the all-new G-Class shares with its forebear is styling. Although the new SUV is 2.1 inches longer and 4.8 inches wider, it retains its brawny Arnold Schwarzenegger look. For 2019, the G-Class retains ladder-frame construction and a solid rear axle, but for the first time, it’s getting independent front suspension. Double-wishbones bolted directly to the frame, to be precise. The G-Class should also benefit from a 375-pound weight reduction thanks to the new incorporation of several grades of steel into the body shell, as well as new aluminum fenders, hood and doors.
Powering the new G-Class is Mercedes-Benz’s carryover twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine pumping out 416 horsepower and 450 pounds-feet of torque in a model designated the G550.
And while the 2019 iteration keeps its instantly familiar right angles, the interior is a vast improvement, providing the cushiness and advanced technology buyers have come to expect from a six figure Mercedes-Benz. While an analog gauge display is standard, optional is a full widescreen digital dash. Two 12.3-inch displays stacked side by side bring a new widescreen-cockpit look to the G-Wagen, just like the ones seen in the S-Class and E-Class sedans.
The new G550 will appear in showrooms in the U.S. in late 2018, according to Mercedes-Benz. We also don’t know what the AMG version will be like, but probably faster, more powerful and more expensive.