1979 Mercedes-Benz G-Class 3 Doors 200 GE 4MT AWD (122 HP)

Vehicle Overview

There are not as many iconic cars as the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, a vehicle that redefined the off-road vehicle industry in the late ‘70s when the German automaker launched it on the market.

Usually, iconic vehicles have a unique history behind them, and so does the G-Class from Mercedes-Benz. The story says that the car was ordered by the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who needed a go-anywhere vehicle for the army. Since he was also a major stakeholder in Mercedes-Benz, he convinced the carmaker’s board to create one. The study started in 1972, and the German car manufacturer partnered with the Austrian company Steyr to produce it. Seven years later, the SUV was ready, and the automaker produced it with either a short or a long wheelbase. The short one was available in a three-door configuration, as a convertible, or as a panel van. Furthermore, the automaker could supply the W460 as a chassis cab. But the one element that made it so unforgettable was the vehicle’s squared shape. It was a true form-follow-function vehicle that lasted.

At the front, the automaker’s design team considered that an off-road vehicle needed to have short overhangs. That led to a flat front fascia, where the black grille was flanked by upper-mounted round headlights. Above them, the automaker installed the turn signals and parking lights on top of the fenders, flanking the V-shaped hood.

From its profile, the flat panels of the vehicle sported a longitudinal trim, which was interrupted only by the grab-type door handles. To create an even sturdier look, the automaker left the doors’ hinges exposed. Nevertheless, this solution was also cheaper to manufacture, and the vehicle was already very expensive then. Behind the door, the automaker installed wide windows or a retractable canvas roof for the civilian version. The utilitarian version was fitted with metallic panels. Finally, at the back, the G-Class short featured a side-hinged door where the car manufacturer placed the spare wheel.

Inside, the utilitarian look of the vehicle was unmistakable. The fabric upholstery and the scarce design left no doubt that it was a car designed to do a job, not to transport its occupants comfortably. But still, Mercedes-Benz tried to provide its customers with some comfort amenities. As a result, the driver fronted a small instrument cluster that was filled by three dials. The one on the left was for the speedometer, the one in the middle for the rev counter, and the one on the right housed the coolant temperature and the fuel level gauges. On the center stack, the automaker placed a stereo, an ashtray, and the controls for the heating system. While the front occupants sat in comfort, those in the back had limited legroom.

But the real marvel was under the car’s skin. Mercedes-Benz installed a choice of four engines that were already in production for other models. There were two gasoline and two turbo diesel versions. All were paired with a four or a five-speed manual or with an automatic gearbox. Both axles were fitted with locking differentials, which the driver could control from inside the vehicle via two levers that could lock them.