2016 Mercedes-Benz G-Class Professional 350 d 7AT (245 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Mercedes-Benz went back to the roots of the G-Class in 2016 when it introduced the Professional version of its well-known SUV, which was made for those who needed a trustworthy, rugged, off-road vehicle.

When the German automaker created the original 1979 G-Class, it built it as a utility or army vehicle. Along the road, the vehicle became a toy for those with deep pockets and became a very expensive car. Some of its versions were even more expensive than the brand’s flagship, the S-Class. But the automaker didn’t forget where it all began when it developed the 2016 G-Class Professional. Even though it was no longer based on the W461 chassis, which was used for military and utilitarian range on the W463 one used by luxurious or go-fast G 65 AMG, it was built to overcome any obstacle mother nature would throw at it. While it was still expensive, its high price was for the technology that made the car reliable enough to circumnavigate the Globe ten times in a row without tearing a sweat, just with regular maintenance.

It had no chromed details nor shiny trims on its front. Just a black three-pointed star badge and the same-color three-slat grille. Its round headlights were underlined by LED daytime running lights due to regulations, not because it needed them, and customers could opt for metallic grilles to protect them. The front plastic bumper could be replaced with a steel one specifically designed to host a winch behind it.

From its profile, the G-Class Professional started to reveal its true intentions. It featured truck-like tall door mirrors without any turn signals. Even the metallic side steps were optional and had their aluminum frame exposed to give customers more trust in them. The black moldings around the wheel arches were from unpainted plastic, so they could be cheap and easy to replace if torn apart by some boulders or other obstacles. Its five-spoke, 16-inch alloy wheels were wrapped in all-terrain tires, and customers could easily replace them with MT ones. Finally, at the back, the car featured a unique bumper that sported a red fog lamp and a clear reversing one. The automaker offered a wide variety of options for the car’s exterior, such as a roof rack with a ladder placed next to the side-hinged rear door.

The interior lacked most of the features commonly used in a 2016 vehicle. There were cranked windows for all four doors. Furthermore, the SUV came fitted with manually adjustable seats and cloth upholstery. Furthermore, there was no touchscreen atop the center stack for an infotainment system; there was just an oval badge with the word “Professional” on it. At least the automaker considered adding an air-conditioning system with big round turning knobs. On the center console, Mercedes-Benz installed the lever for the automatic transmission, while fronting the driver was a binocular-styled instrument cluster sporting the same dials as the GLE-Class.

Under the hood, the 2016 W463 G-Class Professional featured a 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine carried over from the carmaker’s parts bin. Mercedes-Benz paired it with a seven-speed automatic transmission. Like the rest of the G-Class range, the SUV came fitted with a two-speed transfer box and three manually locking differentials. Unlike the rest of the range, the G-Class Professional featured stiffer springs and dampers, allowing it to carry heavier items on board or on its roof rack.