Mercedes-Benz Previews New G-Class With Off-Road Specs

TopSpeed

By Jonathan Lopez

Published Jan 4, 2018

Hitting the 'ole dusty trail in style

Although a full reveal isn't expected to drop until later this month at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz is previewing the upcoming 2019 G-Class with a rundown on its off-road specs. The German automaker is also offering up a few shots of the camo'd luxury box bashing around in the rough stuff as visual proof of its prowess.

Continue reading to learn more about the new Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

The Full Story

We just got a look at the new G-Class' revamped interior last month,which assured us that yes – this thing is still very much a five-star luxury hotel on wheels. Now we're getting a few tidbits on the other side of the equation – that is, what it can do off the paved stuff.

“The primary goal of development was to make the new G-Class even more effective off-road,” Mercedes sates in the press release. Apparently, the automaker put the new G-Class to the test at a place called Schockl, which is a 1,445-meter (4,741-foot) mountain in Austria. Snaking its way towards the top of the mountain is a road about 5.6 km (roughly 3.5 miles) long, offering challenges like gradients up to 60 percent and lateral inclinations up to 40 percent. Here, Merc made sure the G-Class had the right stuff by clocking some 2,000 km (1,243 miles) along the difficult route.

To help it feel at home up there on the Austrian mountain, the G-Class keeps its ladder-frame construction, while in the corners you'll find double wishbones for the front mated directly to the ladder-frame, sans a subframe. In back is a rigid rear axle that utilizes a quartet of longitudinal control arms per side, plus a Panhard rod. AMG provided input on the suspension set-up, maximizing capability and ground clearance, while keeping it somewhat civil on flatter, more even surfaces.

Updates for the latest model year include an additional 6 mm (0.24 inches) of ground clearance between the axles, an additional 10 cm (3.9 inches) for the fording depth (up to 70 cm, or 27.6 inches, total), an extra 7 degrees for the driving stability angle (up to 35 degrees), one more degree for the approach angle (up to 31 degrees), and finally, one more degree for the breakover angle (up to 26 degrees).

On the traction front, the G-Class gets three differential locks, plus a Low-Range off-road ratio. Routing the power is a new nine-speed automatic transmission, which Mercedes says was adapted to suit the needs of an off-roader thanks to shorter, crisper shift tuning. Torque is split 40 percent to the front and 60 percent to the rear. 18-inch all-terrain tires are an available option.

There's also a new G-Mode that sets the mood with all the proper settings for off-roading. G-Mode is activated automatically when engaging the diff locks or Low Range Mode, and affects the steering, dampers, and throttle response.

A bird's eye 360-degree camera, reversing camera, and three additional cameras provide extra visibility when searching for the right line. The infotainment assists include data like height, gradient, steering angle, diff status, and even a compass for extra explorer style points.

Stay tuned to TopSpeed, as we'll be bringing you all the information on the new G-Class when it drops later this month in Detroit.