Mercedes Benz G-Class to get Rs. 1 crore cheaper to buy: Here’s why

The Mercedes Benz G-Class, or G-Wagen as it’s popularly called, is an iconic off road SUV and it’s about to get a full crore cheaper. No, Mercedes Benz isn’t planning to build or assemble this legendary off-roader in India. What they’ll instead do is bring the entry-level 350d, turbo diesel engined model to India as a completely built unit. This is expected to make the Mercedes Benz G63 AMG cheaper by about a crore. Currently, the Mercedes Benz G-Class G63 AMG is priced at Rs. 2.19 crores, ex-showroom India. On road, the price of this SUV hits 2.52 crores, making it the priciest off roader that money can buy in India.

The G-Class 350d version of the SUV will use a 3 liter, V6 turbocharged diesel engine that puts out 282 Bhp of peak power and a whopping 600 Nm of peak torque. The SUV will accelerate from standstill to 100 Kmph in just 7.2 seconds but the brick-like aerodynamics and sheer height of the G-Wagen means that its top speed will be electronically limited to 199 Kmph. The engine will be Bharat Stage 6 emission norms compliant right from the word go. It’ll be paired to a 9 speed torque converter gearbox that Mercedes Benz calls 9G-Tronic, and this gearbox will drive all four wheels of the SUV in a full time 4WD mode.

On the inside, the Mercedes Benz G-Class 350d will be luxuriously appointed, with leather and wood dominating the interiors. As a differentiating factor, the interiors of the 350d trim be a touch below the G63 AMG in terms of overall luxury. With the 350d trim for the G-Class, Mercedes Benz will be hoping to sell more of the SUV, blunting the edge that Land Rover currently has in the super luxury SUV segment with the Range Rover Sport and Vogue models. The butch lines of the G-Class has its fair share of fans in India, and the practical, everyday diesel engine and lower price tag is expected to make the SUV a lot more appealing to buyers.

Originally built for the Shah of Iran as a military vehicle, Mercedes Benz got Magna Steyr (formerly Steyr-Daimler Puch) in Austria to contract manufacture this legendary vehicle. Over the years, the G-Wagen has gone through multiple generations and the 3rd generation model was launched in India last year, in top-of-the-line G63 AMG trim. The off-roader’s G63 AMG trim uses a 4 liter, V8 turbocharged petrol engine with 577 Bhp of peak power and 760 Nm of peak torque. This motor uses the same 9 speed automatic gearbox that’s on offer with the diesel engine. A permanent four wheel drive system is standard.

Weighing over 2.5 tons, the massive Mercedes Benz G63 AMG will hurtle towards the horizon at a very, very quick pace, dispatching the 0-100 Kmph sprint in just 4.5 seconds. Top-speed, again due to the brick-like aerodynamics, is electronically limited to 220 Kmph. While it can do scarily fast speeds, the G-Class is best enjoyed at sane speeds close to 100 Kmph, and also off the road rather than on it.

Via Overdrive