Canning gets professional

As well as the chance to put the longest-serving and toughest Benz passenger vehicle through its paces on the world's longest stock route, the Mercedes-Benz Canning Stock Route drive is also providing a stern test of two of the 'close to military spec' commercial versions of the G-Wagen.

M-B Australia has a G-Professional wagon and single cab ute currently undergoing local evaluation, and in addition to showcasing them to potential buyers including miners and farmers, is using them as support vehicles on the Canning trip.

So far, the G-Professional wagon leading the convoy has proved almost unbreakable, whilst the big Professional ute which runs at the rear, loaded high with about one tonne of gear, is proving just as dependable.

The back-to-basics G-Professional vehicles are pretty close to the specification of the 1100 G-Class vehicles ordered recently by the Australian army, which are also built on the heavier-duty BR461 chassis.

The Professional versions use a lower-tune version of the more luxurious G350's turbodiesel V6, producing 140kW/400Nm, mated to a five-speed rather than the seven-speed auto in the 'civvy' version.

The G-Professionals use the same full-time 4x4 system as the 463-series G350s running the Canning Route, including low-range transfer case and triple differential locks. But with their basic equipment and stripped-out cabins, they're more like the original G-Wagen of 1979.

The Aussie Professional wagon is fitted with 16-inch, black-painted alloys and BF Goodrich all-terrain tyres, and has a switchable 12/24-volt electrical system (with three batteries) for powering heavy-duty accessories.

It also comes with heavy-duty shock absorbers, which have so far withstood the Canning's damper-destroying corrugations. It also has barn-style rear doors with a separate swing gate for the spare tyre.

Safety is not a high priority, with just one driver's airbag, and no ABS or stability control, which would be an issue if sold in Victoria as ESC is mandatory on all new vehicles.

Externally, it's differentiated by black rubber wheelarch flares and a black grille instead of chrome, while inside there are four seats trimmed in black vinyl, and manual wind-down windows.

The Professional wagon is also kitted-out with various off-road accessories including a full-length roof rack, air-intake snorkel, Warn electric winch, bull-bar, and walk-on bonnet.

The Professional vehicles also come with an extensive tool kit located under the front passenger seat, which trip mechanic, Luke Pascoe said has enough tools to "nearly pull one apart with".

I had the chance to take the single-cab/chassis ute for a spin over a few dunes, and it's a pretty efficient and refined workhorse, with a fairly quiet cabin, little roll in corners and good absorption of bumps.

The five-speed auto worked a treat through tight, sandy corners, particularly in low range, and with the centre diff locked it easily cleared medium-sized dunes despite the extra bulk.  

With its two tonne payload the Professional ute would also outgun the Defender 130 single-cab, the current payload king in Australia.

The G-Professional wagon is being co-driven on the Canning Route by tour leader Geoff Becker, who couldn't fault it.

"It's amazing, it just walks up the hills," he said. "It's perfect for out here. They'll sell a heap of those".

Unlikely to hit the Australian market for at least 18 months, the G-Professional is expected to be priced around $90,000 for the ute and $100,000 for the wagon... or $60 grand less than the leather-lined G350.

After seeing them in action, it's fair to say the G-Professional ute would make a top mining or farm ute. While the wagon, with its bush-ready set-up, would be perfect for hardcore off-roading, just as it has been on the Canning so far...

Tracking the Canning Stock Route: