Legendary G-Class wins stay of execution

Mercedes-Benz has announced it will continue to produce its "classic" G-wagen off-roader. It is a move that could result in a limited number of original G-Class models being imported into Australia for enthusiasts of the legendary vehicle, the company's Australian operation claims.

Australia was expected to be a target market for the new US-built (and M-Class based) G-Class once launched in 2006. The latest announcement could theoretically see the two generations of Gs on sale Down Under alongside each other.

Austrian company Magna Steyr has manufactured over 185,000 units of the oringinal G-Class in Graz, Austria since 1979. The car continues to be very popular among customers, and it has been part of Mercedes' European product lineup for the past 26 years. That said, the current version of the car has not been offered Down Under for more than two decades.

"Whilst the legendary G-Class is currently not available in Australia, the decision to continue with this model could help our plans to import a limited-edition run of G 55 AMG models next year," said Horst von Sanden, managing director of the Mercedes Car Group in Australia this week.

The Mercedes-Benz E Class 4MATIC, which Magna Steyr in Graz has also been building since 1996, will be manufactured instead at the DaimlerChrysler plant in Sindelfingen from early 2007.

"By continuing to produce the G-Class in Graz and manufacturing all E-Class variants at our main plant in Sindelfingen from 2007, we have found a viable solution for both partners," explained Dr Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler Board of Management member and head of the Mercedes Car Group.

"We are delighted that we can continue our successful and long-standing cooperation with Magna Steyr."

A peer of the original Range Rover, the original G-Class has a hard-won reputation for off-road ability. Mercedes says the most recent versions are equipped with the company's state-of-the-art drive and safety systems, combining permanent all-wheel drive with the 4ETS electronic traction system and three differential locks.

"Mercedes-Benz wrote automotive history by always ensuring that the G-Class remained state-of-the-art over the past 26 years, and it will continue to offer its customers the very latest technology in the future," says Zetsche.