Mercedes-Benz G-Class given race car treatment in the name of charity
From a 4x4 to a Popemobile, the G-Class has had many incarnations over the years but has never been given the race car treatment until now.A collaboration between Mercedes-Benz and Virgil Abloh, Chief Creative Director and Founder of Off-White and Men’s Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton, has been unveiled. It's a G-Class with a little more attitude, all for a good cause.
Project Geländewagen (the OG name of the vehicle before it became G-Class) sees the Louis Vuitton designer working alongside Mercedes-Benz Chief Design Officer Gorden Wagener to transform the SUV into a modern race car but still capturing the essence of the original car.
In support of the arts at this critical time, a 1:3 scale replica of the design piece will be auctioned off as part of Sotheby’s Contemporary Curated, with all proceeds going to a charity that supports international creative communities.
The exterior design of the vehicle is kept quite minimal to emphasise the G-Class’s iconic boxy silhouette and character while the paintwork was partially sanded by hand to give a more raw look. The welds are featured as key design elements while the indicators, outside mirrors and bumper bar, have all been removed. The body of the car has been widened and lowered to give it a sportier look. The highlight of the race car G-Class however, has got to be the exaggeration of the tyres and spare wheel.
Inside the art car, the racing inspiration becomes clear as all the traditional SUV luxuries are replaced by the minimalism of a stripped back racing setup. The dashboard is removed and replaced with a clean, simplified version with an analogue speedometer and fuel gauge. This contrasts with the steering wheel and seats, which are more like a Formula 1 car than a luxury SUV. Safety features and key racing elements, such as the safety frame and 5 point seat belts are coloured in baby blue and bright red.
Project Geländewagen truly sees the worlds of fashion, art and automotive united as one.
"With Project Geländewagen we create a unique artwork that showcases future interpretations of luxury and the desire for beauty and the extraordinary. The result is something between reality and future", says Gorden Wagener, Mercedes-Benz Chief Design Officer. "The collaboration with Virgil has seen two distinct design philosophies unite, for a one-of-a-kind re-imagination of the G that continues to celebrate the extraordinary at its core."
The 1:3 scale model of Project Geländewagen which goes up for charity auction on October 2 is only 190 cm long, 95 cm tall and 79 cm wide but is estimated to sell for between $83,000 and $110,000. You can purchase a non-art version of the G-Wagon on carsales from around $79,990.
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