Mercedes-Benz G 55 AMG 2011 Review

Mercedes-Benz G 350 BlueTEC / G 55 AMG

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It was a fitting question. Development work on the G-Class began in 1972 -- the 'G' stands for 'Gelanderwagen' (cross-country vehicle) -- and it has been in continuous production since 1979 at the Steyr-Puch factory at Graz.

But it's a design that has not been entirely locked in aspic during the 32 years since its inception. There have been facelifts and updates along the way, although the latest version now on sale in Australia is clothed in body panels that are mostly interchangeable with the first long-wheelbase models ushered out the factory doors in 1979.

The mechanicals have been kept up to date though, and no better example of that is the 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 powering the G 350 BlueTEC -- a modern, efficient engine that won't be left behind at the lights, unlike the five-cylinder diesel that powered the 300GD sold in Australia until it was discontinued in 1989.

A short-wheelbase model, the petrol-engined 230GE, was sold alongside the 300GD, but in 2011 the only variants available for Aussie consumers are built on the long-wheelbase five-door wagon chassis.

In the 1980s the G-Class wasn't a stellar success in the market, principally due to an $80,000-plus asking price -- when Range Rovers were selling for around $50,000 -- and buyers were also shocked by the introduction of the Luxury Car Tax around the same time.

The G-Class has returned to Australia in the flow-on from Benz winning the contract to supply the 461 series military-spec G-Class to the Australian Army, replacing the even more venerable 'Project Perentie' Land Rovers. Like the Rovers, the G-Wagen will be supplied to the army in both 4x4 and 6x6 configurations. Benz is tossing up whether to offer the 6x6 models to corporate clients in Australia and has apparently been encouraged by the interest from the mining industry.

But for the moment, buyers other than the army are limited to the 463 Series civilian, G 350 BlueTEC and G 55 AMG -- both 4x4 models.

But people moaning about the cost are obviously not among the target buyers and should be reminded that the G-Class is not built in a fully-automated factory the way other Benz models are. Only about 5000 units are built in the Steyr-Puch factory each year, with the economies of scale that suggests.

So no, it's not cheap, but Benz wouldn't have brought it in if its marketing experts didn't think they could find buyers for it. For example, the importer believes the V8-engined G-Wagen will sell in strong numbers to buyers who already own AMG models.

These buyers will be purchasing a package with all the standard features fitted to the G 350 BlueTEC, plus the following: AMG instrument cluster, front-seat ventilation, TV tuner, Designo interior trim, AMG badging, 19-inch alloy wheels, steel sunroof and privacy glass.
 
As the entry-level grade, the G 350 BlueTEC still packs a formidable equipment list, with the following features fitted as standard: cruise control, Comand APS multimedia infotainment, Harman Kardon audio, electrically adjustable front seats with position memory, front-seat heating, leather-bound multifunction steering wheel, electric windows/ mirrors with heating for mirrors, climate control, leather upholstery, 18-inch alloy wheels, auto headlights, reverse parking sensors/acoustic guidance and reversing camera.

To find a specification that makes a virtue of anachronism in a vehicle other than the G-Class, you'd have to pay a visit to the local Land Rover dealer and check out the Defender -- a vehicle that was upgraded to the 110-inch wheelbase around the time the G-Class first saw the light of day.

Like the Defender, with its Ford Transit diesel and six-speed transmission, the G-Class has seen the occasional change for the better over the years.

The turbodiesel V6 already mentioned is Euro 5-compliant (as is the G 55's V8) and features AdBlue exhaust treatment that breaks down 80 per cent of nitrogen oxides, converting them to water and nitrogen.

The V6’s power peaks at 155kW and torque tops out at 540Nm while fuel consumption is rated at 11.2L/100km in combined-cycle testing. On the same test cycle the G 350 emits 295g/km of CO2.

Unlike the original G-Class, the new models drive through a permanent 4WD system, with the turbodiesel V6 running a seven-speed automatic transmission.

For reasons of durability, the G 55's 5.5-litre supercharged V8 is coupled to a five-speed automatic transmission. With power reaching 373kW and torque hitting 700Nm the V8 has what it takes to chew up and spit out lesser transmissions. Driven more sedately, it will achieve a fuel consumption figure of 15.9L/100km and emit 372g/km of CO2.

The permanent 4WD system for both G-Class variants offers three differential locks and dual-range transfer. Once the low range transfer has been selected, all dynamic driving parameters are automatically remapped to suit offroad work.

The diff locks are operable by switches on the centre fascia. A yellow light below each switch illuminates when the respective diff lock is selected by the driver, but the red light above the switch -- indicating the diff lock is actually in operation -- won't light up until the system registers wheelspin and a slipping diff. At that point the diff lock does its thing and the G-Class proceeds on its way with no wheelspin, unless the conditions are so 'intractable' that both wheels are spinning. That's when the driver selects one or both the other diff locks also.

The G 350’s 18-inch alloys are shod with 265/60 R18 tyres and the G 55 rides on 19-inch alloys and 275/55 R19 tyres.

The driving position provides a commanding view and the driver can clearly see the front corners of the vehicle -- and especially the dalek-like indicator clusters mounted on top of the front quarter panels. The field of vision is very good all around, with low window sills doing their bit, but the heavyset D pillars flanking the tailgate are unprecedented in vehicle design since about 1985.

Ergonomically the G-Wagen suffers by virtue of the offroaders's vintage design. The windscreen is close to vertical, contributing to wind noise and the dash is an upright, narrow affair with typical Benz instrumentation in a vertical stack in the centre fascia.

The net result of all this is in the satnav screen, which is set quite low for ease of viewing, and the HVAC controls are located even lower still.

Headroom, even with a sunroof fitted, is excellent in the front and the rear. Rear-seat kneeroom is good and the limited legroom is at least offset by the upright seating and the adequate toeroom under the front seats. Seats were flat but comfortable; reasonably supportive without being aggressively contoured.

Our co-driver for the launch of the G-Class was amused by -- and dismissive of -- the fold-out 'basketball hoop'-style cupholders. A string net around the hinged ring holds any cup in place. It folds out of the way when not in use and it places the cup near the driver's left leg, but it looks like what it is -- a bandaid solution to provide a 1990s accoutrement for an expensive vehicle developed 20 years earlier.

The G 350 BlueTEC driven was beset with rattles from the rear during the drive program, even on bitumen road surfaces, due to the extended rear-seat headrests among other fixtures. Doors needed to be slammed shut for a secure seal and the door handles feature a button to be pushed for the doors to unlatch.

The manufacturer has equipped the G-Class models sold here with the kind of equipment normally judged to be pre-requisites for a high NCAP rating. These include four airbags (front and side curtain), ABS, Brake Assist, stability control, 4ETS traction system and active headrests. Whether they collectively could keep G-Class owners and their families as safe as the larger Benz GL would, for instance, seems unlikely on the face of it.

From an active safety perspective, the G-Class is more capable than one might expect and makes up lost ground by offering practically foolproof stability control. The electronic safety nannies in the G-Wagen worked well, and without being conspicuously obvious.

Land Rover's Range Rover Sport with its supercharged V8 delivers G 55 levels of power, but the torque isn't in quite the same league... neither is the price.

Other than the Porsches and the Land Rovers, the best argument against the G-Class comes from the Benz stable itself. The company's large GL 350 CDI is much cheaper and buyers won't need to make concessions for 30-year old design.

The downside for the rigid-axle offroader is its on-road dynamics. Axle steer can be a problem, necessitating heavy springs and anti-roll bars to nail the suspension down. This can then compromise wheel articulation. It's always a balancing act -- literally, in the context of a serious offroader.

In the case of the G-Class, Benz has tied down the suspension pretty tightly to overcome body roll and negative traits such as dive under brakes. The unfortunate outcome is a ride that is quite jittery at open-road speeds on typical country roads.

Even with the suspension as firm and controlled as it is, the penalty of a live front axle on the road can't be entirely eradicated. And combining that suspension set-up with recirculating ball steering results in slower steering response. There's a point beyond the initial steering input when the front tyres seem to bite and the vehicle begins to commit. Until then, the G-Wagen feels dozy.

In corners and under brakes -- particularly the G 350 BlueTEC -- mass left a lasting impression. With its stronger brakes, the G 55 AMG felt more capable.

Despite the live axles front and rear, the G-Class didn't transmit much in the way of road noise, even on Tasmania's typical country roads. Wind noise and some drivetrain noise were more prevalent at open-road speeds.

Generally a good engine and reasonably refined in nature, the diesel V6 in the G 350 BlueTEC exhibited occasional turbo lag. The seven-speed automatic transmission coupled to the V6 was smooth and responsive, with a sequential-shift facility to pick and choose the appropriate gear for the job at hand.

The explosive V8 of the G 55 emitted an aggressive note under load but the vehicle was not a true showcase for the engine's ability. Performance suffered due to the vehicle's weight, belying the no-nonsense attitude the formidable side exhausts projected.

Fuel consumption for the V8 was 19.9L/100km, according to the trip computer -- a clear-cut case of being flogged fairly hard in a mix of open-road and offroad driving. In some respects the combination of V8 and five-speed automatic was not quite as adept as the turbodiesel V6 and the seven-speed auto together. It just felt at times like the engine's torque was making up for the ultimate lack of ratios.

In low range, the sequential-shift provided immediate selection of a lower or higher ratio when 'walking' down a grade or scrabbling for traction in slippery conditions. Unusually for a Benz, the G-Class uses offroading systems that aren't so technically sophisticated. Instead of offering a true Hill Descent Control system, the G-Class relies entirely on compression braking in the low range with first gear selected. The downhill speed can be adjusted to suit different terrain by shifting up or down using the sequential transmission shift facility.

Offroad, the G-Class really impressed with its ability to traverse steep, deeply rutted grades and even reverse back up such tracks with the three diffs locked. At no stage did the G-Class grate or grind underneath, pointing to the vehicle's excellent approach (36 degrees), departure (27 degrees) and breakover angles, plus the 210mm ground clearance. According to Benz, the G-Class will ford streams of 600mm depth.

In the PACKAGING section above, mention was made of the relatively small footprint of the G-Class. In tighter turns on smaller tracks, it was quite manoeuvrable, despite its 13.6m turning circle.

So we're confident the G-Class can get itself out of some tight spots in the bush, but we're less sure about the tight spot in the market the G-Class will address. Benz has locked the new offroader into quite a small market niche -- no more than perhaps 200 units a year. Even that might be a bit of a stretch, because excellent drivetrains notwithstanding, the Australian-delivered G-Class faces the same challenges now that it did back in the 1980s -- pricing and broader appeal.

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