Since the time Mercedes has announced the Mini G Wagen, we can’t wait to see the new model in flesh. I remember when I saw the first Mercedes G Wagen in flesh in Mumbai, I was stunned to see the sheer road presence of this dinosaurish SUV. I was also stunned with its asking price, which stands at 1.25 crore!
So clearly, when Mercedes decided to update the SUV’s design in a very modern way, you have to hold your breath until you see the final outcome.
However the final outcome is still a good three or four years away. Here we have yet another rendering of the GLG Class from AutoBild.de.
What do we know about the Mercedes GLG Class?
- It is codenamed X156 and lovingly called ‘mini-G’
- The model will be called GLG Class if and when it reaches production.
- It will be a very niche offering with a boxy design influenced by the G Class.
- It is designed to look like an off-roader but it can at most handle muddy potholed road.
- The car is given a box shape which should provide a spacious cabin and an exceptionally good look in the segment that it is in. Nevertheless, you can experience better aerodynamics than the barn-door G-series.
- It will have a more upright roofline and boxy design reminiscent of the old Gelandewagen but in a very modern way.
- It will have a tailgate mounted spare wheel, boxy taillights integrated in the rear bumper, front wing-top indicators, round headlamps and full-length rubbing strips.
- It will have a wide track and will be based on an extended wheelbase of the MFA platform. This means it is predominately a front-wheel-drive car.
- A dedicated off-road version with Mercedes’s 4Matic technology with an off-road package, hill descent control, dedicated 4×4-driving program, skid plates and a compass is also in the making.
- Under the hood, one can expect a 1.6-litre petrol with 122bhp, or a 2.0-litre petrol with either 156bhp or 211bhp. There will also be four diesel engines including a 1.8-litre diesel with 109bhp and a 2.1-litre in differing states of tune making 136bhp, 170bhp, and 204bhp.
- Mercedes is also planning an AMG model which will be called the GLG45 AMG. It will have bigger brakes, a seven-speed automatic gearbox, quicker steering and a re-engineered front axle.
- The new GLG SUV is expected to hit the stands in 2015 with a price tag of 32,500 Euros (around 22 lakh INR)
[Rendering Courtesy: autobild.de]
