Mercedes-Benz has unleashed a beast - the new G55 AMG G-Class - that combines high-performance, luxury and extraordinary off-road 4WD capability - in a brutal package. G-Class Mercedes wagons have not been sold in Australia since the mid 1980s. They are back with a vengeance with two variants, the G55 and a slightly less formidable G 350 BlueTEC diesel.
The G55 is the odd-couple of cars. It looks as if it belongs to an episode of Mash or Hogan’s Heroes. But the WW2-like appearance is just a foil. It is capable of rocketing to 100 km/h in 5.5 blistering seconds courtesy of a 5.5 litre supercharged V8, and the next minute tackle the world’s most formidable off-road terrain.
The G-Class was first launched in 1979 and the body - which even 32 years ago was rugged in a military way - has not substantially changed in those three-plus decades. What has altered is everything that sits under the sheetmetal. The original G-Class offered four engine options between 53 kW and 110 kW. The new G350 boasts 155 kW and 540 Nm of torque while the G55 belts out 373 kW and 700 spine-tingling Nm of torque. Plus all the latest underpinnings with safety equipment and suspension. At $217,230, before on road costs and charges, G55 is not a vehicle for those with feint hearts or skinny wallets.
Mercedes is holding firm orders for more than 40 G-Class vehicles, around 60 per cent of those being the G55. The company expects orders to settle down after the launch with the G350 to out sell the G55 in the long term. “This vehicle is very special,” said Mercedes Benz Australian managing director, Horst von Sanden. “It has a significant prescence on and off-road,” he said.
ENGINES
The G350 runs a V6 turbo diesel which Mercedes calls BlueTEC. It develops 155 kW of power at 3400 rpm and a healthy 540 Nm of torque between 1600 and 2400 rpm. BlueTEC is a Mercedes-developed technology aimed at reducing diesel exhaust emissions, in particular nitrogen oxide. In the G350 there’s a filler next to the diesel fuel port for AdBlue, an aqueous urea solution. During running this solution is injected into the exhaust gas stream inside the catalytic converter. The process produces ammonia which converts up to around 80 per ceb t of the nitrogen oxides into harmless nitrogen and water. Each fill of Adblue lasts around 15,000 kilometres - service intervals - and costs about the same as a similar amount of engine oil. The G350 uses a seven speed 7G-Tronic auto transmission. The combination propel the 2500 kg vehicle to 100 km/h in 9.1 seconds with a top speed of 175 km/h. Mercedes claim consumption of 11.2 litres/100 km.
G55 has a 5439 cc V8 which is supercharged and produces 373 kW of power at 6100 rpm and 700 Nm of torque between 2750 - 4000 rpm. G55 is the only Mercedes vehicle to run this engine, which was last used in the GL, but in an non-supercharged form. The G55 hits 100 km/h from scratch in just 5.5 second with a speed limited top speed of 210 km/h. With appropriate tyres the vehicle is capable of 240 km/h. The G55 engine is linked to a five speed automatic transmission capable of handling the substantial amount of torque. G55 tips the scales at 2580 kg. Mercedes claim consumption of 15.9 litres/100 km.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
We drove the G350 first on road. The driver’s seating position is excellent, perched high and looking down on the bonnet with an excellent forward view through the flat windscreen. The first impression is of a heavy vehicle - which it is - with some degree of understeer if you take a corner too fast. The power-assisted recirculating ball steering takes some getting used to compared to the usual rack and pinion types found in most cars. It is a heavier unit and kicks in after you’ve made the turn, but after a while behind the wheel you adapt naturally and it feels quite normal and gives excellent driver feedback both on and off-road. The G350 is a surprisingly quick vehicle, particularly in the important area of passing at speed. Off the mark the diesel takes some some to wind up - remembering it has to haul 2.5 tonnes.
The G55 AMG is something else. In human terms it is Arnie Schwartzenegger in appearance with the ‘Go ....You’ attitude of Charlie Sheen. This is not a nice car. Its performance is breathtaking and definitely not G-Rated. XXX rated perhaps. It is a - if not THE - Supercar of 4WDs. It has street-cred to burn and you can hear it coming for several blocks as the dual exhausts on either side emit a deep burble sound that makes a V8 Supercar sound like a Singer sewing machine. During my stint at the wheel I had a smile like a split water melon. The G55 is shod with 275/55 R 19 tyres compared to the G350's 265/60 R 18s. We felt the G55 cornering was flatter and faster with less understeer at speed.
OFFROAD
When the original G-Class was launched in 1979 it was hailed at the world’s most capable 4WD with the cornerstone of that claim coming from the fact it was fitted with three differential locks. In addition it had low range and excellent ground clearance. That DNA is still there and the three diff locks are controlled by buttons strategically placed at the top of the centre console. One is for the centre diff lock, the one on the left for the rear lock and on the right is the front diff lock. In addition to being let loose in forestry tracks near Devonport on Tasmania’s north west coast, we were also given a taste of what the G350 is capable of off-road by G-Class test driver, a large jovial Austrian called Erwin Wonisch, who has worked with G-Class for his whole career. “This system is simple,” he said. “When you go off-road and start to have problems, you just push another button. You start with the centre diff, then the rear diff and lastly the front diff.” Erwin pushed all three, engaged low range and took us up a grade that was just about 60 per cent but also washed-out, full of bumps, rocks and twists and turns. The G-Class - even with road tyres described by Erwin as ‘dancing shoes trying to iceskate’ - an easy, if not bumpy, ride to the top. It was an impressive exhibition.
SAFETY
During the life of the G-Class even though the body has remained largely the same Mercedes has upgraded the technology as it became available. This latest G-Class comes with permanent 4WD, an electronically-controlled traction system called 4ETS, Electronic Stability Program, front disc brake wear indicator, brake assist, four front passenger airbags plus full-length side curtain airbags and reversing camera.
HIGHLIGHTS
G350 comes with Satellite navigation, six disc CD player, leather upholstery, metallic paint, reversing camera and 18 inch alloy wheels. G55 adds to the above list anti-theft tow away protection, single-tone leather upholstery, steel electric sunroof, luxury front seats heated and ventilated, multi-contour backrest on front seats and 19 inch alloys.
Mercedes-Benz is currently delivering the first of 1200 military versions of the G-Class to the Australian Army, replacing the Land Rover military versions of the Defender. These have significantly different speciifications to the G350 and G55.
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