The new Mercedes G-Class unleashed
Hey Y'all, the start of the year or should I say January, in particular, is like a second helping of Xmas for gearheads and car lovers the world over. Here is the why bit in my statement. You see in January there is a place most of us pilgrimage to and this magical place is called Detroit, and in this magical place, there is a thing called the "NAIAS" (North American International Auto Show) We are just gonna call it Detroit Auto Show where car manufacturers like to unwrap presents which we refer to as cars.
The DNA of the G-Class
Over the past months, Mercedes-Benz the Luxury German carmaker has been teasing us with a few cryptic images in anticipation of their new G Class SUV Offroader, they decided to unwrap it at the Detroit Auto Show.
What changed?
What's changed is the weight, apparently, the brand new G-Wagen managed to lose a reasonable 170kg, to put into perspective that is 2 of me and a bit worth of weight loss. Those clever Germans managed to give you a bigger car while putting it on a diet, the new G-Class is actually 53mm longer and it gained another 121mm to make it broader. According to several men in white coats with German accents, the benefits are apparently more interior space, lack of that was a common niggle with the previous iteration.
Goes anywhere
Mercedes has made a new suspension system, a cooperation between its G and AMG divisions giving a ground clearance of 270mm into front axle. Optional adaptive damping is welcome, the G-Class is now clever enough to monitor the terrain and adjusts damping characteristics accordingly, very clever indeed.
But there is more... A brand new "G-Mode" for off-road is automatically triggered when one of the three differential locks is triggered or the minimal range off-road gear is engaged. This cool tech wizardry adapts the adjustable damping and the steering as well as the accelerator to save you from potentially embarrassing yourself with unnecessary gear changes, which means better control, which in turn makes you look like you know what you are doing. Win-win!
Technology Inside
Looking past the barely-updated outa skin with its brand new LED lights and tinkered-with wheel arches and bumpers, its the inside which has seen the most drastic overhaul, the inside is basically been transformed into a totally modern design filled with luxurious materials. One of my fav things is actually the catch handle facing the front passenger, this marvel has remained unchanged. It wasn't broken so I guess why change right?
Since touch has pretty much been the buzz word with phones tablets you are probably reading this off of the brainiacs over at Mercedez have added something called haptic feedback and audio responses in the speakers allegedly meaning the driver may use the touchpad control in the centre console without taking their eyes off the dust-filled roads of most cities like London, where most G-Classes will probably spend their automotive lives.
Bigger inside
The seats can massage (if you tick the "Active Multicontour Chair Bundle" box), heat or cool. The instrument cluster is now totally digital (and so configurable to your heart's content), just like in the newest E-Class and S-Class, with virtual tools in the driver's direct field of vision along with an optional fundamental display over the centre console.
Spec this case and both 12.3-inch displays can combine to a "Widescreen Cockpit" under a shared glass cap. Drivers can then choose between three different styles for the screens -- Classic, Sport and Progressive -- together with pertinent information and perspectives.
On a slightly Sad note for tech heads, there isn't any sign of MBUX the voice-assistant interface everyone was raving about at CES in Las Vegas just over a week ago anywhere on the G wag. Hopefully some sort of software update in the near future will address this most glaring omission.
How much Power?
Powering the G wag monster is a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 muscling out 416 breaks of raw horsepower, more than enough power to overcome any obstacle on your daily trip to the shops. The new G wag laughs in the face of mountains.
When can you get one?
Well, another man in a suit told me deliveries will start this summer, yes this summer 2018.
Well, you've reached the end of my write-up, hope you enjoyed the read. Remember to scribble your comments and questions in the comments bit just bellow. See you next time!