2018 Mercedes-Benz G-Class spied during testing
The new Mercedes-Benz G-Class has been snapped with minimal camouflage during development testing, giving us a peek at the new car alongside its predecessor.
Set to launch next year, the completely overhauled G-Class – or G-Wagen as it’s affectionately known – will be wider and more spacious, with a greater focus on road driving.
Don’t worry though; David McCarthy, local head of communications for Mercedes-Benz, says the car will still be a bona-fide off-roader.
“It might attract some new buyers because of the changes to the interior,” he told CarAdvice at the launch of the new AMG GLC63.
“When you see the design its still G-Wagen, but it’s a pretty unusual niche, you either want a G-Wagen or you don’t.
“It’s not going to be someone going ‘I was going to have a GLS63 but ill have a G63,’ there is some potential for new sales, but there is only a handful of sales.”
As for the way it will drive, McCarthy says the car will be more modern, but not run too far from its roots.”It will be a better drive, but it hasn’t lost any off-road ability,” he said, “I believe it has more. I believe on-road it will be a better vehicle.”
The spy pictures here prove, like the new Jeep Wrangler, the changes are likely to be subtle. The profile of the new car is much the same as before, with the same blocky windows and upright nose as before.
In Australia, the new AMG G63 will be the first model to arrive, followed by the more sedate (and boring, naturally) G300. The car should be touching down on local shores in June or July.
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