Mercedes-Benz has finally confirmed it’s working on a downsized version of the G-Class off-road SUV, with rumours of an electric powertrain.
The German manufacturer ended years of speculation by announcing the news at a recent shareholder meeting, although details on the new model are hard to come by.
Pricing, specifications and release timing remain a mystery, fuelling rumours surrounding the makeup of the upcoming junior G-Wagen.
Mercedes-Benz already sells an electric version of the G-Class overseas, supporting the theory that the shrunken G-Class will be an EV.
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Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology
The Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology features four electric motors – one for each wheel – producing up to 432kW of power and 1164Nm of torque combined.
A smaller G-Wagen is also set to offer a cheaper entry point into the G-Class range, which currently starts from $368,400 before on-road costs in Australia, where only the range-topping Mercedes-AMG G 63 flagship is available.
It would make sense for the smaller new model to take on off-roaders such as the Jeep Wrangler, or cheaper versions of the Land Rover Defender.
We’ve seen teasers for the ‘Little G‘ (spelt g-Class, with a lower-case g) in the past, including a preview of its boxy silhouette back in 2023, which showed off a squared-off Suzuki Jimny-style profile and a tailgate-mounted spare wheel, in keeping with its bigger brother.
In addition to the G-Class announcement, Mercedes-Benz also used the investor presentation to share that it will re-align the design of its internal combustion and electric models going forwards.
The current generation of Mercedes-Benz EVs look completely different to their ICE counterparts, but that’s set to change with both powertrains coming together under a shared nameplate.
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