WORK AND PRAY HARD IN SILENCE AND LET YOUR G-WAGON MAKE NOISE

New, yet classic

Despite striking a familiar pose, the 2020 MERCEDES BENZ G- CLASS is a brand-new vehicle. Only five parts are shared with its predecessor: the door handles, spare tire cover, headlight washers, sun visors and one small bracket under the hood. Everything else is different. The exposed door hinges are still there, but the lower corners are now rounded. The circular headlights remain, but they're now outlined with LED running lights.

The five-passenger G-Class comes in two flavors in the US: There's a base, $124,500 G550 or a much hotter (and much more expensive) $147,500 AMG G63 Both use a twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 -- in the G550, you get 416 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, but the AMG G63 gets a massive 577 horsepower and 627 pound-feet. (The AMG-ified box on wheels can accelerate to 60 miles per hour in 4.4 seconds!) Regardless of engine tune, the G-Class uses a nine-speed automatic transmission, and comes standard with three locking differentials and an honest low range.

Off-road excellence

The G-Class uses a 2.91:1 low gear ratio, which is better than its predecessor, resulting in more torque multiplication at slow, off-road speeds. The G-Class can also shift from high to low range at speeds of up to 25 mph, and you can go back into high up to 43 mph. Yes, the transmission has to be in neutral when making this change, but most vehicles require you to go super slow, or even come to a complete stop, to execute this shift. Keeping momentum, even if it's just coasting, can really come in handy while driving in dunes or on soft-sand trails.

Three locking differentials give you the ultimate traction control. The center locker ensures that power is split equally between the front and rear axles; engage the front and rear lockers to then split that torque equally to each wheel. This helps the G-Class conquer slippery surfaces, making sure each wheel gets the same amount of power, regardless of traction.

The top-shelf AMG G63 gets an off-road driving program within its Dynamic Select drive modes, with settings for Trail, Sand or Rock. That said, it's the G550 that's better suited for actual off-roading straight from the showroom floor -- the G63 comes with Goodyear Eagle F1 summer tires on 21- or 22-inch wheels, but the G550 gets meatier Falken Wildpeak A/T3W rubber, wrapped around 18-inch wheels. Tires are super important when the going gets tough, remember.

Steep and sideways

That in mind, it's the G550 that I choose for a trip to Ocotillo Wells, California, just outside of San Diego. I remember wheeling out here in our dune buggy when I was a kid, and I'm anxious to get back out and relive my childhood -- this time, with massaging seats.

A Mercedes-Benz instructor rides shotgun to keep my actions in check. "Good luck, buddy," I think as he tells me to lock the center diff so the G550's scaled-down terrain management system engages. Called "G-Mode," in the G550, it automatically adjusts the shocks, steering and throttle parameters for maximum off-road performance.

G-Mode engaged, I tear off through the whoops, letting the new-for-2019 independent front suspension do its thing. No, the G550 no longer has a solid front axle -- the truth is, an independent front setup allows for a smoother ride, both on pavement and on rough trails. It also helps improve steering feedback, something the last-generation G-Class had exactly none of.

The independent front suspension also helps the G550 go faster off road. Mercedes-Benz says its engineers pushed the new G-Class over a 3.5-mile test circuit on the ROAD OF DEATH BOLIVIA mountain in under 8 minutes -- a full 26 seconds quicker than an outgoing G with the solid front axle. That's a huge improvement.

Adding the independent front axle allows for a number of other improvements, too. It means the G550 has 9.5 inches of ground clearance, which in turn improves the approach and breakover angles, up to 30 and 26 degrees respectively. Departure angle remains the same at 30 degrees. Approaching a seriously steep hill called Devil's Slide, the G550 doesn't even come close to scraping its front bumper. In fact, Mercedes says it can climb a 45-degree slope with ease.

On a series of S-curves at a section called Shell Reef, I bank the G550 up as high as possible to test the 35-degree side-hill capabilities. At this angle, I could stop and damn near touch the ground just by reaching out the side window.

King of trails and boulevards

Are there other luxury SUVs with this sort of off-road capability? The LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER puts up a good fight, with more water-fording capability thanks to its higher ground clearance, and equal or better suspension geometry all the way around. But the RANGE ROVERS prowess is only possible thanks to its complicated air suspension system, while the G-Class uses a what-you-see-is-what-you-get setup -- no fancy electronic raising or lowering required.

Of course, the vast majority of G-Class buyers will never drive their vehicles to their full potential. Even on this off-road loop, I didn't come close to reaching the SUV's off-road limits. This is a vehicle that can climb over rocks and dunes, and then conquer the steepest driveways to the fanciest Beverly Hills homes, looking gorgeous and luxurious all the while.

Thus far, in India, the G-class was the extroverted madcap of the Mercedes model range. It was only sold in AMG guise with tremendous V8 petrol engines. Hell, it once even had a variant called the ‘Crazy Colour Edition’. And that’s just as well, because despite its immense price tag, hilarious thirst for unleaded fuel, and a ride that bordered on uncomfortable, it was hugely popular. In fact, it remains the bestselling AMG in India, despite being one of the most expensive. And that has less to do with its uncompromising approach to off-road hardware, and perhaps not even its military-grade engineering. It’s always been something far less tangible with the G-Wagen, and that’s its incredible road presence – the fact that it looks like it could conquer a medium-size country, not the fact that it actually can.

The G 350d, then, feels like it should have come to India years ago. It gives you the same all-conquering look as its AMG sibling but at a lower price and with the promise of far lower running costs. Certainly, in this optional black-on-black-on-black colour scheme, it looks like something a Bond villain would drive. The few differences are that it foregoes the AMG Panamericana grille for the traditional three-slat Mercedes one, it has smaller wheels (20 inches on this car), its bumpers look a bit tamer, and the exhaust tips no longer poke out from the sides – how very conventional!

Push these for off-road invincibility.

Some might be more concerned about losing almost 300hp and 250Nm compared to the G63, but they needn’t be. The S-class-sourced 3.0-litre straight-six diesel engine (BS6 compliant, of course), with its 286hp and 600Nm, provides more than sufficient push, which comes in a brisk but predictable surge rather than the gut-punch you’d get from the highly-strung AMG V8. The diesel engine hustles this 2.5-tonne behemoth along without a fuss, but perhaps not quite as effortlessly as it would an S-class, which weighs about 400kg less! As a result, you tend to hear the engine as it strains a bit more in the big G, but overall, it’s still very refined. And though the straight-six note is nicer than the old V6 diesel’s, if you want sound, you can’t really beat AMG’s V8.

Where it will undoubtedly beat the AMG is on running costs, but make no mistake, despite the more sensible engine, the G 350d’s cuboid proportions and heavy hardware mean it could never truly be called fuel-efficient. Though we didn’t do a proper fuel economy test, the car’s own real-time readouts showed single-digit figures every time we used the accelerator pedal.

Surround cams you might actually use.

If you think this ‘lesser’ version gives up any of the G-Wagen’s legendary off-road ability, you’d be dead wrong. Rigid rear axle, 241mm ground clearance, 700mm water-wading ability, almost hilarious approach, ramp-over and departure angles, low range and – the party trick – three locking differentials; the whole nine yards. It’s also got those characteristic, old-school G-class touches like flared wheel arches, fender-top front indicators, the spare wheel on the side-hinged tailgate, push-button door handles, exposed door hinges, and – my favourite – locks that make an explosive ‘clack’ when they engage.

The inside is suitably modern, with Merc’s excellent dual-screen infotainment and instrumentation unit, but understandably, it’s not the latest MBUX touchscreen system you’ll see on the new GLE elsewhere in this issue. This car is also equipped with a sunroof, contrast-stitched leather upholstery and heated, cooled, massaging front seats. However, it’s worth noting that much of this is optional, which could drive the price up really quick.

Superb blend of luxury, rugged bits and new tech. Lots of stuff is optional though.

And here’s the thing – at Rs 1.5 crore (ex-showroom), the G 350d is still very expensive. Though a G63 may cost 50 percent more, this one in turn costs 50 percent more than Merc’s other big SUV, the GLS. And that’s before options. Additionally, while you can forgive a lot of the AMG G63’s flaws because of how ridiculous an indulgence it is, this more sensible G 350d lends itself to greater scrutiny, comparable to other big luxury SUVs. The back seat, though spacious, is nowhere near as comfortable, fuel economy is not great by diesel standards, rear visibility is appalling, thanks to the spare wheel, and though it has adaptive dampers, the ride quality is very lumpy.

The diesel G-Wagen, then, is a bit of an anomaly. While buyers of most luxury cars are happy to settle for a smaller engine if it means getting a prestigious badge at a more reasonable price, does that still apply when the price is north of Rs 1.5 crore? You’re certainly getting the best of both worlds – the rugged appeal of a G-class (including that insane off-road ability, should you ever need it) – in a package that’s cheaper to buy and run. Still, we suspect that most people who’ve decided to splurge on an indulgence like a G-Wagen would be happy to go the whole hog and get the AMG. 

THANKYOU FOR READING  
AND PLEASE COMMENT 











SEE MY PREVIOUS BLOG https://officialautomobile.blogspot.com/2020/04/styled-on-lines-of-legendary-mercedes-g.html