Mercedes-Benz G-class renewed: more electric than ever

Before you start eagerly studying all the photos of the Mercedes-Benz G-class to see what’s new: that’s not too bad. Mercedes talks about changed grilles and bumpers, among other things, but the changes are subtle. It should contribute to somewhat lower air resistance for the still angular G-class. In the interior you will now find additional ambient lighting and Mercedes’ latest MBUX infotainment on a 12.3-inch touchscreen, and the sound insulation has also been improved.

Motor wise there are more fundamental changes. The Mercedes-Benz G-class will receive mild-hybrid power for the first time and also in all versions. For starters, there’s another G500. It has a 449 hp 3.0 inline six with a regular turbo and an electrically controlled compressor, which is supported by a 48V starter-generator that can deliver another 20 hp of power. The Mercedes-AMG G63 now also has a mild-hybrid drive. The 4.0 biturbo V8 is still the beating heart, but the basic 585 hp power source is also supported by a starter-generator that can deliver 20 hp. This means the G63 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds, which is still slightly faster than before. Also new: the Mercedes-AMG G63 is now available with AMG Ride Control, the active suspension that we already know from other AMGs and which, among other things, prevents body roll in corners. We can imagine that this could make quite a difference in the G63. Finally, there is also a diesel version of the G-class, the G450d, which produces 367 hp (+20 hp with starter generator).

The mild-hybrid power logically produces a somewhat lower bpm and the Dutch prices of the Mercedes-Benz G-class will therefore probably be somewhat more favorable. It just remains to be seen how exactly. More electric news for the G-class is also in the pipeline: the curtain will go down later on the first fully electric G-class. Possibly this year.