Thread: G-Wagen @ 120k - pffft....please

And Merc is aiming for the grey nomad market, who after the great economic downslide we just had, would have a spare 120K to spend on a new vehicle - I don't think so.

Very nice, but will they still be on the road in 40 years! I bet there will STILL be series LRs about in the next 40. Doubt I will see them though

Thought i should reply here.

My 300GE is pretty much the base model from 1992, and is the 463 series. So that style interior is the 'base' spec really. Not bad for 1992 with heated leather seats, electronic diff locks, switchable ABS etc.

The tartan interior pic is from the 1980's 461's which are very different to my car.

I'm on the wrong site to go 'defending' () the price and specs of the new G-Class, however if i had the money I'd be trading my 300GE in for a new one in a heartbeat. And lets not go comparing the two laziest design departments in the world (Mercedes G-wagen and Landrover Defender design depts that is)....(at least the Mercedes guys hide the rivets..haha!)

I was very close to buying a X-Treme 90 a few years back. I love the shape of them and see them as being quite a similar look to the g-wagens, but ultimately I went with the G because I was lucky enough to find it and of it's rarity.

I don't think the G-Wagen and Defender are in the same market segment. Defenders are for people who really want to go offroad whereas the mercs, whilst extremely capable aren't (think Range Rover Sport - they're no doubt capable but just not intended for it in reality).

The GL320 is bang on $120,000, so I think the G320 is right on the money, I know which one I'd have of the two.

Also one last thing which may have contributed to this thread going off track a bit is the title of the news article 'Mercedes-Benz’s no-frills workhorse heads down-under'. As mentioned the $120k 'base' model will be a high spec luxury 4WD with all the bits, nothing like the one in the article picture and ten times nicer than mine. The G-Wagens of old were similar to the defenders with cloth seats and bare floors, but the G-Wagen went luxury from my series (463) onwards whilst the Defender stayed true to it's rugged beginings.

that what you get from Howard...a **** load of **** for our defense forces for some ridiculous price ...god he was a wombat..

cheers

Originally Posted by solmanic

Problem is that the Defender's chassis set-up with a high-power engine is just a bit too dangerous to put in the hands of a novice - at least in terms of the company's potential liability when people start putting them on their lids. If Pickles auction site is anything to go by there are already plenty of people who find them hard to handle with 100kW 2.5l 4 cyl.

The G-Wagen has air bags all over the place and stability & traction control galore. Plus the fact that I would expect the Mercedes to handle better on-road than a Defender.

What a load off garden fertillizer!
In 1994-97 (or98) they supplied the USA with SWB convertible defenders with the 4.0l PETROL V8!!! So in the land off litigation this was ok with the 1500kg 90 with no ABS let alone airbags?
Yet yourself and LR try to justify not giving us in OZ the same option as a handling issue?( actually you sound 100% identical to LR' australia's 15yr spiel)
Now I'm 100% certain a 4.0L V8 petrol 90 would outrun a TD V8 110defender wagon or 130 crew cab in a straight line and probably around corners. Yet the def since 2000 has gotten traction and abs (in the 110) but no Hi-Po engine options. Also the ones I have seen in pickles appear to have been rolled at a slow speed as in side slope offroad , or in the case of one off them with a bent front chassis either driven straight into or backed over by a truck!
How many LEAF sprung TDV8 cruiser troopies are in pickles, rolled with their narrower rear diffs(100mm difference front to back!) no airbags and no automatic traction control(Manually lockable diff)

As a footnote in the U.S they also got auto for the 1 legged brigade in the 1997 models

I read an article some time ago stating that the "NEW" G-Wagen which was coming here would be like an H3 is to an H1 - a more civilised road orientated version. It was supposed to be based on the M-Class chassis and have IFS...

I take it that that is now not the case, and this new one will be the real deal???

In Germany you would see one screaming along at 200+ (the fastest my golf could manage was 185 ). The new ones seem to handle quite well at high speed.

Originally Posted by frantic

What a load off garden fertillizer!...
Now I'm 100% certain a 4.0L V8 petrol 90 would outrun a TD V8 110defender wagon or 130 crew cab in a straight line and probably around corners.

I'm not sure what 4.0l V8 you're referring to. I thought the NAS only used the 3.5l V8 and it only had a power output of about 100kW (I think the 4.0l might have been the one used on the 50th anniversary models in the UK). If it could outrun a Td5 or Tdci then it would be only thanks to the gearing. No chance of it ever outrunning a TdV8.

And yes, my point was I was referring to Land Rover's standard line of "too much power = too much risk".

Originally Posted by isuzurover

I read an article some time ago stating that the "NEW" G-Wagen which was coming here would be like an H3 is to an H1 - a more civilised road orientated version. It was supposed to be based on the M-Class chassis and have IFS...

I take it that that is now not the case, and this new one will be the real deal???

The new G-class might be what you're referring to. It was supposed to replace the G-Wagen but Mercedes changed their mind when they got feedback from fans saying "replace it over my dead body" etc.

Originally Posted by solmanic

The new G-class might be what you're referring to. It was supposed to replace the G-Wagen but Mercedes changed their mind when they got feedback from fans saying "replace it over my dead body" etc.

It's the GL-class, G-class is the G-Wagen.

Whilst Land Rover owners will certainly doubt the GL-class's off road potential, it is verily a true four wheel drive much the same as a D3 with low range, fully locking center and rear differentials and air suspension.

I'd buy one given the money