Next generation Freelander to get Defender nameplate

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Originally Posted by MR LR jnr.

Mercedes is doing it with that horrid looking G-Wagen thing, and underneath it's the same asthmatic heap of rubbish from the 80's.

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Hey! I resemble that remark ;)
Asthmatic, absolutely. But rubbish?

Note that the "utilitarian" version of the G (W461) is also being discontinued, for civilians anyway.

Hey MBZ460, do you know if you can get the basic "Professional" GWagen in Australia at all?

I went to the main MB dealer in Adelaide yesterday to enquire after one of these, and all I got was a blank look. Surely Sir was after the luxury model...

These guys had never heard/seen of a basic G-wagon, so maybe they were never released here.

Any info you had would be good.

Cheers
David

Hi David,
MB dealers struggle with any knowledge of the luxury G's (W463) let alone the W461, which mainly sold in european countries and a few in South Africa.

The W461 "Worker/Professional" was never sold here (or USA) and MB said they wont because it does not have a passenger airbag. Also because it may "pollute" the G-wagen luxury status if people knew of a vehicle in the same class as a Sprinter van or MB truck - a service vehicle.

The closest you can get to the W461 is the W460's that are around from the 80's, like mine. They are mostly very slow, especially the diesels, but many of us are putting more modern MB engines in them. The latest W461 (like the army ones) are 3.0L turbo V6's - they are not the slouches that the first models were. The W460 is closer in spec to the W461 than the W463.

In these modern times the money is in the bling. Just like LR.

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Originally Posted by MR LR jnr.

- Discovery (soccer mum line)

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Oi - quick knocking Discovery drivers.

Thanks for that. What engine replacements are an option?

I know the old 5 cylinder 3L pretty well as I have a W123 from 1984 (OM617?). Nice and easy to work on, but woefully gutless.

Don't think I could live with that N/A diesel in a 4WD.

Are there many W460's in Australia?

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Originally Posted by carjunkieanon

Oi - quick knocking Discovery drivers.

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I drive one :p so I can! Haha

I also have a Range Rover.

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Originally Posted by spudboy

Thanks for that. What engine replacements are an option?

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There are many options, the later OM60x series are popular. Mine now has a OM606 3.0L 24-valve n/a diesel but the turbo OM606 is the way to go. Most try to avoid anything newer that needs an ECU. While my motor came from a car with ECU we fiitted an earlier mechanical injection pump so its super simple.

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Are there many W460's in Australia?

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Under 200. The new army W461 outnumber us now. I see more W463's than W460's but there still not many of them about. They only make about 6000 a year.