Some will go for a Defender, others will instantly pick a Land Cruiser, but if you were to ask near enough anyone from the Classic Driver team what their dream off-roader is, it would be an early model Geländewagen.
Bursting onto the market way back in 1979, with many military-spec models prior to that date, the G-Wagon paved an entirely new, and slightly more rugged path for the luxury brand. Mercedes-Benz knew they had something special, combining superior off-road capability with on-road driving comfort and Mercedes’ typical high safety standards. The off-roader would go on to become one of Merc’s most loved models, and, alongside the S-Class and the E-Class, is one of the longest-produced passenger car models in their rich history.
This one-off, built to celebrate the 500,000 car milestone, has been given a healthy helping of 1970s flair. It’s finished in the striking Agave Green, the very same shade used on the launch models in 1979. Of course, the world rejoiced when we first saw the fresh-faced G-Class back in 2018, and discovered that the iconic, bonnet-mounted turn signals remained. Their shape has remained the same to this day, but not their colour. However, this anniversary vehicle’s indicator covers feature a shade of orange no longer used today. Five Spoke sterling silver alloy wheels sit proudly inside mud-loving tyres, ensuring that this G-Class is used just as the originals were intended. It also features the now-iconic chequered seat pattern inside, rounding off the 280 GE-inspired styling perfectly.
Everything about this celebratory model has been carefully considered to make this the ultimate homage to its ancestor, showing just how far this luxury SUV has evolved in its 44-year lifespan. With talks of the next G-Class going fully electric, we can’t help but wish this old-school trim would be an optional extra for all new G-Wagons going forward – we’d certainly be on the waitlist!
