Mercedes G-Class getting major technology overhaul and facelift

The Mercedes G-Class is getting a major overhaul – but not until 2017

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The Mercedes G-Wagon is going to get a complete mechanical and technology overhaul and big cosmetic changes to bring it in to the 21st century.

The Mercedes G-wagon has been with us for 35 years, and despite its rather dated underpinnings and looks it sells well enough for Mercedes to keep on churning out the G-Class for those with ‘military’ wants – and the posers.

But even the G-Class is not immune from the massive changes that have taken place in cars in recent years, so Mercedes is planning a major overhaul of the G-Wagon for 2017 – just after Land Rover arrive with a new Defender.

The 2017 G-Class is going to be wider – by around 100mm – to make it more stable, allow a more sophisticated front suspension and make more room in the cabin.

There will also be a new electronic architecture which will allow Mercedes to give the G-Class all its modern stuff like Driver Assist, Infotainment and connectivity and a big drop in weight – as much as 200kg – thanks to extensive use of aluminium and high strength steel.

The looks will still be very much G-Class – upright and boxy – but it seems Mercedes will bring cues from the Ener-G Concept that was said to show how Mercedes see the G-Class looking by 2025.

Inside will be more car-like and comfortable, with elements taken from the new C-Class, more toys and technology, like new safety systems already seen on the new S-Class.

Under the bonnet will be a new 3.0 litre petrol with around 360bhp and a new 3.0 litre diesel with 300bhp, both expected to arrive first in the new E-Class in 2016. There will also be a replacement for the G-Class AMG, because that now accounts for a big percentage of G-Class sales.