Updated Mercedes G Class UK prices announced

Mercedes-Benz has revealed prices for the updated 2012 Mercedes G Class, which starts at £82,954 and rises to £123,115.

The word ‘Icon’ is bandied around for any car that’s survived the test of time (guilty as charged), but few are really iconic. The Mercedes G Class is one of the exceptions.

Perhaps that’s why Mercedes feel able to charge truly stupid prices for their evergreen G Class, which has just been updated for 2012, with even the base model – the G 350 BlueTEC – costing a hardly believable £82,945?

Yes, the new G 350 does get a better spec including LED running lights and a titivated interior that now comes with Mercedes’ COMAND. It also gets Parktronic, leather, heated seats, electric folding mirrors and some new 18″ alloys. Under the bonnet is Mercedes 3.0 litre V6 with 211 horses and economy of £25.2 mpg, which means 295g/km. But over £80k?

And if you think over £80k for the G 350 BlueTEC is silly, then you’re going to love the price for the G 63 AMG – it’s £123,115. You do get Mercedes 5.5 litre bi-turbo V8 with an earth-turning 544 horses and 560lb/ft of torque, which probably makes the G 63 AMG the quickest icon on sale, but it’s a truly silly price.

The truth is that Mercedes are pitching the G Class as a toy for the seriously wealthy; there are no rational reasons why anyone would buy what is, by any measure, an over-priced, titivated military vehicle for the same sort of money as a small fleet of Land Rover Defenders.

Just be thankful the UK isn’t getting the G 65 AMG. That would cost £250k.