The 500,000th model of the legendary Mercedes‑Benz G-Class rolled off the production line in Graz, Austria. The veteran off-roader, which has won many awards as the “best off-road vehicle in the world”, has been writing its very own success story since 1979. The G-Class owes its cult status among its growing fan community primarily to its unique combination of distinctive design and outstanding off-road capability.
The anniversary vehicle recalls the origins of the off-road icon: the model for the vintage look of the one-off is the 280 GE from the 1986 model year, from which the 500,000th descendant incorporates iconic design elements such as the exterior colour and the seat pattern. The G-Class is approaching its 45th production anniversary, which is coming up in 2024. It will also remain true to itself in the associated model update. The motto will continue to be: technical development with unchanged character.
“On the occasion of the 500,000th anniversary, we would like to thank both our loyal customers and long-time fans as well as our employees and our production partner Magna Steyr in Graz. We are proud of this figure, which also underscores the exclusivity of the G-Class. After all, four whole decades have led to this significant anniversary. This makes the G-Class anything but a mass product. With the all-electric G-Class launching in 2024, which will push the boundaries of the off-road sector, we look forward with anticipation to the future of the off-road icon,” said Dr Emmerich Schiller, Chairman and CEO Mercedes-Benz G GmbH and Head of the Off-Road Vehicle Product Division at Mercedes-Benz AG.
The model that Mercedes-Benz is presenting to commemorate the production anniversary is a flawless one‑off. The 500,000th “G” is inspired by a G-Class from the early years. It features some particularly striking design features from its historic predecessor, which has long enjoyed the status of an automotive classic. The historic paint in agave green, one of the first paint colours available for the G-Class, is a real eye-catcher. Among the more subtle details of the exterior design are the turn signals. Their shape has remained the same to this day, but not their colour: on the anniversary vehicle, the covers of the direction indicators feature a shade of orange no longer used today, i.e., the look typical of 1970s automobiles.
The historic spare wheel cover with the Mercedes star, which is significantly larger than on today’s models, the brand badge on the rear door and the 5-spoke sterling silver wheel also evoke the early days of the G-Class. The interior of the 500,000th vehicle is also inspired by the 280 GE. For example, the middle section of the seat is upholstered in the chequered fabric typical of the time, while the grab handle on the passenger side features the lettering “No. 500,000” in agave green. The “Schöckl” door sill trim, on the other hand, is an integral part of the G manufaktur’s current customisation range. This also applies to the door knob with logo embossing: in the logo package available today, however, this is available in silver — in the anniversary model it is black.
