Civilian Benz G Wagon still on Oz agenda

PRICING and safety continue remain as barriers to an Australian introduction of a civilian version of the Mercedes-Benz G Military vehicle.

First mooted for Australia in 2009 after the company signed its historic agreement to supply the Australian Defence Force with 2146 G300 4x4 and world-first 6x6 models, the recommended retail price for the “G Pur” (or Professional) would still approach $100,000 for what is essentially a handmade vehicle built in Austria.

Furthermore, electronic stability control (ESC) and a passenger airbag are not currently offered, although this situation is likely to change in 2014 when new European Union standards call for it.

“The availability of electronic stability control and possibly a passenger-side airbag, are the issues,” Mercedes-Benz communications manager David McCarthy told GoAuto at the unveiling of the G300 Military models at the RAAF’s Amberley airbase in Queensland.

“Then there is the vexing problem of price … so making the business case work is quite difficult.

“It’s a work in progress. Obviously we’d love to have it here. But if the figures don’t work out we won’t do it. We will know by the end of the year.”

Under consideration in both wagon and utility variations, the G Professional would be aimed at rural and serious off-road buyers, as well as emergency services.

It most likely would retain a similar mechanical specification to G Military G300 vehicles, powered by a 135kW/400Nm 3.0-litre common-rail turbo-diesel V6 engine, driving all wheels via a five-speed automatic gearbox.

The G Wagon has live front and rear axles with long-travel coil springs, a low-range transfer case with electronic differential locks, and a recirculating-ball steering system.

A basic five-door wagon, Mercedes insiders have described the G300 as a “no thrills” workhorse.

In 2010, Mercedes-Benz reintroduced high-performance luxury versions of the closely related W463 G-Wagen to Australia, in $161,180 G350 Bluetec diesel and G55 AMG petrol guises.

The first G-Wagen (as the Germans refer to it, although the ADF has asked Mercedes to anglicise that for local consumption) to arrive in Australia was the W460 300GD in late 1982.

It was powered by a normally aspirated 3.0-litre five-cylinder diesel engine mated to a four-speed automatic gearbox (a short-wheelbase two-door wagon model was added in April 1985, along with the option of a five-speed manual gearbox).

A 230GE LWB wagon utilising a 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine was added a year later, before the series was discontinued at the end of 1989.

To date, well over 200,000 G-Wagen vehicles have been built worldwide.