2004 Mercedes G500 Road Test

Anecdotes on an Anachronism

I went to my 20th high school reunion a few years ago. I hadnt had so much fun since, well, high school. I have to admit that part of the enjoyment factor was due to everyone saying how much I hadnt changed a bit, sometimes associated with looks of envy.

What these peers dont remember is the fact that during my high school years I paid dearly for looking so young. Few girls my age would date a guy who looked more like a 14 year old than the 18 I was at graduation. To make matters worse my senior high only included grades 11 through 12, forcing me to look elsewhere for female attention.

While appearing the same now as twenty years ago might sound like an enticing prospect for people, its not ideal in the car industry. Eastern Europe was

While appearing the same now as twenty years ago might sound like an enticing prospect for people, its usually not ideal in the car industry. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, American Auto Press)

the brunt of many jokes during the cold war because of its inability to keep up with style and innovation, with cars such as Russias Lada and East Germanys portrayed itself to be new. Such Western European carmakers as Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz would never allow such an anachronistic dinosaur to leave their factory lines, or so I thought.

That was before accepting the keys to a "brand new" Mercedes-Benz G500. What a throwback

The G500 is beautifully equipped and rides like a limousine, but has an extremely utilitarian exterior appearance. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, American Auto Press)

to ancient civilization. Oh, dont get me wrong, its beautifully equipped and rides like a limousine, but its so utilitarian its become a modern industrial art statement all on its own. Really, its so boxy that when parked next to a Land Rover Discovery it made the Disco look positively sleek.

The G500s shape is not proprietary mind you, having shown up on everything from Land Rovers Defender 110 to Nissans Patrol and Toyotas Land Cruiser, just to name a few. Actually, in its 1985 75 Series Troop Carrier

The G500s design dates back to 1972 when it came to life through a cooperative agreement between then Daimler-Benz (now DaimlerChrysler) and Austrias Steyr-Daimler-Puch. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, American Auto Press)

guise the latter SUV was almost identically styled to the current G. Troop carrier? Its true, the G, otherwise knows as the Gelandewagen, was designed for military purposes decades ago. Thats why it looks so "Swiss Army" functional and, well, so darn old. While its Land Cruiser counterpart has been completely revamped a number of times since the 75 Series, the G has continued forward with only minor styling tweaks since its inception in 1979.

For a bit more history, the Gelandewagens development program began in 1972 with a cooperative agreement between then Daimler-Benz

Twenty-five years ago when the G500 was designed for military use, panel gap size wasnt a major priority. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, American Auto Press)

(now DaimlerChrysler) and Austrias Steyr-Daimler-Puch. Series production was given the go ahead in 1975, as was the construction of a new plant in Graz, Austria where my G500, and all G-Class SUVs, are still built today.

While the purposeful SUV is mostly handmade and is impressively appointed, its still hard to get the mind around its age. After all, 25 years is an extremely long time in car years, about five to six normal vehicle generations by todays average. Thats why the G500s panel gaps make the Land Rover Discoverys seem tight, a fact that lets onlookers view in between to see the Gs olde-world, bare-metal latches, even when the doors are shut. Its windshield sits so close

The interior of the G500 is impressive, well appointed and tight as a drum. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, American Auto Press)

to driver and front passenger with such an abbreviated dash-top that it brings back fond memories of a particularly "hip" VW Microbus experience. Also, like so many trucks of yesteryear its doors are hinged externally, causing the ones at the back of the press vehicle I was testing to show signs of extremely premature rust I might add.

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