The year is 1970. With leaders of the world tense with fear of Global Thermonuclear War, the then Shah of Iran was more concerned with how he was going to get to the next Royal address of his people. He suggested to Mercedes Benz that they should create an SUV tailored for both civilian and military duty. Mercedes agreed and contacted Styer-Daimler-Puch located in Graz Austria. Mercedes was in charge of design and testing, while the folks in Graz did the developmental planning. The 1979 result was a rugged body on ladder chassis SUV that could tackle almost any terrain that may be laid before it. It was so loved by the militaries of the world, that 63 nations have adopted it for field use of the course of its life. But what about the civilian market? The original G-Wagen was a brutish off-roader, free of basic luxuries like air conditioning and leather seats. Oh, how times have changed.

Welcome, to the 2012 Mercedes G550. A 40-year-old vehicle that is as fresh as the day it was created. With a seating position that makes you feel as though you are commanding a half-track 3 miles outside of Warsaw, your view will not be obstructed by the grey econoboxes that dawn your flanks. Instead, the massive windows give you unobstructed views of your blind spots. Combine this with the aggressive styling that has changed little since its first incarnation, and you have a vehicle aggressive enough to take on any city driving you throw at it. But what about the oily bits underneath? All of the things that made the G-Wagen the icon it is today?

Well if you like speed, the 5.5 Litre V8 takes charge and delivers 382 HP and 391 ft-lbs of torque with 0-60 coming up in 6 seconds. That is mid 1990s Porsche 911 levels of fast. Throw a smooth-shifting 7 speed automatic with full-time all-wheel-drive behind it and finish it all off with an interior draped in leather, heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel, and Bluetooth audio connectivity. Most things that are 40 years old tend to age and become more forgetful and brittle as time goes on, but the G-Wagen is the anomaly. With more power and cleverness than ever before, the G550 remembers its roots and has not let the world change what made it so great almost 4 decades ago. So, climb on in, and lock those diffs. It’s waiting

FEATURES + OPTIONS:

Front, Mid and Rear Locking Differential

Low Range Gearing

Heated and Ventilated Front Seats

Heated Rear Seats

Rear Parking Sensors

Back up Camera

Automatic Dual Zone Air Condition

Navigation

Premium Harman/Kardon Sound System

Bluetooth

Cruise Control

Heated Windshield

Rain Sensing Vipers

Sunroof

18” 5-Double Spoke Wheels