WHAT IT IS: Think of the Mercedes-Benz “baby G-Wagen” (that’s our affectionate, albeit unofficial, name) as a scaled-down G-Class: physically smaller in stature, perhaps less capable, and hopefully a heck of a lot cheaper. And most likely electric, unlike the current V-8 powered G-Wagen. Mercedes-Benz has not officially approved (or axed) this miniature-G, but we’re hopeful that there’s room for a mini G-class in Mercedes-Benz’s future portfolio. Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius is apparently a fan of the idea.
WHY IT MATTERS: The current G-class’s boxy, timelessly retro exterior would translate nicely into an adorable shrunken-down iteration, although it’s likely the baby G-Wagen would be similar in styling, but not a direct clone. Boosted by the reputation of the blingy G-Wagen but more attainable for the masses, a mini-G could be hot, hot, hot, surely gobbled up by dabbling off-roaders and aspiring G owners.
A boxy off-roader like this could compete with the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, although we suspect the baby-G might not be as capable or have as much off-road content as these hard-core off-roaders. Perhaps this petite G would be better paired against the Jeep Compass and Ford Bronco Sport. Wherever it fits in, the off-road SUV segment seems ever-hungry for more entrants—including the upcoming, bigger, all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQG (below).
PLATFORM AND POWERTRAIN: We previously reported that the baby G-Wagen would be lower to the ground with a slightly shorter wheelbase. It could possibly be built on the Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA), a compact and midsize EV platform suggesting it would be a BEV with fast, 800-volt charging capability. It might have a range of 300 miles. The SUV would also most likely have the new MB.OS (Mercedes-Benz Operating System), which pairs with the MMA platform. Motor, battery, and other specs are unknown.
ESTIMATED PRICE AND ON-SALE DATE: The baby Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen might start around $55,000-65,000 (the full-size G 550 SUV starts at $140,000 and the AMG G 63 at $179,000) when it arrives in 2026, speculatively. If Mercedes-Benz gets it right, a baby G-class could be a huge hit.
Source : MOTORTREND
