Baby G-Class Reportedly in the Making, New Mercedes SUV

The G-Wagen has held a place of its own in the hearts of off-roading enthusiasts for many decades now, and it has been significantly transformed over the years from a military truck into a posh 4×4 with emphasis on luxury without losing its identity.

Despite the steep starting price of $139,900 in the United States, climbing to at least $179,000 for the Mercedes-AMG G 63, they’re simply flying off the shelves of dealers all over the world. Nonetheless, not everyone is made of cash, you see, hence the occasional talk about a possible ‘baby’ G-Class, also referred to as the GLG every now and then.

Depending on the size, such a product would take a swing at the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler, with a premium twisty, wrapped in a package that may look similar to the real G-Wagen. Assuming that Mercedes will be able to keep the price in check, they should have no problem selling it, though that is easier said than done in today’s crazy fast-moving industry, where three-year-old cars are already considered old, and insane dealer markups are way too common.

As for the talk about a possible baby G-Class, it came via Germany’s Handelsblatt, quoting the company’s head honcho, Ola Kallenius, who is a big supporter of such a model. The Mercedes chief reportedly wants a smaller take on the G-Wagen, with a similar design, shorter wheelbase, and fewer inches between its belly and the road. At first glance, that may sound like a potent off-roader, but the truth is that it won’t be mechanically-related to the real thing. In fact, it will allegedly be based on the MMA platform that is expected to debut next year.

The new construction will be versatile, as it will underpin the upcoming GLA and GLB premium subcompact crossovers, as well as the next-gen CLA, and it will support battery-electric assemblies. The baby G-Class is understood to use a battery-electric powertrain, maybe with an 800-volt system that will give it fast-charging capability, and it might have a total driving range slightly exceeding the 300-mile (480-km) mark, MotorTrend believes.

Mind you, despite Ola Kallenius’ push for the baby G-Class, it appears that he is faced with serious opposition from the inside, hence why it might never see the light of day. Therefore, you should take the above information as a simple rumor for now, and hope that if given the green light for production, then it will eventually apply for a U.S. visa. We’d want to see it with some dedicated off-road gizmos, and a good-old gasoline-fed engine as an alternative to the EV, as it would have the potential of becoming a moneymaker, especially if it ends up looking very similar to the G-Class.