The automobile as we know it became a thing thanks to the Benz Patent-Motorwagen in the 1880s. But Ford revolutionized the industry with the Model T at the beginning of the 20th century, getting the ball rolling for many more instant classics such as the Volkswagen Type 1 and the Mini.
At the 2018 Detroit Auto Show launch of the 2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Class, one of the most respected men in the automotive industry put out a list of four automotive icons that resonate with his taste in cars. In no particular order, Dieter Zetsche of Daimler AG chose the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W198; a.k.a Gullwing), Jeep Wrangler, Porsche 911, as well as the Ford Mustang.
Us being car-loving gentlemen, there are more than four examples of automotive icons past and present, chief among which is the Volkswagen Beetle, from the Type 1 onwards. Then there are the Lamborghini Miura and Countach, Ford GT40, Jaguar E-Type, Ferrari F40, and Citroen DS. And the Land Rover Defender. And Ferrari Enzo and Volkswagen Golf. And Mini.
The automotive icons segment starts at the 6:10 mark of the debut video for the 2019 G-Class, and even though Zetsche highlights the Mustang had “no excuses or compromises” throughout its history (lol, what?), he’s right about the G. The three-pointed star didn’t intend and couldn’t afford to mess with the styling of the Gelandewagen, at least not for the time being.
Codenamed W464, the 2019 model year G-Class is new from the ground up. In fact, it has little to do with its predecessor, the W463 that premiered in 1990. Longer by 53 millimeters and wider by 121 millimeters, the all-new G-Class also happens to be lighter than the preceding model. By up to 170 kilograms, that is, which is a lot considering the W464 is more luxurious, handles better, and is and more capable in off-road situations.
In the first instance, the G550 (called G500 in Europe) will have to make do for the U.S. public with its 416-horsepower and 450-lb.ft. twin-turbo V8. As standard, the G550 ships with the 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic transmission ushered in by the W222 generation of the S-Class.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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