Mercedes reportedly working on "baby G-Wagen" variant

If you’ve ever longed for a Mercedes-Benz G-Class but were turned off by the size, you’re in luck! The German automaker recently announced at an investor-relations presentation that a smaller version of the G-Wagen is in the works.

No further information was given regarding powertrains, looks, or even a release date. There have been reports going around that the baby G-Wagen will be powered exclusively by an electric powertrain, but Mercedes has yet to confirm that. If that does come to pass, it could use a platform that is somehow related to the current electric G-Wagen.

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Mercedes also plans to change how their vehicles look

Mercedes-Benz also announced that it plans to drastically change its design language in the future to remove the visual distinctions between its EV and ICE models. The German automaker also wants to focus on offering internal combustion, hybrid, and battery-electric powertrain options rather than separate electric and ICE models. The new CLA-Class will be the first model to feature this powertrain strategy.

Chief Executive Officer Ola Källenius first confirmed the development of “The Little G” at the 2023 IAA car show in Munich, stating that “if you wait for something good, it will be worth the wait.”

The G-Wagen has already been electrified

As previously mentioned, the G-Class is no stranger to electrification. In addition to the regular G 550, Mercedes-Benz’s luxury SUV offers the electric G580 with EQ Technology.” In that guise, it makes 579 horsepower and 859 pound-feet of torque. 

Of course, the general populace is largely interested in the AMG G 63 variant, with its twin-turbocharged V8 putting out 577 hp. How the public will react to another electric G-Class remains to be seen.

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Final thoughts

To me, a smaller and more affordable G-Wagen is a win-win for both camps. Enthusiasts of the German luxury SUV will have a better shot at affording one, while Mercedes-Benz will earn some money from a crowd it previously didn’t have access to.

There is an argument to be made that such an experiment could “dilute” the G-Wagen, much like what the 70s Malaise did to full-size luxury barges, but we trust that Mercedes wouldn’t do that. They undoubtedly have enough experience in the business to distill the character of a G-Wagen into a smaller variant without doing damage to the brand.

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