Mercedes G class to soldier on with '70s styling - Automotive News
FRANKFURT -- Mercedes-Benz's G class is about as sleek as a snow plow, costs more than twice the average U. S. household income and hasn't had a redesign since its introduction in 1979 -- and sales are higher than ever. Deliveries of the box-shaped car tripled in the past five years to 12,000 vehicles in 2013. The top-of-the-range G 65 with a V-12 engine is the most expensive model in the entire Mercedes lineup. As the Daimler AG unit restyles the rest of its luxury SUVs, executives say the G class's angular form will stay the same. After the planned demise next year of the Land Rover Defender, the G class will be among the last old-school SUVs in production, drawing buyers because it literally stands out in a sea of streamlined cars. By combining a rugged exterior with interior luxury that includes a dashboard screen the size of a tablet and heated leather seats, Mercedes has made Beverly Hills or the French Riviera the natural habitat of the G class rather than the... The future of the G class is playing out against a backdrop of change at Mercedes. The company is fighting a stodgy reputation as it tries to regain its former position atop the luxury-car market -- lost in 2005 to BMW AG. Zetsche has said he'll do that in part by making Mercedes vehicles sleeker and sportier. Sales in the segment rose 12 percent to 324,700 vehicles last year. Source: www.autonews.com
