G Wagen Replacement?!

[thysonsacclaim]

So this may be old news for you chaps, but I was reading about the G Wagen the other day because I tend to see a lot of them where I work and I have always thought they were a sexy beast of an all terrain. Recently, a rather nice woman has been coming in every day in her black G Wagen and so I decided to read a bit more about it.

Well, in reading I found out M-B was thinking of replacing the G Wagen with the GL-Class, which although I'm sure is a nice car, simply cannot compete with the burly old G Wagen. In my mind, this would be like replacing the Jeep with a Dodge Caravan (okay, maybe not that extreme, but you get the gist, right?)

Anyway, it appears they have changed their mind for now, but I can't help but wonder why sometimes companies will fool with something which has such a following. They may not sell as many as they do sports cars or family cars, but they really do seem to have a reputation (around here anyway).



So, what's your take? Given the option of the two would you prefer:


This




Or this?

[Big_Richard]

Nathan gets to drive both, he will be the man to ask

[thysonsacclaim]

It's not that I have anything against the GLS... I just don't think it is an apt replacement for the G Wagen. They appear to be directed to different audiences.

But then again... a lot of companies are getting away from the standard all terrain / SUV and going for the SUV / minivan hybrid (I forget the actual industry term).

It's understandable with fuel prices and so on, I've just always been partial to the G Wagen, Range Rover and old Land Cruisers.

[KenM]

The silver thing seems very bland, it's neither one thing or the other, at least the G has a practical purpose as well as some individual style, seems every manufacturer has their version of the other thing.

[nathan]

MT is partly right. i get to drive a 30 year old Gwagen, and when allowed, a GL 500.
very few new cars really stand out, so i dont think criticism can be too harsh of the GL. i think its a reasonable merc product which does it market segment well. my main criticism, its an outrage to use the 'G' letter in it.  running simultaneous G titles is disrespectful to the longest running mercedes model of all time, the Gwagen (the w463 has gone from 1990 to 2011 and is contracted to be built in austria til 2015). for this reason, they didnt call the 6.3 the 630, or the 6.9 the 690 as it would have slandered the then 600 grosser and implied superiority.  using G in GL implies it has similar bloodlines.  in saying this, you could get in that GL and drive 1000's of miles and feel refreshed. you could do this in a G, but probably not get out as straight as if youd been in the GL. its also not right to slag this thing (the GL) off as a concrete pounder. you could get in that GL and go places most off roaders couldnt, even with the big 20' rims (although the king will always be the G).
anyhow, its late and the daily rant is over
nathan

[thysonsacclaim]

Points well taken, Nathan.

I've never driven either, so I can only comment on the styling. I guess my primary qualm, as you noted, is the fact that they use the G denotation.

By looks alone, the GL looks more like a family SUV to me. Then again, the G Wagen was originally contracted as a military vehicle and many of those contracts are expiring or have already.

I guess in the world of roundy curves and futuristic styling, ala the Scions and Cubes, I am empathetic towards the slow disappearance of the rugge, boxy looking SUVs of yester-year.

[ponton]

the thing i dislike the most about the GL is that it is a tarted up version of the dodge durango for twice the money.