Mercedes-Benz G 350d current allocation for India sold out

Team OD Updated: November 08, 2019, 06:21 PM IST

Mercedes-Benz India has sold out the first batch of Mercedes-Benz G 350d SUVs that it imported into the country. The standard G-Class has been a big success for the brand given that it only launched here on October 16. Prices for the G 350d start at Rs 1.5 crore (ex-showroom) before options, but the carmaker claims that buyers of the G-Class in India always spec their car up to some level.

The G 350d is powered by the BSVI compliant OM 656 diesel engine which also does duty in the facelifted S-Class. This 2,956cc inline-six motor makes 286PS at 3,400-4,600rpm and 600Nm between 1,200 and 3,200rpm. Mercedes claims a top speed of 199kmph and a 0-100kmph time of 7.4s. This is paired with the brand's 9-speed automatic. Other than this, a four-wheel drive system with a transfer which splits power 40:60 front and rear, three differential locks, a new independent front suspension and a reworked rigid rear axle help with keeping the SUV going both on and off-road.

Aside from the usual drive modes seen on other Mercedes cars, the G-Class also gets a G-Mode for heavy off-road use. Further, this generation is now 170kg lighter than before even as the ladder-frame G-Class has grown 53mm longer and 121mm wider. Ground clearance is 241mm, water wading depth is 700mm, approach and departure angles are 30 and 31 degrees respectively while the breakover angle is 26 degrees. This version rides on 20-inch wheels and loses the wider exterior body panels form the AMG version. The grille is a simpler unit as in the bumper.

The interiors carry forward cues seen on other Mercedes cars like the twin 12.3-inch floating instrument/infotainment system. Bits unique to the G-Class are the handlebar for the front passenger, the tubular element to the air vents, the exposed door hinges and the upright windscreen. The insides are trimmed with leather for the seats, instrument panel and open-pore wood.

The G-Class builds on a legacy spanning over 40 years. It came as a result of a co-operation between Daimler-Benz AG and Steyr-Daimler-Puch in 1972 to develop a vehicle for military use. The civilian version launched in 1979 and over time, saw numerous changes to the original design before the second generation version debuted in 2018. In this time, over 3,00,000 G-Class' have been sold worldwide.