Not too long, Mercedes-Benz had contemplated ending production of the rugged G-Class, also known as G-Wagen which is short for Geländewagen, but the Stuttgart-based carmaker changed its mind after seeing a surge in demand for the SUV from China and Russia.
Axel Harries, head of Mercedes SUV product line, told Autonews Europe that sales of the G-Class, which has been in production since 1979, jumped 50 percent over the past three years mainly due to high demand from Russia and China.
In 2011, the German automaker delivered 6,600 copies of the G-Class worldwide, and now it hopes to increase that number following a facelift this spring that brought a redesigned interior and new AMG variants.
In Germany, prices for the G-Class, which is offered in three-door Convertible and five-door wagon body styles, start from €85,311 and climb to €264,180 for the range-topping G65 AMG powered by a 603hp (612PS) twin-turbocharged V12 that is the most expensive model in Mercedes-Benz’s range.
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