New information has surfaced about the new Mercedes G-Class along with a reported reveal at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show next fall.
The iconic off-roader will undergo some pretty extensive changes in the coming year, including some drastic revisions in its chassis. Mercedes will widen the whole car by 100mm in order to improve space in the cabin and replace the front suspension with a more modern setup to improve stability, retaining at the same time the iconic rugged looks that customers love.
So in theory the car will be facelifted, albeit so extensively that Mercedes says it will be essentially a new model when it will hit the road, as Autocar reports. The codename will remain W463 but the chassis will replace much of its steel components with aluminum ones in order to save lots and lots of weight, with sources suggesting a drop by more than 300kg or 660 lbs when compared to the current model.
The new front suspension will use either a three- or a four-link setup, with Mercedes also adding a modern electromechanical steering system. LED lights and a whole range of the latest driver assistance systems are also set to be offered in the new G-Class.
The cabin will gain wider seats thanks to the extra width, with Mercedes also to focus on improving comfort and the quality levels. The new Geländewagen will reportedly use interior fittings from the C-Class, along with a pair of digital displays for the infotainment and the driver’s gauges.
The engine range will include Mercedes’ new straight-six 3.0-litre petrol and diesel units that are scheduled to debut in the E-Class. All engines will be paired with the nine-speed 9G-Tronic automatic gearbox, further improving its fuel economy and CO2 ratings.
As for the hot and very important AMG variants, these will use the twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 unit known from the rest of the AMG range. Half of all the G-Class sales are AMGs and Mercedes wants to keep the tradition going.
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