Vehicle Description
The Mercedes-Benz Gelandewagen ("terrain vehicle") started out just
how you'd think: a utilitarian truck for the worst corners of the
world, originally developed as a military off-roader. Designed to
be rugged, reliable, and as tenacious as a mountain goat, the '80s
models G-Wagons were the early roughnecks of the group, more like
the Sahara Land Cruisers than the glamping luxury boxes you see NBA
wives driving today. This particular 1984 Mercedes-Benz W460 'Puch'
Diesel Wagon straddles the line between hard-nosed bushwhacker and
luxury urban warrior, featuring a professional build atop a rare,
gray-market foundation that's about as strong as anything ever
built with four wheels. Fully restored with bright white paint,
tough off-road exterior accessories, a comfortable A/C interior,
and go-anywhere diesel drivetrain and suspension, this
purpose-built G-Wagon is a very special piece.
The boxy shape and body-on-frame construction has always been a big
part of this SUVs appeal, and the utilitarian look hasn't changed
in decades. The W460 model ran from 1979-1992 and the exterior
package pretty much looked the same every year and you could get
one in a variety of wheelbases with either 2, 3, or 5-door models.
The 5-door LWBs were the roomiest and best looking of the bunch,
and that's precisely why the pros at G-Mercedes LLC from Utah
picked this gray-market beauty to build their masterpiece upon.
W460 G-Wagons were never officially exported into the United States
(MB thought the utilitarian SUVs were contrary to our luxury
perceptions of the brand), so any that you see were brought over by
grey import specialists and sold at a premium. This particular G
was built between Daimler-Benz and Steyr-Daimler-Puch for the
Swiss/Austrian and Eastern European markets, and the Austrian-made
Puch G's have always been some of the most sought-after derivations
as their partnership got the whole party started back in 1972.
Stripped down and repainted a slick coat of white during the
restoration, this G-Wagon looks brutally elegant, further
punctuated with blacked-out bumpers, front grille, fender flares,
and that Sahara-ready, multi-use roof rack with a rear ladder, red
shovels, and diamond-plate tent surface. It certainly makes a
statement what with its flat windscreen, towering roof, and right
angles, and the top-driver quality finish shows only minor
imperfections, meaning this G-Wagon has likely never had to
traverse anything short of a gravel driveway. Build quality is
perhaps the best of all the many Benz models, and with its
reputation for durability, there's probably nothing you can do to
hurt it out in the wilderness. Other super-tough accessories
include oversized side mirrors, four blinding LED light bars, a
rear-mounted spare tire, and the coup-de-gras: a giant 3-pointed
star in the middle of the grille.
Inside this shiny white box is every comfort and convenience item
that was known to Mercedes-Benz engineers in 1984, along with some
choice modern upgrades. Recent, ultra-smooth black vinyl upholstery
on the front buckets and swapped-in rear bench (original jump seats
are available) means the cabin is all-day comfortable, and
everything wears like iron - from the simple black door panels, the
taut headliner, and the original dash full of factory instruments,
switches, and knobs. It's pure '80s nostalgia in a very practical
design, with durable, protective coverings lining the floors and a
huge storage area out back complete with a custom-built pull-out
drawer system that's perfect for camping. Options include ice cold
A/C and a heater that's powerful enough to warm the car as it
scales the Andes, and a Pioneer double-din head unit was installed
in the center of the dash, along with an additional AUX input that
was mounted in the glove box. Those extra billet buttons control
the exterior LED light bars, all the gauges are bright and clear,
and the dash itself is in fantastic condition, with no cracks or
fading from the sun. Working with all that space means stretch-out
room is impressive, and for a vehicle that was never meant to be
luxurious, this one sure gets it right.
Power comes from Mercedes' familiar 2.5L Inline 5-cylinder Turbo
Diesel that was professional swapped-in and tuned perfectly for
this glam-rig. The 2.5s were a somewhat rare for the G-Wagon
(originally found in the 1988-91 250GDs), but the added cubes and
power is welcomed in a truck this heavy. And you know it's a
dependable workhorse motor as Mercedes put it inside their Sprinter
vans for almost a decade, but it also has refined road manners for
the modern roads, evidenced by the fact they were also found inside
several of their 4-door sedans from 1985-1999. Horsepower and
torque numbers aren't exactly awe-inspiring, but they got the job
done, and when mated to a durable 5-speed manual transmission this
Puch G is a blast to drive. The Straight 5 is a perfect fit in the
G's engine bay where its mostly stock save for an upgrade intake
tube and A/C hardware, and thanks to typical Mercedes engineering,
it'll run practically forever with just a modicum of proper care.
It's tidy under the hood and doesn't look like it was ever a winter
warrior, so no worries in that regard, and the chassis looks robust
enough to support a railroad car. Power steering and power front
disc brakes means you don't have to be a bodybuilder to manage the
steering wheel and brake pedal, and the heavy-duty axles and
suspension, selective 4x4 system, and tall ground clearance all
make this a true 'go-anywhere' vehicle. Blacked-out 16-inch Merc
wheels complete the look, all of which are wrapped in butch
BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains.
Beautiful, rare, impressively built, and ready to conquer every
corner of the globe, this G-Wagon is a one-of-a-kind vintage SUV
specifically built for those that want 'The Best or Nothing'. Call
today!