There isn’t a curved surface to be found - not even any slope to the cabin windows. This is a look that hasn’t changed since the truck was introduced more than 30 years ago, but it hasn’t needed to the G-Class is more popular now than ever. There’s a fine line between dated and classic when it comes to styling, and most people agree that the G550 stays on the classic side of that line. So why are these expensive cinder blocks all the rage among rich socialites? I spent a week with one to find out. Despite extraordinary mechanical systems that deliver unmatched off-road prowess, you’re far more likely to see one prowling around Mountain View, Calif., than on a mountain pass. Hand-built under contract for Mercedes at a plant in Graz, Austria, the G550 (or “G-wagen,” as it’s often called) is the very definition of an anachronism: It’s heavy, square and primitive by modern SUV standards, yet it remains undeniably cool and characteristically unchanged (compare the 20 models here).
It traces its origin to 1979, when it was born as the Geländewagen European military vehicle, and has soldiered on into 2015 with what appear to be minimal modifications. But the Mercedes-Benz G-Class is in a class by itself. Hummers were like that, big Bentley sedans are like that, anything by Lamborghini is like that. There are certain vehicles that still exist simply because they’re ridiculous enough that people pay huge sums of money for them. Mercedes-Benz builds SUVs that are more comfortable, quieter, better-handling, more spacious, more efficient, lighter, quicker and better than the 2015 G550 - but not a single one that’s cooler.
To see what’s new for 2016, click here, or check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years. Little of substance has changed with this year’s model. Editor’s note: This review was written in April 2015 about the 2015 Mercedes-Benz G550.
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