Mercedes-Benz G-Class Will Finally Get This Jeep Wrangler Feature
G-Class and Cabriolet sound like they'd go together about as well as Murano and Cabriolet did, but Mercedes-Benz has a long history of open-top G's. It might be related to the SUV's military roots, but open roof and even folding windshield convertible models have been offered over the years.
US Missed Out On Convertible G For Decades
The original convertible G-Class models were never sold in the US, at least not officially. You'll see some of the two-door convertibles on the road here from time to time, but they're either in-period grey market imports or vehicles brought in after they turned 25. There are some aftermarket conversions as well. They were meant for outdoor work and military service, like a Jeep or Land Rover.
As the G became a luxury product and not just a utilitarian one, Mercedes-Benz started launching the really strange ones. The Mercedes-Maybach G 650 Landaulet, for example, which had a very special back seat pushed even farther back for more room, a divider between the driver and front passenger, and a rather hideous fabric top that opened over the newly-added pickup bed and the rear passenger compartment.
Benz's teaser photo shows something in between the classic Cabriolet and the Landaulet. It's a four-door model, for a start, and it has a pickup bed. It doesn't look like it will be as long as the Landaulet, which means no special doors that aren't impeded by the rear wheel arch.
It's hard to tell from the teaser, but it looks like not quite all the roof will open. It seems the front section, to about halfway along the front door, is fixed in place. The rest will probably open, but it looks like it will slide rearward instead of retracting. Think Fiat 500, not Mercedes SL.
Reveal Could Happen As Soon As Next Week
Benz didn't say when it planned to reveal the new open-roof G-Class model, though the IAA Mobility show in Munich now seems likely. The show happens next week, and while it mostly gets electric vehicle debuts, it's also the home show for German automakers.
Mercedes-Benz did confirm that this time around the US won't get left out. The vehicle will be sold in nearly every market around the world, the company said, and that includes the States.
