What's the difference?
Imagine jumping in the time machine, zapping back to the late 1970s and bringing the team that produced the original Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen into 2025 and showing them where their creation has landed close to half a century later.
They’d be amazed a vehicle looking so much like their military-focused, first-generation model even existed! And once they’d absorbed that incredible fact they’d be stunned to see what lurks under its familiar bodywork.
Because this is the most recent iteration of what’s now referred to as the G-Glass, the pure-electric G580 featuring four individually controlled electric motors - one at each wheel - collectively producing enough energy to power a small town.
Stay with us as we explore this take-no-prisoners EV 4WD that has multiple show-stopping, high-tech party tricks lurking up its sleeve.
Imagine a car that can pretty much drive itself, if you let it. And it’ll do that while you get a massage, pump some Beyonce, and enjoy the fragrance of a field full of flowers… And then, it can teach you to do stretches and exercises in the driver’s seat.
It may sound like fictional fiction, but it’s factual fact. And it’s the Mercedes-Benz S-Class 2018 model, which has taken the so-called ‘wellbeing’ of the driver to a new level.
The facelifted model has seen plenty of styling changes and some tech upgrades, and while making the flagship car in a particular brand’s line-up is often a task fraught with issues, the German company’s big, expensive, luxurious, limousine is undoubtedly a more thoughtful car for 2018.
But just remember, its predecessor was considered - at least for a little while - as the best car in the world by some automotive journalists.
Now Mercedes-Benz has updated it, and it reckons it’s better than before, bringing a bunch of new technology, new engines, a reworked model range and, perhaps not essentially, but still pleasantly, lower pricing.
Read on to see how Beyonce factors into the equation.
As per the 1979 original, the current G-Class is produced by Magna Steyr in Arnie’s home town of Graz in Austria. And many fundamental things haven’t changed since then. But clearly this EV monster’s exotic electric powertrain is a huge departure.
It retains impressive off-road ability and straight-line speed. But will it hit the mark with top-end luxury 4WDers? Short story, this thing is wild, and it will be irresistible for a likely narrow band of tech-focused ‘must have the latest and greatest’ buyers. Nothing like impressing friends and family with a tank turn.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
The 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class remains a technological tour de force, a luxury sedan to be reckoned with - one that has safety, technology, comfort, finesse and performance all rolled into a stylish package.
It's hard to see why you'd need anything more than the S 350 d, which is now much more attractively priced. It'd be my pick, but I'd have to get the Energizing Comfort Control package, and probably the AMG styling pack, too. And even then it would cost less than its predecessor.