Happy Birthday G-Wagen

From a mailinglist, with some interesting notes on old & new G-wagen:
(note the detail of inline-pump, indeed almost by definition suitable for
biodiesel....wonder what the Indians themselves can provide for
that....weren't they short on food for the human population already?)

xxxxxxxx
"Twenty Five (25) years ago today - 10 February 1979 - production of the
Mercedes-Benz/Puch Geländewagen was started in Hall 12 of the Graz, Austria
factory.

Happy Birthday G-Wagen!!"
xxxxxxxxxxx



http://www.whnet.com/4x4/w464.html
xxxxxxxxxxxx
Mercedes New G-class

Old G to be continued in India
The old G is to be continued under license in India, for around € 20,000
new. Bajaj already produces the gear boxes for Daimler-Steyr-Puch, and
there is an agreement that each Bajaj can be serviced at Daimler dealers,
since parts are mainly the same. It has an inline diesel injection pump and
can thus even be used with biodiesel.
Indian G website

November 2003: New G-Class to be shown first quarter 2006
It has air suspension, short and long wheelbases and three different tops.
Production should start in Vance in 2007.

September 2003: New Geländewagen planned
The production of the current G will end in 2005/2006. A successor to the
current W463 G-wagen is planned for introduction in about 2007. The under
carriage is based on the new W164 M-Class, but utilizes different hardware,
with differential locks, more ground clearance and taller gears. Mercedes
promises cross country capability as good as the current M-Class and G-
wagen. But the new MLG will have to prove itself on the Dakar and the
Schöckl - the rugged mountain test drive at the factory in Graz - and on
the FIA Cross Country World Cup before this claim can be taken seriously!

January 2003: New G-Class MLG mentioned yet again.
Details are on this page.

The 290 GD DT (W461) 120 hp is still available in Italy for € 33,947
Recommended for actual off-road usage. It has plastic and no wood on the
dash for a rugged low maintenance usage with high reliability. A 4 speed
automatic is standard and ABS is optional for € 1934.
Italian G website

G270 CDI (461/WORKER) 2003 LANG! 156 PS CANCELLED

A new G-wagen based on the W461 chassis with 270 CDI engine is available
with 5 speed automatic, permanent 4WD drivetrain from the W463,
electric/electrohydraulic difflocks, only LWB, utilitarian for off-road
usage, Switzerland only starting in March 2003

[note WJ: seems only Toyota is still capable of offering the larger & high-
end diesels with 5sp....every other manufacturer, be it car or 4x4, has
thrown the towel here....pathetic!]

Did spies find a new G-wagen?

April 2002

Magna Steyr's G-wagen contract expires in 2005/2006.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


--
Bye,

Willem-Jan Markerink

The desire to understand
is sometimes far less intelligent than
the inability to understand

>
[note: 'a-one' & 'en-el'!]