Some countries have managed to build an off-roader so good that it has come to be regarded as a kind of unofficial ‘national off-roader’, a car which has changed the face of their agricultural and military mobility and endured so well that it seems destined to stay in production for ever. America has the Jeep, Britain the Land Rover, Japan the Toyota Land Cruiser, and Germany joined the party in 1979 with the Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

Standing for Geländewagen (‘terrain vehicle’), the G-Wagen was conceived as a military vehicle following a suggestion from the Shah of Iran, who held a large share in Mercedes at the time. Development began in 1972, and it ended up going on sale to the public from 1979, two years before the first ones actually entered military service.

The first generation, the W460, went on sale in September 1979 and remained in production until 1992. It was first demonstrated before the press at an off-road proving ground in Toulon, France, and positive reviews helped it on its way to becoming a best-selling four-by-four. It had enormous appeal for both town and country buyers, although its most famous patron was undoubtedly Pope John Paul II.

The W460 G-Class was offered with a total of seven bodies, including a pick-up, station wagon and panel van on short and long wheelbases, and seven petrol or diesel engines. Of them all, the 280 GE, equipped with the 2.8-litre version of the M110 straight-six petrol engine, was the most powerful. All this made the G-Wagen extremely versatile, but with time it was also becoming quite fashionable. Moving into the 1990s, the G-Class evolved to become more luxurious, adapting to market tastes so well that it remains in production today.

This G-Wagen was registered new in Swansea in August 1989. The present owner acquired it in June 2020, when it was painted red and looked thoroughly usable, but it had lost some of its original fittings and was in need of a spot of rejuvenation. He placed it in in the hands of well-known G-Wagen specialist Mark Ashton, who undertook a comprehensive, body-off restoration to an exceptionally high standard.

To bring the car up to date and also make it stand out a little bit, the owner specified a few subtle modifications which make it even nicer, including air-conditioning and leather upholstery where originally there would have been cloth. The red paint was also dispensed with and the body was resprayed in a slightly menacing Audi metallic dark grey. The most important upgrade, though, was the engine swap, which saw the 32-year-old petrol engine replaced by a Mercedes-Benz 2497cc turbodiesel, making a real restomod which will easily meet modern performance expectations. 

The car is offered for sale virtually fresh from restoration, having covered only 358 miles since the work was completed.

In addition to the V5C, the G-Wagen comes with the original Operating Instructions booklet, a restoration invoice from Mark Ashton and a Motor Check summary, which provides details of the car’s historical mileage readings, past M.o.T. results and more.

The restoration was photographically documented, and digital copies of the photographs will be supplied.

Now that the interior has been renovated with grey Napa leather, it is an extremely pleasant place to be. The original cloth interior would have been comfortable but utilitarian; what we have here is a long way from the agricultural feel of the original G-Class. Instead, it fits firmly into luxury SUV territory.

Being so new, it must go without saying that the leather is in fantastic condition. A few small impressions have appeared in a couple of places, but nothing at all that might be considered a real fault. If it is difficult to fault, at least praise comes easily. The leather is soft, smooth and supple, and a very attractive shade has been chosen, so every journey in this Mercedes should be something to look forward to.

 The carpets are fantastic, too. Not only do they complement the leather beautifully in that same cool grey, they are also sumptuously soft. What good, you might ask, are luxurious carpets in a knobbly-tyred off-roader? Surely they’ll just get ruined with mud? Not at all. A new set of rubber mats for the driver and front passenger are easy to clean and keep the carpet immaculate.

The dash, like everything else, is in terrifically good condition. It is not often to see a plastic dash looking quite so well preserved. In fact, it looks almost like new. It’s almost largely original, although the radio is a more modern unit and the aftermarket Formula air-conditioning unit slots discreetly into the centre console.

Thanks to the fold-down rear seats and externally-mounted rear wheel, the load area is exceptionally capacious, not to mention beautifully clean.

In recent years, the G-Wagen has cemented its status as a Youngtimer classic, which means that there are now a lot of them being restored, but not often to the extent that this one has been. Respraying and detailing a car is one thing, but this one has benefitted from the full works.

In the workshop of Mark Ashton, the body was removed from the chassis and totally stripped for its restoration and repaint. The chassis was bead-blasted and etch-primed with Glasurit 2K paint and the body was acid-dipped, etch-primed and painted with Glasurit 2K. As it’s now so very well-protected against rust, it’s one of those cases where the phrase ‘as good as new’ may well be appropriate.

Coming to the bodywork, photographs of the restoration show the car coming together, and the result is here for you to see. The whole car is phenomenal. The panel gaps look to be spot-on and the paint is exceptional – there is no other word for it – and gives it a genuinely contemporary feel. At first glance, you’d not think this was a 33-year-old car, would you?

While there are a few extremely light marks on some fittings, such as the bumpers and door handles, the emphasis is very much on ‘extremely light’. Frankly, all the fittings on this car are as good as you’re ever likely to see on a G-Wagen. There are a few very small scratches on the wheels, too, but again, you’re not likely to find a better set. Naturally, all the windows and lenses are in excellent condition and have been refitted with new seals.

The long and the short of it is that this G-Wagen has been restored to an exceptionally high standard, certainly much higher than is usual, and it’ll be a long time before one as nice as this comes to the market.

When the owner had the G-Wagen restored, he had its original 2.8-litre petrol engine fully rebuilt, but when he took to the road he found he wanted a bit more speed, so he had it taken out and replaced with a five-cylinder Mercedes OM605 turbodiesel engine, as used from 1995 to 2001 in the C250. This is a fairly commonplace modification, because it makes such a positive difference, and it’s also quite an appropriate one. Mercedes used turbodiesel engines in many of its cars in the 1980s but, for some reason, they were never offered in the G-Wagen, so it’s about time Mercedes’s small oversight was corrected!

The car is further improved with a six-speed gearbox conversion (the W460 was originally four-speed) and a high-ratio axle. The result is something which drives beautifully. The car picks up speed really well, changes gear smoothly and brakes sharply. Though its size may give an impression of heaviness, the clutch is actually very light and, since it’s equipped with power steering, the wheel feels almost weightless.

The presentation of the engine bay is spectacular, too. With barely an oily mark in sight, we don’t think we’ve ever seen a nicer engine bay in a G-Class.

If you want a large, spacious and comfortable classic with go-anywhere capabilities, your thoughts might turn at first to an old Land Rover or Range Rover. Now try thinking outside the box. The Mercedes G-Wagen is every bit as good as its British rivals, and it’s always nice to be different. In the G-Class you get a true off-roader favoured by international armed forces, and very rugged good looks.

With this one specifically, you get even more. There was no luxury version of the W460, nor was there a turbodiesel version, but this handsomely illustrates what might have been. It’s quick, comfortable and stylish, so what more could you want? You might think it’s too nice to take off-road at first, but rest assured that it’s capable if ever you do find yourself having to cross a field or muddy lane. Until then, it could be an ideal year-round everyday car. Why not try it out for size?