What's all this about?
The ageing G-Class has been given another of many, many sprucing sessions handed out to it by Mercedes-Benz over the three decades (and more) it has been in production.
Has Merc hugely modernised it?
Not as such, no, as most of the work amounts to subtle exterior tweaks (new bumpers, fresh alloy wheel designs, body-coloured AMG flared wheel arches and some truly ghastly-sounding exterior hues as part of the Colour package) and a mildly overhauled interior, with reshaped instrument clusters about the biggest change to talk about in here.
Right, you're not exactly selling this to me...
How about the engine from the Mercedes-AMG GT or C 63, then? The new G 500 has the 4.0-litre biturbo V8 as seen in those two glorious Affalterbach products, and the keener car folk will recall it was debuted in the outlandish G 500 4x42 concept car... which, er, might still make production, if Merc gets enough interest in it. Nevertheless, the 'normal' G 500 has the same 422hp and 610Nm, giving it a 0-62mph time of 5.9 seconds. For the record, the two Mercedes-AMG G-Class models only do the same sprint in either 5.4- or 5.3 seconds.
Two AMG models?
Yes, the V8 G 63 now has 571hp (544hp previously) and 760Nm, while the V12-toting G 65 sticks with a ginormous 1,000Nm but climbs from 612- to 630hp. Bonkers. Also, both of these can be specified in 'Edition 463' trim, which adds even more in-yer-face exterior and interior styling - two-tone quilted leather, anyone?
Is there any concession to modernity here?
Probably only from the G 350 d, also boosted to 245hp/600Nm from its previous stats of 211hp/540Nm. It does 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds. Mercedes is also claiming that the G-Class is now more fuel-efficient than before - mainly thanks to the standard fitment of start-stop to all models bar the G 65.
How about the chassis?
There are new, optimised dampers range-wide for better body control and improved ride comfort, the ESP is revised on all models and the G 500 gets adaptive damping with Sport and Comfort modes.
And when will the new G-Class be on offer?
Later this year, after it has gone on sale in its native Germany first.
Matt Robinson - 6 May 2015