If you’re a big fan of the big cars or the SUVs then you should be happy to know that other people are also picking up on that “fandom”. As evidenced by a 2 million units of SUVs sold by Mercedes-Benz, the big, rounded vehicles are now a trend. 

Mercedes-Benz head of sales and marketing said, “With the launch of our first sport utility vehicle, the G-Class, more than 30 years ago, we entered a segment in which we are now very successful with a total of five models. The SUVs today are an important pillar of Mercedes-Benz’s growth and have regularly posted a new sales record in every month since July 2010.”

The G-Class was the star, for sometime, but as new cars were developed, the buyers’ interest were diverted. This is not to say that the G-Class lost its appeal, it’s just that the numbers says that the R-Class increased in demand, a whopping 50.3%! The whole SUV line meanwhile, increased by 24.3% as announced by Mercedes-Benz.

Bulgarian tuner Vilner, takes the Mercedes G-Class in fairytale land. The press release of Vilner likened the G-Class to the carriage in the Cinderella story.

The carriage in the story apparently is full of leather plus Alcantara and chrome. They also added a Ground Zero Sound System so that Cinderella can enjoy music while traveling. The LED lights on the exterior is being likened to fairy dust.

According to Vilner, their version of the Mercedes G-Class is a “beautiful fairy tale”.

While the video is jerky and obviously shot by an amateur, its very rawness, as opposed to those you see from Mercedes.tv, lends the entire video an air credibility. It’s a testament to the ruggedness of the G-Class that owners around the world think nothing of tackling normally impassable roads such as this.

No revisions have been announced to the standard 354 horsepower 4-litre V8 engine but this is not necessarily a bad thing because it means that Mercedes’ reliability has been maintained. For use in a harsh desert environment, reliability counts for more than outright performance, although a 350-horsepower steed is hardly lacking in the power department.

Customers will find a specially numbered plaque on this special G55, designating the production number of this limited-edition G55 Arabia.

Knowing Brabus and its customers with big wallets, its safe to assume that performance upgrades are present in this sporty G-Class and unlike other low-slung sports cars that are limited to smooth pavement, this rugged beast can keep on going where the road ends.

Mercedes-Benz has been able to recover from the setback that the G-Class experienced in the Australian Outbacks, after their PR attempt for the G-Class backfired. The parts had been flown in and the mechanics where able to replace the damaged shock absorbers. Mercedes-Benz has overcome suspension issues to become first car maker to make it through one of Australia’s toughest roads. They traveled over 1600 kilometers, even passed a burnt-out Ford Explorer and a shell of a HiLux crew cab lying on its side – a stark reminder that the stunningly isolated outback route is also one of the more dangerous for the under-prepared.

If you can still remember, the company started a 1,200 mile trek to the Canning Stock Route where 7 G-Class vehicles participated. However, six of the off- roaders were not able to endure the rough terrains. With damaged shock absorbers in the middle of the historic route, they are forced to stop the trek and wait for Mercedes-Benz to fly in the replacement parts to an airfield in that remote area.

It is a good thing that the team have enough food and needs with them and they are not really in a very dangerous place. Although they still have to worry about the remaining 800 kilometers that they have to cross in that place called Great Sandy Desert.

Another fortunate thing for them, there is one vehicle that did not break, the G-Professional which is really no surprise as this is the same model that the Australian Defense Force is using. The strongest link though is now in charged of transporting the Mercedes Benz parts from the airport to where the other vehicles are stranded.

The managing director of Mercedes-Benz Australia, Horst von Sanden said, “When we undertook this journey we were well aware of the punishment that the vehicles would endure,” he then added, “We put in place a group of very experienced Outback operators who have the expertise and logistical knowledge to cover off any eventuality. I have complete faith in the team out on the Canning and the thorough logistics and preparation the team have put in place.”

The Mercedes-Benz G-Class is the mightier model of off-road vehicles and if there is a car that can endure the outback, it should have been this. However, as of now, we’re all waiting for the result of whether it can prove its “mightiness.”

Aiming to show Australians that their G-Class wagens have what it takes to tackle the Outback, Mercedes planned and organized an almost 1,200 mile trek across the historic Canning Stock Route. This route used to be a major lifeline in getting cattle from remote ranches to Perth. The expedition planned by Mercedes would start from Halls Creek (Western Australia) to Wiluna. Though now unused for its original purpose, this route is recognized as a great adventure route for trekkers.

Aiming to finish the route in 14 days, the organizers set off in 7 G-Class wagons, which are vehicles that have admittedly proven themselves to be capable off-road warriors. But not this time. In a 70-kilometer stretch a few days into the trek, six of the seven G-wagons broke their rear shock absorbers, so much so that the expedition had to halt while replacement parts were flown to a remote airstrip, where the lone surviving G-wagen picked up the spare shocks. The lone undamaged vehicle is a mil-spec G-Class called the G-Professional. Since the rest of the machines remain driveable, the expedition will continue as planned as soon as the spares are installed.

Call this thing a blessing in disguise, because if Mercedes had marketed the G-Class in Australia with unmodified rear suspension setups, the inevitable breakages would have soured the G-Class’ solid reputation for a long time.

German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz proudly releases two brand new models of the G-Class off-road vehicle. The twins, known as the Edition Select and the BA3 Final Edition, can be differentiated by their wheelbase length – one being longer than the other.

Two variants will be offered for the shorter BA3 Final Edition model, specifically the G350 BlueTEC whose 6-cylinder diesel engine is capable of 211 hp and 540 Nm and the G 500 with a 5.5-liter gasoline engine which can easily churn out 388 hp and 530 Nm.

Both models feature Mercedes-Benz’s permanent all-wheel drive system with off-road ratio as well as a 7G-TRONIC 7-speed automatic tranny. And then there’s the standardized electronically controlled traction system featuring three differential locks, ESP and 4ETS.

Inside both models you’ll find a generous helping of comfort with a telephone system incorporated into the armrest, rubber mats to cover up the footwells as well as a huge load compartment and cover to handle all extra cargo.

Meanwhile, the Edition Select model will be offered exclusively with a dual-tone paintjob. The company will not be charging extra for whatever color combination customers choose upon purchasing the G 500 Station Wagon. Likewise, the interior design is two-tone using lots of porcelain and black design leather.

Although the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL has no official launch date yet, it has already been spotted a number of times in heavily disguised form. In previous settings, observers have deduced that the GL will share the platform of the ML, although in stretched-out form. Now, it has most recently been seen in Sweden, obviously for some hard-edged testing in snow and icy conditions. The spy pics show a wide grill inspired by the R-Class and a front end reminiscent of the current E-Class. Additionally, new headlights and LED daytime running lights can be seen on the bumper. The rear of the vehicle was still successfully disguised so only conjecture will suffice at this point. It is believed though that a compact cluster for the rear lights will be part of the look of the GL’s rear end.

Powertrain options will probably mimic that of the ML’s which has a 5.5-liter gasoline V8 and diesels with 3- and 4-liter displacements. Mercedes’ 7G-Tronic automatic 7-speed transmission will most likely be the standard box. The 430 hp biturbo 4.6 V8 could be an option and if an AMG variant comes out, the AMG GL will most probably be fitted with the biturbo 5.5 liter V8 which produces 540 horsepower.

Powered by a 500 horsepower 5.5 liter V8, the G55 does the 0-60 sprint in 5.5 seconds. Not too shabby for a 2.5 ton all-wheel drive offroader. Apart from the standard features expected from Mercedes vehicles, the G-Class is a true off-road vehicle, unlike the BMW X5 or the Porsche Cayenne.

Proof of this are the 100% locking differentials, permanent drive to all four wheels and gear ratios that are designed for low-speed crawling and mountain driving, should the need arise. Electronic aids like ESP and 4ETS ensure modern-day driving refinement to the G-Class’s off road capabilities. Brought in as a completely built up unit, the G55 will cost 11 million Indian Rupees or 242,000 in U.S. currency.