The 600,000th G-Class was to be an all-electric G580 finished in Obsidian Black metallic.
Marking a major production milestone, Mercedes-Benz has just built its 600,000th G-Class. The milestone unit was to be an all-electric G580 with EQ Technology finished in Obsidian Black metallic, which rolled off the assembly line a few days ago in Graz, Austria.
This milestone incidentally comes barely two years after the 500,000th G-Class was completed, signalling a sharp uptick in global demand for the brand’s most iconic 4×4. For a bit of perspective, it previously took Mercedes-Benz about three years to go from 300,000 to 400,000 units, and then the same time again to hit the aforementioned half-million mark.
Funnily enough too for something that was originally conceived as a utilitarian off-roader for military use, this boxy 4×4 has since outshone its more civilian-focused limousine cousins to become the most customised model in the entire Mercedes-Benz lineup. The carmaker says that over 90 percent of G-Class buyers opt for at least one bespoke touch from its Manufaktur personalisation programme, with most ticking an average of three customisation boxes.
First launched in 1979, the G-Class holds the distinction of being one of the longest-running nameplates in Daimler’s history, second only to the Unimog. And despite its German heritage, it’s never actually been built in Germany. Instead, nearly every G-Wagon has been assembled next door in Austria by contract manufacturer Magna Steyr.
The current W463 iteration could be had in either full ICE form, or more recently an all-electric variant as well. The V8-powered G63 AMG is presently officially offered locally for a shade under RM 2 million, while the tailpipe-less counterpart is a comparative bargain at RM 958,888.
