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2017 Mercedes G Wagon Spied

14K views 67 replies 17 participants last post by  greynlds 
#1 ·
 
#3 ·
It's wider for sure! Even with the camo, the spacing of the tail lights and the width of the hood display changes to the dimensions.

Considering the current model is taller than it is wide, this one looks more square with more windshield.

Yay, more stupendously expensive glass!

The general shape is there so the purists will have to stay in the W463 if they want to off road them in narrow passages.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Disappointed they didn't extend the wheelbase slightly to give rear passengers more room. Perhaps they did at the expense of cargo but I remain skeptical until I see more details. This seems to be the G550 version with less aggressive stance and styling. Wonder why they have the rear side windows so heavily taped up. The front grill looks a little too Jeepy for me at this point. Should be interesting to see more spy pics and ring testing.

Will this be a 2017 or 18 model?
 
#6 ·
Here's another video and I think it helps display how the new one will be wider.



At 1:59 you see a nice clear shot of the front. Look at the wiper blades. On the current W463 chassis, the wiper blade for the driver's side terminates right above the motor shaft for the passenger blade. In the spy shots you can see how the blade tip ends with two to three inches before the passenger wiper shaft.

At the rear, at 3:21, there is a much larger space between the spare tire trim ring and the rear hatch handle.

Look here for comparison.

This all translates into less jostling for space on the sports-car sized centre armrest and room for a big beautiful display screen occupying some serious real estate on the dash.

While I'm in no incredible hurry to trade Gwen in right now, I will think pretty hard in a few years when one comes in off of lease. So long as it hasn't lost that amazing seating position so I'm able to rest my arm so perfectly on the window sill and have a cigar this comfortably in the truck.
 
#57 ·
Here's another video and I think it helps display how the new one will be wider.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0NZERfws6o

At 1:59 you see a nice clear shot of the front. Look at the wiper blades. On the current W463 chassis, the wiper blade for the driver's side terminates right above the motor shaft for the passenger blade. In the spy shots you can see how the blade tip ends with two to three inches before the passenger wiper shaft.

At the rear, at 3:21, there is a much larger space between the spare tire trim ring and the rear hatch handle.

Look here for comparison.

This all translates into less jostling for space on the sports-car sized centre armrest and room for a big beautiful display screen occupying some serious real estate on the dash.

While I'm in no incredible hurry to trade Gwen in right now, I will think pretty hard in a few years when one comes in off of lease. So long as it hasn't lost that amazing seating position so I'm able to rest my arm so perfectly on the window sill and have a cigar this comfortably in the truck.
Spot on!

althought the new G will receive a much needed (on-road) IFS, the rest of the car is being kept as close to original as possible.....not looking forward to the E-class style screens but that's purely personal....
 
#7 ·
This latest video looks like the wheelbase is longer if ever so slightly. I'm certainly hoping that is the case. Other interesting observations on this video. The images at 1:52 show grills over the headlights. The reverse and rear fog light look like after thoughts they way they are tacked on. No visible exhaust outlets on these cars. And these do not appear to be the AMG version although the truck at 4:42 could be an AMG with those wheels. Also at 4:42 around the right rear hub appears to be something new. Doubt they would add tire inflation to standard gwagens. Overall, I'm liking the direction. Although I wish they would replace the cheap plastic parts on the hood and side with a nice powder coated metal. Will be tempting. With all these pics I'm sure we'll be seeing some video sooner or later.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Oh goodness no, why why why must this icon become a GL? Who wants a wider vehicle - its just great for getting down narrow cutlines and is at least relatively easy to park.

Tell me these are 2018 videos, not 2017. I don't think I am quite ready to order a last minute 2016 this late in the year as I plan to get my 2004 through another winter driving season.

If they really do fuck it up, I will just keep my 2004 I guess.

When has an icon been changed and had someone say it was better....never. This wider/longer/shorter whatever push is just beyond me. If you want all that, get a GL.

edit...

Maybe we are safe for 2017 as per here http://releasedatesnewcars.com/2017-mercedes-benz-g-class/

I could some day have to eat my words but I just don't see that wider is what is needed for this vehicle. Indeed, it would help it corner better I guess but if I wanted a vehicle for cornering I would buy a G....TS!
 
#11 ·
When has an icon been changed and had someone say it was better....never. This wider/longer/shorter whatever push is just beyond me. If you want all that, get a GL.
I agree, mostly. Just yesterday I was taking the long way to a nearby lake in the 330Ci ZHP and I was saying to the spouse how I get that new is great and the engineering in the showroom has chasms of advancements in various places in the cars but the E46 chassis certainly is the last of a great thing. It is the pinnacle of 40 years of engineering before they added electric steering (which was eery in the E9x chassis') and turbocharged engines throughout the range that introduce lag into the experience. The E46 is a tactile, living machine that rewards deliberate actions and confidence in the capabilities. It could be argued that the 911 has gotten better/worse over the years as well.

So, it is no surprise that there are still W460/1's on the road in capable hands like Alan and Michael that want the unfiltered experience of being in an older, capable machine that can still do as much or more than newer lesser vehicles.

So let's rejoice in the fact that the W464 even exists! They're going to keep building one of the most ridiculous things in the world and maybe in 10 years, I can buy a used '18 that gets 20mpg with all of the creature comforts the GLS has but is still an iconic shape with true roots in military spec grade design and demands.
 
#12 ·
Agree with you guys that making it wider and longer with all the current technologies and amenities does affect if negatively, especially off road if you want to squeeze through trees or tight trails. I a realist, so for the G to survive it must be updated to current safety standards. Benz really had no choice to widen the G with the insertion of side curtain airbags. Like TedCorp mentioned, Porsche has to change from air to water cooled. Also they will start to turbocharge every car that could affect their marketing campaign of the beloved 911 turbo. I'm a huge Porsche guy and have learned to accept changes for the brand to survive. Only issue I have on modern cars is when they get older, they will be almost financially impossible to repair unless your a huge DIYer. If you look at some 10 yr cars that MSRP over $100k like BMW 750i or S-class, most are under $15,000 or less and selling as is with all sorts of electronic issues. This will be true with newer G or any other vehicle over $100k. Think the Gs resale value has held up very well do to the simplicity of it's mechanicals. The new G63 is still simple considering the cost.
 
#13 ·
Think the Gs resale value has held up very well do to the simplicity of it's mechanicals. The new G63 is still simple considering the cost.
I have a feeling that the new W464 has pretty similar underpinnings to the current offering. Why on earth would they all of a sudden go to unibody? The tooling is set up for their commitment to NATO until 2025 so why ruin a good thing...right? Gwen's doctor has mentioned that there is a mil-spec wider wheelbase already so maybe they just went to that.

I agree with you on the construction. I am actually pretty surprised with how easily I can take the truck apart and I imagine I could put a serious dent in it with just the tool kit supplied with the truck alone. I guess that is the point, isn't it?

Where the new trucks will be problematic is with the added communications between all of the parts and the different modules. For being such a tough truck with go anywhere abilities, it sure seals up like a 100 year old barn. There are crevasses and creases everywhere that just don't keep the weather or the car washes out for a decade. Go look at your rear taillights, 964, I bet there's rust at the pinch weld on the sides or at the very least, at the bottom of the rear hatch.
 
#14 ·
Indeed, improvements are nice when you can get them and of course regulations and safety can be drivers of it.

Minor changes that I have not been a fan of like removing the old center console and costing us the cup holder are annoying but liveable. A rehaul wider to presumably make it corner more like a car is the opposite direction of what this whole vehicle is about for myself.

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought side curtain airbags were standard as of 2006 or 2007 - so wider wouldn't be needed for that unless I am missing something.

I pray we have one more model year - 2017 - to get to order the real version (or classic if you want more polite marketing speak).
 
#15 ·
It's also not inconceivable they continue to build/sell the w463 for the foreseeable future. But most people if given the chance to order a w463 or a more modern w464 would choose the w464 for the creature comforts. I'll be holding on to my 2010 until at least 2020 to see how it all shakes out. Heck, maybe the w463's go up in value as a result. :)
 
#16 ·
Indeed. I have a very serviceable 2004. I could wait it out to see but I don't see them offering 'icon' versions and 'wide' versions in parallel. So my concern is when the wide comes, its the end of the icon. As such, you kinda have to buy an icon version before the wide ever comes along because once it does, there is no going back. Yes, you could buy a used 2017 or whathaveyou but then you are in used territory and I am kinda wanting a new variant for running for 10++ years.

I do think some niceties that would come with a redesign would indeed be nice, but I really just don't want something as wide as my mother's MDX or a Ford F150 just so I can have some more cornering ability and a nice larger center nav system.

ymmv
 
#17 ·
remember the day Porsche sold no air cooled 911's anymore. people were telling that it was the end of the 911.
with the introduction of the 996 sales went up and since they sell more and more 911's.

MB is only getting a little bit wider and doing a G upgrade.

how many on the G forums bought a brand new G? Almost all new G buyers don't go on forums to find out how to fix their G.
The new G buyers buy them because they want to show others that they can buy them new and drive them in the hot spots to show off. It's a status symbol. almost all new G buyers don't care that the 464 will be no longer a 463.

honestly i think mb did well. I happy that they kept the same design language and that they did not changed it into an 'ener G force' G
 
#19 ·
how many on the G forums bought a brand new G?
Raises hand...

Almost all new G buyers don't go on forums to find out how to fix their G.
The new G buyers buy them because they want to show others that they can buy them new and drive them in the hot spots to show off. It's a status symbol. almost all new G buyers don't care that the 464 will be no longer a 463.
I'm sure that's true in a lot of cases. I bought mine because I had wanted a G Wagen for years and was finally in a position to be able to afford one. Unlike the typical buyer, I'm sure, it's my only vehicle.

I've been debating trading my 2016 in for a 2017 just to stretch the life out that much longer. There are also a few new features / color choices available for the 2017's that are appealing to me. No matter what, I don't plan to buy a W464 until it's been around several years to make sure they've worked any kinks in the design out and I've had a chance to look them over and test drive one.

There are definitely aspects of IFS and a wider body that are appealing, notably better handling / stability and the potential for more storage and cup holders in the center console. Time will tell if it's a success from the enthusiast crowd's point of view. I'm sure the more typical buyer of current models won't miss the solid front axles or care that it won't be able to squeeze through a tight trail off road anymore.

In all honesty, I'm not inclined to take mine on anything but mild off road trails while it's new - it's just too expensive a vehicle to do so given the potential damage that can be done.
 
#21 · (Edited)
A preliminary version of the dealer ordering guide was posted on the MBWorld AMG G-Class forum here. The changes for 2017 are supposed to be a newer navigation system / smartphone integration and a bunch of new interior and exterior color options, including 2-ton leather on the G550 and some new leather colors, such as Saddle Brown. The most recent version of the ordering guide that was posted doesn't having pricing yet and the 2017's should be available starting around October.

2017's should still be W463's. It's not clear yet if the W464's will begin in 2018 or 2019.

Edit: I asked this in the MBWorld thread, but never got an answer...

Does anyone know if it's possible to get Mercedes to deliver a G63 with something other than high performance summer tires? Living in New England, I would prefer all season tires that are at least decent in the snow, like the Pirelli Scorpions that came with my 2016 G550. I'm tempted to get a G63 next time, but I just don't want to deal with the hassle of replacing the tires right away and have no interest (nor the space) in having 2 sets of wheels and tires around.
 
#23 ·
My 2016 is a G550 with the 19" wheels and came with Pirelli Scorpion all season tires that are snow rated and were fine in the snow we had last winter (it was a mild winter for snow, but we had a few decent storms and the tires worked out just fine).

I know that dedicated winter tires are available, but that's not a workable solution for me as keeping 2 sets of wheels and tires around isn't an option. Ideally, I would want Mercedes to install the 19" wheels and tires from a G550 instead of the 20" wheels if I ordered a G63. I'm not sure if the 19" wheels will fit with the larger brakes on a G63 nor am I sure if Mercedes would be willing to make that change. I guess my best bet is to ask the dealer and see what, if anything, can be done.

I honestly have no need for the extra horsepower from the G63, but I really do like the optional quilted leather seats. They look really nice and I thought they were a bit more comfortable too, though I've only sat in them briefly at the dealer.

It's ridiculous IMHO that manufacturers sell extremely capable SUVs in areas that get snow and cripple them with something like high performance summer rated tires that are useless in snow. Land Rover does the exact same thing with the Range Rover - my 2014 Range Rover HSE came with tires that were absolutely terrible in snow and I took delivery of it just before Christmas in 2013. If there had been a snow storm on the day I took delivery, the initial drive home would have been a rather unpleasant experience.

Fortunately, this is my biggest problem in life at the moment. :D
 
#24 ·
You and I are of the exact same opinion. I want winter and all terrain tires as options. But now we have gone from 18 inch rims to 19 and 20 inch rims. You can get winters for those but not all terrains. So you are stuck with 'all seasons' or 'performance suv' tires for summer but nothing that is actually a remotely off road capable tire......on what is an uber off road vehicle. It just makes no sense to me.

I'd love to get smaller rims if I could on a G63 but that wouldn't matter as there are no 19 inch all terrains either. And like yourself, for me, I would want a 63 for the nicer seats over pretty much all else. But yes, I also like the extra power and its a relatively small step up from a 550 to a 63 so why not.
 
#25 ·
Rather than just edit given we are on this topic again and again it seems, I thought I would bump my find...

Looked at a tire size calculator and see that there are a couple maybe options that would fit the 63s 20 inchers; 275/55/20s (+0.6% diameter) and 295/45/20 (-1% diameter). Now the lower profile of the second didn't interest me but the first possible alternative there gives a ton of options at Tirerack.com. BF Goodrich all-terrains.

So hmmm, it might be possible to get both genuine snow and genuine all-terrains on a 63. Hmmmm, now that is good news assuming I have not done something wrong.
 
#26 ·
Yup, that first option opens up a lot of possibilities. The BFG A/T KO's would be a great option. The slight increase in diameter shouldn't be a problem, and it's likely the dealer could select the size so that the speedometer wouldn't even be affected. Tires in that size seem to be less expensive than the OEM size too.

I'm pretty sure there are lots of 19" options too if minor adjustments are made to the tire size. If I get some time, I'll hunt around.
 
#27 ·
To what nicolas mentioned...I bought mine brand new 16 G63. And the first thing I did want tint it dark like most of my vehicles, so no one can see me or anything else inside. And I will be taking it offload and using it like it was meant to be. But Im not a normal G63 driver. haha. It will get some ballistic material put in, emergency lights/strobes, and "equipment" specific racks...But I do love coming on the forums, just as much as I do for my other cars. Im not on here too much since its not as active as other boards. But Ive noticed on here there is way way way more knowledge on this platform. Which is amazing!


Regarding the tires. Im looking to lifting my G63 and running either 35"x12.5 or 35"x13.5 tires on the factory 20" wheels. I will get some aftermarket wheels down the road, but not really in a rush since I like the look of the factory 20s. Im trying to hold of since Nitto will be releasing more 20" sizes for there new tire called Ridge Grappler. That seems to be the perfect blend of off and on road use. I have used Toyo Open Country tires but they were in 40x15.5x22. So hard to compare to a smaller tire. But for that size they were amazing.
 
#28 · (Edited)
Well I looked at this again and a typo had me all excited. But it could still be fine. There are however as best I can tell no all terrain options at all in 19 inch size tires (so a g550 simply doesn't have any options).

The ONE option that I think would work for a G63 is a BF Goodrich all terrain K02s 275/55/20 (so vs the standard 275/50/20 is a larger diameter of 31.8 inches vs 30.8 on stock 275/50/20s). Now, an extra inch in the wheel well won't be a problem in the rear, the question is will it in the front. It doesn't look to be the case to me having looked at the dealer but I would be curious of other thoughts here.

The other big advantage of that tire is that it is rated as M+S so you can use it all year - an all terrain tire but also winter rated. Now the question I wonder is, does that mean it is a 'no season'/'all season' - by that I mean good at all but master of none vs having dedicated winters? I jump through all these hoops to avoid all seasons and yet this all terrain variant effectively becomes that to my eye. I wonder if it would wear quicker as it would have to have softer compound to actually be winter tire capable in my opinion.

If that tire doesn't fit though, there are no all terrain options for 20 inch either!

The biggie that I didn't see/consider initially though is the approach angle gets killed on the g63 - its only about 27 degrees vs 35 on the 550 as it has a lower front grill to accomodate the bigger radiator. So, you can get all terrain tires for a 63 but have worse approach angles or you can get better approach angles but no all terrains for a 550. Dammit!

Thoughts here?
 
#29 ·
There are many options for A/T tires in 20" size. Its such a common tire size. 19" I dont know off the top of my head, but Im sure its not a large selection. Since 19" is a odd wheels size.

If you lift the G63 you will fix ground clearance issues you mentioned like you compared to the 550. Then you will have extra clearance to run bigger tires. Hope those answer your questions.
 
#30 ·
Indeed, I went through pretty much all the permutations and combinations at Tirerack and there were no all terrain options for 19 inch tires. There was some selection in the 20s at least - assuming a 275/55/20 will fit/clear. Its an extra inch of diameter. Technically there is an inch of lift right there so not sure how much if any one would want to lift the actual vehicle as well; unless it then accommodates those size tires.
 
#31 ·
Indeed, I went through pretty much all the permutations and combinations at Tirerack and there were no all terrain options for 19 inch tires.
The thing with the G550 is that you can mount 18 (AFAIK they'll still fit) or 20 inch wheels to get additional tire options. With the G63, I don't believe you can go with a wheel smaller than 20 due to the larger brakes.

There was some selection in the 20s at least - assuming a 275/55/20 will fit/clear. Its an extra inch of diameter. Technically there is an inch of lift right there so not sure how much if any one would want to lift the actual vehicle as well; unless it then accommodates those size tires.
Right, it would be nice to get confirmation that those would fit.

I'm also curious if there's any way to get Mercedes to put something other than summer tires on at the factory so I wouldn't have go buy a whole new set of tires right away. Pirelli Scorpion Zero's like my 2016 G550 has would be fine and are available in the stock 20" size for the G63.

Even though I can afford to buy a G63, it's a major purchase for me, so it would be nice not to have to cough up an extra ~$1500 right away for something that really should be a standard option. Are most buyers actually happy buying a $130k+ (otherwise) extremely capable 4wd vehicle that can't be driven in the snow? Maybe most buyers just suck it up and buy a second set of rims and tires.
 
#32 · (Edited)
Well I was looking closely with a tape measure today and its tight on the drivers side turning right - the steering rod attachment could be in the way at the highest amount of turn. Not a problem on the highway but a consideration in a parking lot. Now maaaaaybe with a bigger tire the extra height helps with that a bit but I doubt it does much. I too will be seeing if I can confirm this size fits. I swear looking at a G63 at a dealer's lot there looked to be tons of room but looking on my 550 I wouldn't want to bet my life on no touching in the worst case scenario.

I did at least finally figure out the color that I like - designo graphite.

edit - I was looking at it incorrectly. I was measuring 1inch from the front of the front tire in that wheel well. The diameter is bigger by an inch with that theoretically larger tire but that means its only 0.5 inches bigger on the front section which should be clear.
 
#34 ·
Totally forgot what the thread was about...right, the new chassis!

Hope so. Paris would be great but Geneva might be more likely. Who knows if they need the time Geneva would give them to dial it all in. Mind you, the full camouflage trucks look like a big vinyl sticky peel away from stage lights.

Eeee, I'm excited! I can't afford one for years but I'm giddy like a schoolboy.
 
#36 ·
Production may look better but dang, I really need to seriously ponder the icon before it gets replaced. Looks like a mix between a Jeep and a G and a Hyundai - those headlights are terrible and surely can't be production version. They kept the door hinges and roof line and flares is about all I can tell.
 
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