The Mercedes G-Wagen started life as a military vehicle for the sort of people for whom a Land Rover Defender wasn’t robust enough and ended life as the preferred mode of transport for whom a Bentley Bentayga is just too discreet.

The transition from battlefield to Battersea was only possible because the G-Wagen is possibly the most capable, toughest, and coolest way to cross terrain that a mountain goat would baulk at. Its engine is tuned for torque rather than power and the standard-fit front and rear differential locks keep it mobile when only one tyre has traction.

The Mercedes also possesses the sort of longevity that Land Rovers owners envy; a Defender might be easier to repair but the G-Wagen just quietly soldiers on with only the merest whiff of an oily rag and the odd friendly pat on its angular shoulders.

Speed … G-Wagen

Taking on a variety of guises throughout it’s life the G-Wagen can be built / specced to suit any need. From the monstrous 6×6 to nimble SWB models and through all of the blacked out G63s in between the G-Wagen fits the bill for most needs. With the exception of fast cornering.

Iconic designs are few and far between these days, since the Defender ended production and their premiums are shooting up there is relatively little to fill that void, and this is where the G-Wagen has really come into it’s own. As such values of the ‘G’ have started to creep ever upwards, due to the low numbers of this icon coming through the auction circuit there is some space between values but they are certainly headed in the right direction, just take a look at the graph below.

G-Wagen prices haven’t yet exploded. Yet.

Mercedes no longer produces the SWB models which make them an even rarer sight both on the road and in the auction house, so when one does come up for sale they don’t stay that way for very long. The Market have a very special 1987 G-CLASS 280 GE for sale and is expected to sell for around £15,000, the car is documented with a library’s worth of pictures and is in excellent condition.

If this has you thinking about all things G-Wagen, click HERE to take a look at the example below in more depth.

The beautiful G-Wagen has become a new auction hero.