Off-road, Truck-hauling 2016 Mercedes-Benz G300 CDI Rules!
Taking G-Wagon modifications to a new level Down Under.
The all-new G-Class might be hitting showrooms soon, but the W461 generation still reigns supreme when it comes to all-out utility. Take this 2016 G300 CDI, for example, which we spotted on the Car Sales auction site. In true Australian fashion, this single-cab G-Wagen is decked out with a bed tray, 9,500-pound winch, an LED light bar, a snorkel, and a steel brush guard that connects to the steel cab steps. BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO tires provide the traction while the G-Wagen’s legendary three locking differentials keep the tires turning at the same speed while digging through treacherous Outback terrain.
Mercedes actually debuted the G300 Cab-Chassis to Australia in 2016 as part if its G-Class Professional series. It harks back nearly 40 years in styling and content, foregoing fancy items like a large infotainment screen, full-color driver information display, massaging leather seats, steering wheel controls, push-button starting, dual-zone climate controls, and a laundry list of other features. Rather, the G300 Professional is a bare-bones example of what the G-Wagen used to be.
The interior of this 2,700-mile, dealership demonstrator is fitted with uncarpeted floors, heavy-duty vinyl seats, a steel center console, a steel and plastic dash, and a stereo that looks like it came from a JC Whitney catalog circa 2004. The HVAC system even uses old-school sliders to control vent functions and the windows are hand-powered. It’s hard to believe this is an almost-new Mercedes from 2016.
What’s even harder to believe is the price tag. This particular example is selling for $104,750 in Australia. That’s slightly more expensive than the new seventh-generation BMW 520d – a luxury sedan fitted with creature comforts typical of a triple-digit asking price.
Of course, the G300 boasts utility and go-anywhere capabilities as its selling points. Power is provided by the all-aluminum 3.0-liter biturbo V-6 diesel making 181 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed automatic is surprisingly present rather than a manual gearbox, but Mercedes still includes the front, center, and rear differential locks in conjunction with the 4WD system. And unlike the upcoming 2019 G-Class, this G300 still rides on soli axles front and rear.
For those needing a hard-core, no frills truck that will tackle Australia’s most unforgiving terrain while carrying a few thousand pounds in the bed, the G300 is about as good as it gets.
Photos: Car Sales