We Say Yes to this Open-top Diesel G-Wagen
How do you make a G-Wagen cooler? Chop the top off.
Vehicles which can be considered universally cool are quite rare these days, but one that almost always receives praise is the G-wagon. Chunky looks that throw away any sort of subtlety is one of the factors, and new portal axle models take extremes to… extremes. But it seems that even if you strip away some of the coolest components of a G-Wagen, it still says ridiculously cool. Need proof? Here’s an under-powered diesel, two-door, roofless, open-top version. And it’s awesome.
You’ll need to know that this G-Wagen does not have the luxurious amenities of the current crop on offer from Mercedes-Benz, but you can’t get one of those with a full open-top configuration either. Nor can you get one with an interior covered in truck bed liner which can be cleaned out with a pressure washer after you’ve done some adventurous trail conquering.
But mainly, what this GD240 offers is character. The clackety diesel will not really throw you into the back of your seat, but the rest of the drive line will allow you to delve into something quite rare for a G-Wagen: shifting your own gears. Trail conquering would be made easy as well, with the torque-abundant OM616 diesel motor and locking front and rear differentials. If that wasn’t character enough, five of your best buddies can go along with you, and two of them will have to sit on the sideways bench seat in the back. And, if you haven’t noticed, its orange, and it was originally supplied to the Danish military. In terms of conversation starters, this one has a monopoly them.
And that’s why we like this open-top GD240. No other modern Mercedes could have sideways seating, a loud diesel, accelerate slowly, be colored so vividly and not look extremely out-of-place.
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