G500 Seating Question
Escalade
G500
Escalade seats 8, how many does the G500 seat? and if it just seats 5 is there a way to put seats in the very back? seems like there is enough room for that.
If you haven't seen a G500 in person, you should know that it is smaller than an Escalade. If you want an on-road SUV that carry a lot of people, get the Escalade. The G500 has about the same footprint as an Explorer. Except for status and image, the Escalde and G500 aren't even in the same league.
The closest competitors to the G500 are the 2003 Range Rover or the Hummer H2. An Escalade can't touch it off-road or in terms of build quality and technology. The G500 probably also handles better on-road, but has a stiffer ride.
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Check with http://www.orc.de. I don't speak German, but trying to decifer a custom ordered G-Class on http://www.car-configurator.mercedes-benz.com/, it seems that the rear jump seats cost Euros 858.40 in leather for each side. You can get just right/left or both.
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http://mbspy.bacosys.be/g55l.htm
It has three rows of seating, but it isn't being imported in the US yet. You could check with Mercedes to see if they will ever bring it to the US, but even in Europe it is a special order and I've never seen one in person. As far as I know, only a handful have been built so far for special customers. They are also very expensive (almost $200k) for the AMG version.
I have not seen any other seating option from any manufacturer for the G-class. You might want to check with Brabus in Newport Beach (http://www.brabus-usa.com/) since they do all kinds of interior, exterior, and performance upgrades for the G-Class.
I love my G500. The only other vehicle I would rather have is a G55 AMG or perhaps a Lamborghini LM002 in mint condition. I got to drive a new G55 today and it was awesome.
You get a lot of attention in the G-Class. It was cool at first, but then I noticed that people drive pretty crazy to get a good look. They dont' even realize they are drifting into your lane! The only other thing that gets more looks is my friends Hummer H2 or an Italian exotic. You certainly do get noticed, and the valet guys fight over who gets to park your car.
You also get a lot of looks when you take it off-road. You'll see the die-hard off-road junkies snicker when they see you...but after a while they all come up and ask lots of questions and crawl underneath. One look at the solid chasis and the three locking diffs, and they become quite friendly.
You can see more pics of my G500 at:
http://homepage.mac.com/jimmy/
I'm assuming you are an American. If you are concerned about your personal safety considering the current situation in the Middle East, I don't think you have anything to be worried about in Dubai. The population of Dubai is more than 80% foreign citizens...mostly from India, Pakistan, the Philipines, UK. Politics are unimportant to this crazy mix of people from all over the world. People are there to make money and enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. I went to an American school there and I have a lot of American friends who live there.
If you said you were considering Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, or any other place in the Middle East...I would advise caution; but Dubai is different. Go for a visit (American's and Europeans don't need a visa) and see for yourself. The weather is incredible this time of year and will be for the next 6-8 months.
Another bonus is that Emirates Airlines will be launching non-stop flights over the North Pole between Dubai and North America next year. They will be flying (tentatively) to LA, Chicago, and New York. They have also signed a partnership with Houston and are considering flights there.
Besides, it's a great haven for Mercedes enthusiasts. The in Mercedes dealer Dubai is the second largest volume MB dealer outside of Germany. They sell gobs of G-wagen's...mostly for export to Russia and Japan.
Send me an e-mail if you want more info about Dubai: jimmy@mac.com.



