The upcoming Mercedes-Benz “baby” G-Class will be manufactured in Hungary. This is as reported by Automotive News.
The G-Class writ small
We’ve known for a few years now that Mercedes-Benz has been working on a new, smaller take on the G Class idea. And why wouldn’t it - globally, the G-Class enjoys a spectacular aura, making it highly desirable. Positioned at the very top of the lineup, it’s accessible only to the small fraction of the customer base that can swing a starting price of over $200,000. To widen the base, Mercedes-Benz intends to offer an alternative option.
The reveal of the upcoming baby G-Class is expected early next year. For now, we don’t have any technical details regarding the vehicle. It is known that the new model will be built on the MMA (Mercedes Modular Architecture) platform. For context, the new CLA is also designed on this modern and versatile architecture.
Some spy images are already circulating online, which reveal an outline very similar to that of the standard G-Class. The boxy shape is still very much present, in other words, only now the box is shrunken down to more moderate size.
Mercedes-Benz' Hungary plant to become its largest in Europe
Mercedes-Benz’ intention to build the future small G-Class in Kecskemét, Hungary is accompanied by major investments made in these facilities. Those investments will make of the factory the manufacturer's largest in Europe. Mercedes-Benz could build up to 400,000 units annually at the plant.
Mercedes’ German plants in Sindelfingen, Rastatt, and Bremen remain at the heart of the manufacturer's operations, of course. But considerations of profitability are hard for a company to ignore, so the German brand continues to explore its options in a bid to streamline production costs.