Mercedes-Benz has shared first official images of the new G-Class Cabriolet, confirming the return of an iconic model that disappeared nearly 10 years ago. The German automaker is finally bringing its legendary soft-top 4×4 back on — and off — the road. It’s a format practically unique in the industry.
On-road testing underway in Europe
Photographed in Austria, the new G-Class convertible is currently undergoing its first driving tests, both on the road and on the track. A second phase of winter testing will take place in Sweden to validate the off-road performance and the resilience of the roof mechanism in extreme Nordic conditions.
Based on the gas-engine G-Class
Even though Mercedes has not yet revealed detailed technical specifications, the official images confirm that this open-top version is built on the gasoline model platform and not on the electric EQG. We can thus expect the current powertrains, including the G500 (3.0L turbo inline-6) and the AMG G63 model (4.0L twin-turbo V8).
The automaker has not yet mentioned the availability of all these versions for the convertible model, but this is the mechanical pool Mercedes is currently drawing from.
As early as next summer?
No precise launch date has been announced, but since the vehicle is already in the testing phase and is a variant of an existing model, a release around summer in Europe—an ideal period for a convertible—seems realistic.
The first details of the G-Class Cabriolet circulated in September before the Munich Motor Show. Mercedes then confirmed that the G-Class lineup would be expanded to include a convertible, offered in most global markets... and for the first time in the U.S. That reflects the growing popularity of the G-Class in North America.
