The 2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen: A case study in not judging a book by its cover
If you have been watching our coverage of the 2018 Detroit Auto Show, you’ve probably seen this 2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Class that looked like it had driven through a massive mud puddle. However, according to this behind the scenes article from the New York Times, the mud was actually fake and Mercedes paid an artist to paint it on!
That article has a picture of the artist at work. There he is, paint brush in hand, giving the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen just the perfect mud-covered patina.
It begs the following question: Why didn’t Mercedes just take the G-Wagen off-road? It could have made for a compelling story and even a video had they just taken the vehicle through some real mud. In fact, they did show videos of the car driving through mud during its reveal! This just goes to show the lengths that manufacturers go to at these types of shows to put on a good display.
Many people are skeptical of the new G-Wagen’s off-road ability, due to its new independent front suspension. Perhaps this is their way to try and convince the skeptics that it is still off-road worthy. Maybe Mercedes shouldn’t let the New York Times photograph an artist painting the mud on the truck.
What do you think of this artist’s work and the new Mercedes G-Wagen? Let us know in the comments! Subscribe to The Fast Lane Truck and TFLnow on YouTube for the latest G-Wagen news, views, and real-world, real-mud reviews.
