Right down to the plaid seat inserts, this G-Class aims to recapture some of the original 280 GE.
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class — the iconic “Geländewagen” — may not be to everyone’s taste, but those who are fans of Mercedes’ iconic SUV are deeply entrenched in its all-around awesomeness, enthusing about its entire history all the way back to the W460 generation. Now, for those who actually have the cash to throw toward a modern G-Wagen can recapture some of the original magic with this limited “Stronger than the 1980s” edition. I’ll bet you can’t guess which decade it’s paying homage to.
Essentially, the 2025 Mercedes-Benz G550 Stronger than the 1980s takes the current-generation model and sprinkles in some retro touches, with a strong air of exclusivity thrown into the mix. When it does go on sale later this year, only 460 customers will have the opportunity to buy one. And that’s not just here in the U.S. Mercedes only plans to ship 460 of these models (a nod to the W460 generation) globally.
This limited-production model brings in three old-school “Manufaktur” colors to kick off the retro aesthetic: Agave Green, Cream and Colorado Beige. No matter which color you choose, you also get a retro-styled Night Black Magno grille, brush guard, underguard, side sills, wheel arches and mirror housings to give off more of a rough and tumble look befitting a military vehicle, which was the Geländewagen’s original purpose in the 1970s. Rounding out the historic exterior look is a set of classic 18-inch, five-spoke alloys and prominent amber indicator lights on the fenders.
Inside, this Stronger Than the 1980s model gets that special branding on the passenger grab handle (which will make it easier for folks to remember that mouthful of a name), as well as Dove Grey fabric seat inserts. Apart from that, you get heritage “Schöckl Proved” badging (Schöckl being a mountain near Graz, Austria where the G has proved itself since going on sale in civilian form in 1979).
Out back, Mercedes includes an edition-specific spare wheel cover, and you get the Professional Line Exterior package, bringing in extras like all-terrain tires and mud flaps. Agave Green examples take things one step further, and get a roof rack, unlike the other two colors. Finally, the Maufaktur Logo package features black door handles with embossed “G” logos and “G – Stronger Than Time” puddle lights projected beneath the driver and passenger mirrors.
How much will it cost?
Functionally, this Stronger than the 1980s version of the modern 2025 Mercedes-Benz G550 is completely stock, apart from the aesthetic touches. Under the hood, you still get a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six offering up 443 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque. Standard four-wheel drive still applies, of course, as does a 9-speed automatic transmission. At any rate, that is a fair bit more potent than the 156 horsepower and 167 lb-ft of torque the old 3.0-liter 280 GE (and that one was “quick” for its time, managing 0-60 in something like 14 seconds). Even as a non-AMG-tuned model, the modern one can handle a 0-60 sprint in 5.3 seconds.
Mercedes did not specify exactly how many of the 460 units are coming to the U.S., nor how much each example would cost. The automaker did say America-bound models will hit dealerships later this year.
