The history of the G-model began in summer 1969. At the time, Daimler-Benz AG and Austrian Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG made the decision to develop and produce the G-model. It was to combine extreme off-road capabilities with good handling on the road.
The new production facilities with a capacity for up to 10,000 vehicles a year were erected in Graz-Thondorf, Austria.
During the development stage, a "G" has to endure a good 2,000 strenuous kilometres on the very demanding 1,445-meter-high local mountain near the Austrian city of Graz. Every G-Class has to conquer the Schöckl, a 5.6 km route which includes gradients of up to 60 percent and lateral inclinations of up to 40 percent. Graz's own mountain, the Schöckl, is home to the legendary test track on which the G-Class has to prove its worth.
In 2019, Mercedes-Benz opened their first-ever G-Class Experience center in Graz, the home of the G-Class. Customers and fans from all over the world can come here to experience the impressive on- and off-road capabilities of the G-Class. Here they will get the opportunity to fully test the enormous potential of the G-Glass, hone their driving skills on at times extreme terrain, and experience first-hand what the "Schöckl proved" quality stamp means.
By December 2020, the G-Class hit the milestone of 400,000 models produced. To mark this anniversary, a red Mercedes-Benz G 400 d rolled off the production line in Graz.
