Stuttgart – The Mercedes-Benz G-Class has something of a cult following around the world, so it’s little wonder that the German carmaker is looking at squeezing a bit more out of its iconic status.
That would, of course, mean taking its basic design flavour and translating it into a smaller and more mass-market SUV that could potentially sell like hotcakes.
According to Motor1, quoting German publication Handelsblatt, this is exactly what Mercedes-Benz plans to do with its new compact SUV that’s being readied for 2026.
Have all those Brabus-kitted Suzuki Jimnys given them an idea?
But while you might expect a downsized Gelandewagen of sorts, the vehicle won’t be as rugged as the real body-on-frame G-Class, according to the aforementioned publications.
Instead it’s expected that the newcomer will be built around the new MMA unibody architecture that will also underpin the next-generation of compact models, including the GLA and GLB.
Although this platform is being designed primarily for electric vehicles, it can also accommodate internal combustion models, and the upcoming baby G-Class will reportedly be offered in both EV and ICE configurations.
Although sitting on a radically different platform to the G-Class, the new baby SUV is said to have strong visual similarities to its bigger brother, Handelsblatt reports. The vehicle will apparently only be slightly shorter but significantly lower than the G-Class.
As for the genuine Gelandewagen, Mercedes is currently readying an all-electric version called the EQG, which will future-proof the iconic 4x4 once its home market of Europe goes all-electric.
A double-cab bakkie version of the Mercedes G-Class is also said to be in the works as one of many new niche vehicles that the German company is working on as it forges a more upmarket and exclusive path.