This is what the "g" class from Mercedes-Benz could look like

Actually, there could have been a "small G" a long time ago: The design department had envisioned the GLB as an angular, compact off-roader, even a sheet metal bar between the front and rear doors was conceivable - just like the real G model.

But in the course of the in-house market studies, the car became more and more conventional, and not even an off-road variant went into series production - even though the GLB was shown in spring 2019, already with a finished body, before the start of series production, with searchlights on the roof and rough off-road tires in the 265/65 R 17 dimension.

Now the Stuttgart-based company is taking another stab at it - with a small off-roader that was announced last month at the IAA in Munich as the "g-Class" - with a small "g". Our renderings show what such a car could look like: Compact, around 4.50 meters long, a five-seater on the platform of the next front-wheel-drive models from Mercedes-Benz.

The steep windshield and sharply drawn edges provide the desired resemblance to its big brother. Space utilization should be almost ideal, but the aerodynamicists will have plenty to do.

The Stuttgart-based company is still keeping quiet about technical details, but the aspirations of a small G-model call for all-wheel drive and outstanding off-road qualities. Because the new platform will be open to technology, we expect not only an all-electric version, but also classically powered hybridized variants. The off-roader is expected to come onto the market in 2026 - in the perfection typical of the brand. (aum/jm)