Mercedes G-wagen - Toyota

Thai · #1 (**permalink**) 03-14-2004, 09:36 PM

New Mercedes Benz G Wagons arrive in Kabul to replace aging Iltis jeeps
08:30 PM EST Mar 14
LES PERREAUX

KABUL (CP) - Canadian soldiers drove in air-conditioned comfort from the Kabul airport Friday in the first of the beefy new jeeps that will replace the aging Iltis.

Eighteen new Mercedes-Benz G Wagons, featuring armour plating, bullet-resistant glass windows and a grenade-proof roof, were delivered to Canadian troops in Afghanistan. Over the next week 60 of the vehicles will arrive by transport aircraft. The jeeps will replace the 20-year-old topless Iltis, a vehicle that offers a great view and a quick exit but almost no protection from the elements or shrapnel.

"You don't feel like you're in a Pepsi can in this one," said Warrant Officer Alain Blanchette, an army mechanic.

"You feel like you've got something around you that is going to protect you. I know one thing for sure. Everybody will be more confident and secure in this vehicle than the Iltis."

Happy Canadian soldiers tested the jeep on the 20-kilometre drive back to Camp Julien through downtown Kabul. The roomy G Wagon has an automatic transmission, shifts to four-wheel-drive with the push of a button and accelerates around moving traffic far more quickly than the Iltis.

The basic G Wagon costs $44,000 Cdn. The full armour kit adds another $86,000 to the pricetag.

"I love it," said Pte. Martin Lavoie, an army driver who is out in light jeeps almost every day. "It's really impressive. It's really really good, superior to the Iltis in every way."

About 800 G Wagons, including 160 with the armour, and 1,060 GM Silverado utiltity vehicles will gradually replace 1,900 20-year-old Iltis jeeps through August 2005.

Three Canadian soldiers have died in the past six months in explosive attacks targeting the Iltis. In October, two soldiers died when at least one anti-tank mine was set off. In January, a soldier died when a suicide bomber targeted his jeep. The arrival of the new jeeps was sped up after the October attack.

Col. Alain Tremblay, the head of the Canadian contingent in Afghanistan, said the new armoured jeep probably would not have saved the soldiers in the mine attack. However it might have made a difference in the suicide attack Jan. 27 that killed Cpl. Jamie Murphy and injured three soldiers.

"In that case, it is highly likely this vehicle would have made a difference," Tremblay said.

However a car bomb carrying hundreds of pounds of explosives blew up next to a heavier British jeep the next day and killed a British soldier. Tremblay pointed out that a bigger explosive weapon can always be found to take out light armoured vehicles.

"This is not a tank," Tremblay said. "It has a limited anti-mine capability. But it's better than the Iltis, obviously."

The G Wagon has armoured plating and thick bullet-resistant windows that do not open. Tremblay said a big blast can often do more damage to people inside such a vehicle because there is nowhere for the wave of pressure from a blast to escape. One Canadian soldier survived the October mine attack when he was thrown out of the Iltis.

The G Wagon will be used to bolster Canada's fleet of vehicles for patrols and transport in Afghanistan but some of the smaller Iltis jeeps will remain in use on Kabul's narrow streets.

While breakdowns have plagued the Iltis on the Afghanistan mission, the old jeep still has fans. The armoured G Wagon offers more protection but some soldiers like the open-topped jeep because it allows them to quickly jump out and shoot back in an attack.

Sgt. Daniel Parenteau, a driving instructor and member of Alpha Company of the 3rd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment, said the soldiers will get used to having doors, windows and a roof.

"Sure, with the Iltis you could see all around and get out fast," he said.

"Now people will learn that it's inside the vehicle where you are safe. You have to fire eight rounds from a rifle in the exact same spot to finally break the glass. People will adjust their thinking."

GatorGreg · #2 (**permalink**) 03-14-2004, 11:35 PM

Thai · #3 (**permalink**) 03-14-2004, 11:50 PM

Mercedes-Benz Canada to supply G-wagons to the Canadian military

Toronto, Ontario

Thai · #4 (**permalink**) 03-14-2004, 11:56 PM

G Wagon Technical Specifications

VARIANTS: 3 (Basic, Command and Reconnaissance, Military Police)
TYPE: 4 Pax Station Wagon
ENGINE: 5-cylinders
DRIVETRAIN: 4X4 permanent all-wheel drive, 5-speed automatic
TIRES: Michelin XZL 8.25R16 with optional run-flat inserts.
FORDING ABILITY: 600mm
GROUND CLEARANCE: 43.9cm
SIDE SLOPE ANGLE: 30

Thai · #5 (**permalink**) 03-14-2004, 11:58 PM

According to a forum reader:

There was a competition held, and GM (Humvee) withdrew their bid - this left Mercedes the winner by default.

March 10, 2004: Germany has it's own version of the U.S. hummer (HMMWV, or humvee.) You could call it "hummer lite." The Mercedes G500 Gelaendewagen ("cross country vehicle") is an SUV design adapted for military use. It's lighter (2.5 tons) and smaller than the hummer. And cheaper as well (about $35,000 for the military version). If you add the armor package, the price goes to about $66,000. Dozens of armies are replacing their old style jeeps with the G500. Unlike jeeps, which are essentially "convertibles," the G500 is a hard top. That means air conditioning, which is a big plus for the troops. But the troops also complain about the decreased visibility (compared to a jeep with the top down). An optional armor package makes up for a lot of those fears. The G500 is still a good cross country vehicle. But it's more of a transport vehicle than a "battle wagon" as the hummer often is.

The Canadian army just bought 800 G500s (or "G-Wagons"), including 160 of the armored models. Some 60 of the armored G-Wagons were promptly shipped off to Canadian troops in Afghanistan. The civilian version of the G500 costs about $73,000 in the United States (with all the required anti-pollution and safety devices, but no armor). The idea for the G500 came from the late Shah of Iran in the late 1970s. The Shah was deposed before Mercedes could get the G500 to market, but once it did, the vehicle became hugely popular.

GatorGreg · #6 (**permalink**) 03-15-2004, 12:05 AM

Nice!

Thai · #7 (**permalink**) 03-15-2004, 12:07 AM

Hmmm...it's time to crack open my bank vault.........lockers......drool......

Thai · #8 (**permalink**) 03-15-2004, 12:08 AM

G-wagen crash test:

http://www.rubicon-trail.com/public/gwagen.mov

GatorGreg · #9 (**permalink**) 03-15-2004, 12:12 AM

That was F-ing hilarious, thanks Thai!

Thai · #10 (**permalink**) 03-17-2004, 12:36 AM

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. (October 15, 2003) -- With a little help from 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion and Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464, Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit observed a demonstration of whether or not a CH-53 Super Stallion helicopter had the ability to transport an Interim Fast Attack Vehicle (IFAV) in its cargo hold.

During the demonstration, drivers from 2nd Recon Bn., tried to load the two types of IFAVs, the high suspension and low suspension versions, in the cargo hold area. Engineers from Advanced Vehicle System, Annapolis, Md., were on hand to offer technical assistance.

Photo by: Lance Cpl. Sarah A. Beavers

Thai · #11 (**permalink**) 03-17-2004, 12:38 AM

Caption:
Marines assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment disembark a CH-47 helicopter in order to conduct security operations in Tagab Valley, Afghanistan. The Marines and sailors of the battalion have been conducting operations to destroy terrorist organizations and infrastructures and humanitarian assistance since arriving in Afghanistan late last year.
Photo by: Lance Cpl. Eric R. Martin

Thai · #12 (**permalink**) 03-18-2004, 10:10 PM

More G-wagon army pics:

Thai · #13 (**permalink**) 04-13-2004, 09:37 PM

Take a look at this thread:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/foru...osts=28&fid=30

Apparently, the newer G-wagons in the US (2002-2003) have horrible quality control. Some theorize that:

Increase production (and limited workers) +
More electronics (ATRAC, ABS, transfer case, etc.) +
Limited experience of workers in Graz to electronics =

POOR QUALITY!

Thai · #14 (**permalink**) 04-19-2004, 04:18 PM

Yet, another horrible thread about 2002 G's pathetic quality:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/foru...osts=18&fid=30

This is truly depressing for such a truck...MB ruined it!

If the next time that you have a small problem with the 4runner, then just read this thread. I am sure that you will get up and kiss your 4runner!

Thai · #15 (**permalink**) 06-15-2004, 07:19 AM

Twenty-five years of the 'G'
Story and photos by Grant Yoxon

On road or off, the 'G' is top of the class

GRAZ, Austria - In Europe, where the Mercedes Gelaendenwagen has been sold for 25 years, the boxy Benz has achieved cult status.

But the G-Class, as it is known today, is a rare sight on our roads. It has been available in North America for just two of those 25 years, and its price in Canada starts above $110,000.

So it can be well understood if the importance of a quarter-century run for a vehicle that few people in Canada have even seen, let alone can afford, is lost on the average motorist here.

Yet the anniversary is doubly significant for Canada. The G-Class is built by a Canadian-owned company, and in its military version will serve as basic transport for the Canadian Armed Forces.

Its manufacturer, Magna-Steyer AG, is the descendant of Steyer-Daimler-Puch AG, with which Mercedes-Benz worked to develop and produce the Gelaendenwagen. For most of its history, the G-Class was built under contract by Steyer at its factory here.

Canada's Magna International Inc. acquired control of Steyer-Daimler-Puch in 1998, giving Magna, one of the world's largest auto suppliers, the ability to produce whole vehicles. Today, Magna-Steyer also produces the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chrysler Voyager, BMW X3 and Saab 9-3 convertible.

Production of the G-Class began in 1979, with all of the vehicle's components being manufactured at the plant in Graz, a tradition that continues today. Only 24 of these mostly hand-built vehicles leave the assembly line each day.

The G-Class was originally conceived as a civilian vehicle, but Mercedes and Steyer soon started thinking about military applications after the Shah of Iran - a major Mercedes-Benz shareholder - placed an order for 20,000 units in 1975, just as construction on the factory in Graz began. That contract was later cancelled by the revolutionary government, but nearly a third of all G-Class vehicles built have been purchased by other nations for military or emergency use.

The most recent client is the Canadian Armed Forces, which placed an order for 802 long-wheelbase G-Class wagons in October 2003. Sixty have already been delivered to Afghanistan, while another 40 have arrived in Canada. The remainder will be delivered over the next four years, and Mercedes-Benz hopes the Canadian Forces will be pleased with its purchase and execute an option to buy 499 more of the sturdy, capable four-by-fours.

How capable? With a strong ladder frame, rigid axles, coil springs and gas shocks, three electronically locking differentials, a synchronized transfer case, a low-range off-road gear ratio, electronic traction control, stability control and brake assist, the G Wagon can go just about anywhere.

In civilian trim, it is able to climb or descend slopes of up to 80 per cent. Its maximum stationary tilt angle is 54 degrees. Ground clearance is 29 centimetres (11.4 in.) It can ford streams 50 cm (19.7 in.) deep. On military versions, ground clearance bumps up to 43.9 cm (17.2 in), and its fording capability is 60 cm (23.6 in.), according to the Department of National Defence. However, with its high-mounted snorkel air intake, it could probably go much deeper.

Magna-Steyer has an off-road test site outside Graz, atop a mountain with panoramic views looking toward Slovakia. It was here at the Schöckl test site that the off-road prowess of the original Gelaendenwagen was perfected and where Mercedes-Benz and Magna-Steyer still test the durability and capability of the G-Class.

Schöckl is a network of rocky trails and near-impossible boulder-strewn slopes. Stopped on an incline with a 40- or 50-degree angle, our G 500 (5.0-litre gas engine) tester climbed effortlessly away and straight up. The descent was moderated by the low-range gear and copious engine braking, as we crawled over the rocks without the aid of the wheel brakes.

It is easy to understand this vehicle's attraction for the military. But as capable as it is off-road, the civilian G-Class has all the comforts one would expect in an ultra-luxury vehicle -- integrated navigation system, heated leather seats, walnut wood trim, automatic climate control and electrically adjustable steering column, to name a few.

In Europe it's available in a short-wheelbase two-door wagon, short-wheelbase cabrio and long-wheelbase four door wagon with a choice of three gasoline engines and two diesels.

Canada gets only the long-wheelbase four-door, offered with two gas V-8s: a 296-horsepower 5.0-litre (G 500), and the new 2005 AMG supercharged 5.5-litre (G 55 AMG) that produces 476 h.p. and 516 pound-feet of torque.

Compared to the original Gelaendenwagen that debuted in 1979 with four engines and a maximum 150 h.p., the G-Class has come a long way. In that time, Mercedes-Benz has never felt the need to change the G's form-follows-function exterior appearance. The square, angular shape provides a good field of vision for the driver and makes excellent use of interior space.

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