Test drive Mercedes Benz G-Class 2000-2007 SUV
Mercedes-Benz G 500
Years do not age this servant at all, and he confidently climbs the service ladder, as if every year he receives another military rank. Look at these straight lines of the body, listen to how his heart beats, plunge into his luxurious inner world, and you will understand that the ambulance does not threaten this warrior.
And his career began in 1979, as befits a car created for the army, Gelandewagen endowed with all the attributes necessary for this. The design is simple, has enviable reliability and endurance, so necessary in wartime conditions, which distinguishes Mercedes G from modern SUVs. And over time, these even panels, straight angles and round headlights, in addition to their utilitarian use, acquired a certain, rude, muscular, reliable, confident car. The Army General begins the new century in an updated form. And if earlier the skin and tree were used to decorate the most expensive versions, now the entire interior is processed in accordance with the new areas of the company's design. Almost the entire front of the cabin has changed. The front panel is now completely new, the instrument shield is like that of the latest C-class. The central place on it is occupied by a semicircle of the speedometer, inside of which control
lamps and display of the on -board computer. I acquired a different form and the central console, and the air ducts of the ventilation system received square outlines. The transmission control lever has disappeared, now three keys are in charge of this process at the very top of the central console, and, as before, you can connect all -wheel drive and lower gear during movement. The central console trimmed with a tree has turned into a real information center with a color liquid crystalline display. In the armrest between the front seats, a mobile phone with a lunch is hidden, while the microphone is located right above the driver's head. The seats are also fully equipped with black leather, heating, electrical regulation and automatic vacuum swing in four driver's seat pillows. The controls of the entire electrician are carried out on the door, and use the adjustment of the seat and the steering column is just a pleasure. In addition, there is a memory for three positions of the seat. 
A large transparent internal lighting ceiling appeared in the center, on which the hatch control button and the key with the red inscription SOS are located. When pressing this key, a pleasant female voice first in Russian (!), And then in English reports emergency telephones with firefighters, police and ambulance. Fortunately, the phone is always at hand. In parallel, the distress signal enters the satellite, and with a significant accident or car breakdown, this occurs automatically. The steering wheel, it seems, also migrated the same control buttons here from the C-class, the airbag, only the upper and lower parts of the rim are decorated with wood inserts. The hand brake lever, for which there was practically no room left, acquired a complex shape, but at the same time remained very convenient to use.
To increase the reliability and durability of the work of all this electronic perfection, instead of conventional wiring, fiber optics was used. It is more compact, it is cheaper, and it works more reliable and faster, and a short circuit is excluded. The only thing that can disable it is mechanical damage, but for this you need to try very hard.
From a mechanical point of view, everything remained as before: the same 5-liter motor, an automatic gearbox with the possibility of manual switching, a spring suspension with hard bridges and disk brakes on all wheels. The cross -country ability remained army, since when the reduction is turned on, the ABS is automatically turned off, and the automatic gearbox has the ability to compulsory switching. Probably for this they love the old warrior. According to Mercedes-Benz, a contract for the supply of G-class to the army is extended for another 5 years, and this indicates that the model can undergo a number of improvements. The closest new V8 diesel engine with a volume of 4 liters, which should appear in the spring of next year.
Some technical characteristics of Mercedes-Benz G 500
(manufacturer data)
Dimensions, mm 4680x1760x1935
Base, mm 2850
Front/behind, mm 1475/1475
Diameter of the turn, m 13.3
Type of engine gasoline V8 24-valve
Working volume, cubic meter. cm 4966
Max. Power, L.S./rpm 296/5500
Max. moment, nm/rpm 456/2800
The permanent drive is complete
The transmission is automatic 5-band
Differential blocking
The front spring suspension on longitudinal and transverse
levers, hard bridge, stabilizer
transverse stability
the rear spring on the longitudinal
and transverse levers, hard bridge
Front brakes/back disc ventilated/disk, ABS
Max. Speed, km/h 195
Acceleration time 0-100 km, with 7.4
Fuel consumption (EU), l/100 km 13.7/21.8/16.7
Tank volume, l 96
Leo Tolyasin
Photo by Alexander Vasiliev
Source: Avtopanorama magazine
