Stuff visits G-Wagon’s home

Leaving Munich, the road ahead unfolded like a ribbon of possibilities. The autobahn, that legendary stretch of asphalt where speed limits are often treated as mere suggestions (and delightfully so), beckoned. The GLC300, a vehicle usually found gracefully navigating the urban jungle, transformed into a sleek, asphalt-devouring missile. Its 2.0-liter inline-four turbo engine, a plucky little powerhouse churning out 255 hp and a respectable 400Nm of torque, hooked up to a slick nine-speed automatic transmission, made triple-digit speeds feel less like a challenge and more like a casual stroll in a very fast park. Overtakes? They were dispatched with the casual flick of a wrist. There’s a particular brand of joy in watching the scenery blur outside while your speedo blazes past numbers that would earn you a hefty fine almost anywhere else on Earth. It’s pure, unadulterated, Teutonic freedom. A sharp, full colour HUD and Augmented reality maps projected over the front camera feed helped me spot exits, road signs, even hazards before they became problems. Seat ventilation breathing beneath and 8000ft of Alipine altitude above, it was time to hit the “drive time” playlist. 

Soon enough, the Autobahn gives way to the Alps, and that’s where things get beautiful. Hairpin bends through dense beech and fir forest, roads that twist around waterfalls, drop suddenly, then rise again. The GLC handles changes in altitude without snatching or breathing hard. The mapping system re-routes around tight curves, signalling upcoming switchbacks and signposts in German point to small villages that look as if they floated in from a postcard.

Halfway, in a tucked-away plateau, I stop at a roadside inn that might as well have been transplanted from India’s roadside “dhaba” archetype. Weathered wood around the cabin, aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked buns accompanied by a generous dollop of lingonberry jam made for the perfect refueliing. A local farmer drops by, nods at the line up of Merc SUVs, jokes about needing traction when the snow comes. It feels like time slows.

Graz isn’t glamorous in its approach. In fact, it’s industrial, efficient, austere. But there’s poetry here. Magna Steyr has been building the G-Class since 1979. The G-wagon factory is more than just machines. Yes, there are robots, but only a handful. 80% of it is built by human hands and meticulous craftsmanship. The body-on-frame structure, the ladder chassis, the panels that must be true, welds you can’t see but you can sense. Most work is still done by people welding, riveting, seam-sealing, and leather-stitching. The attention to detail is almost fanatical. Each worker is responsible for specific assembly steps, and perhaps most impressively, every single part, every bolt tightened, every trim piece fitted, is meticulously documented. Should there ever be an issue, even years down the line, they can trace exactly which worker assembled which component on a particular vehicle. It’s a level of accountability and craftsmanship that is truly rare in modern manufacturing. This isn't just an assembly line; it's a living archive of human endeavour. 

Fun fact: in 2023 the Graz plant crossed 500,000 units of the G-Class produced since inception.  Also, over 300,000 had rolled out by 2017.  Variants over the decades have included extreme machines: the 6×6 G63, the Landaulet (yes, for royal safaris), the 4x4^2 with portal axles. All under this roof.  

In 2020 Mercedes opened the G-Class Experience Centre (GEC) close to the Magna plant, for training, testing, customer experiences, mules etc. Here, the G-Class stops being theoretical and things gets muddy, wet, vertical. It’s part living museum and part high-octane playground. Arranged like automotive deities, stood the most outrageous G-Wagon variants ever to grace the greatest off-roading garage ever. The impossibly opulent G-Wagon Landaulet, its rear half convertible for the truly extravagant; the beastly G63 AMG 6x6, a five-axle, six-wheeled behemoth that made everything else look like a Tonka toy; and the utterly bonkers G550 4x4², a portal-axle equipped monster that redefines "ground clearance." It was a fantasy lineup, a visual feast of rugged luxury. 

We spent two days here learning exactly what the G is capable of starting with the G580 electric G-Wagon (EQ) for water-wading, low-speed crawl, transparent bonnet view and the impossibly cool G-Turn and G-Steering features. Instructors put us through inclines and declines that made me question whether physics was optional: 35°, 40°, maybe more. The G450d took to water and mud ruts next, with its wading depth up to 700 mm, approach/departure/breakover angles in the low 30s degrees and a ground clearance of around 240 mm, it was easy to play the hero. There was also a slalom with the G63 AMG, testing its new kinetic suspension. This suspension system changes the ride dramatically compared to older G63 with less wallowing turn-in, more agility, more confidence on the road while still brutal off-road.Then came the taxi rides with the instructors. This is where the true capability of the G-Wagon was laid bare. These pros, who could probably drive a G-Wagon up a vertical wall, showed off drifts, precision maneuvers, and high-speed cornering that defied logic for a vehicle of this size and stature. It was a masterclass in vehicle dynamics and a powerful demonstration of the G-Wagon's inherent strength and engineering brilliance. 

Leaving Graz, I swapped into a GLE 450 for the return leg. Mercedes’ plan was not just get back to Munich, but show me Austria’s softer side. We wound our way past pristine turquoise lakes, rolling green hills dotted with quaint farms, and epic vistas that demanded frequent stops for social media flexes. In the GLE, tech-things I took for granted suddenly felt indulgent: the Burmester High-End 3D Surround Sound System with enough watts to fill not just the car but the valleys. The GLE 450’s six-cylinder engine ensured confident pulls out of corners, smooth highway cruising and minimal transmission hunting. AR maps again (augmented reality, overlaying real-world with navigation), sign recognition, adaptive damping that softens over farm roads and tightens over twisties. Perfect balance.

The drive and the factory visit revealed that the G-Wagon isn’t just status.It’s legacy and craft. It does absurd things because people build it with reverence. Its appeal isn’t just image but it’s assurance you can drive it almost anywhere, and they ensure that with testing on real terrain. And while you can fly directly into Graz from various European connections, the drive from Munich definitively is one of those lifetime drives. If you ever get the chance, book early, get comfortable shoes, bring a playlist, accept that you’ll leave with mud on your boots or dust on your trousers. Because that, plus everything else, is what owning a G-Wagon (or simply witnessing what it can do) does beyond the daily school run.