This Classic Mercedes G-Class Has Been Trapped In Amber For Over 7 Years

The Mercedes G-Class is an expensive vehicle and a real head-turner in all kinds of ways. For one thing, it's beloved by celebrities. In August 2024, Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles shared a series of photographs on social media that showed her sitting on the hood of a shiny new model, complete with an elaborate bow. It's curious to think that the rugged powerhouse of a vehicle was designed as a blend of an off-roader and a model that would be equally comfortable on tarmac. This combination of traits, Mercedes-AMG chief executive Michael Schiebe explained to Road & Track, was "an absolute novelty" when the G-Class family arrived in 1979.

In short, the G-Class has firmly established itself as an eye-catching vehicle, and none more so than a particular 1979 model. The extraordinary model is encased in resin, and a ludicrous amount of it too: 44.4 tonnes. The installation was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in 2018 in Detroit, and the fact that it features an original model is deeply symbolic. Mercedes-Benz Head of the Off-Road Vehicle product unit, Dr Gunnar Güthenke, explained that "our cult off-road vehicle has been continuously evolving for nearly 40 years – without losing its character or its core values ... the cube expresses this to stunning effect and thus embodies the objective for advancing the G-Class."

Often, classic models of motorcycles and other vehicles can be admired as museum exhibits or find their way into jealously guarded private collections, but the brand opted to do something very special with the preservation of this particular vehicle.

Long-running vehicle models often pride themselves on changing as little as possible between iterations. The look and feel of a vehicle are important factors for drivers, too, after all, and many models have made fundamental design changes that were rather regrettable. The third generation of the Ford Taurus, for instance. At the same time, tastes, trends, and technology change significantly, which is how the G-Class has steadily developed into such a coveted status symbol. As part of this evolution, the amber-encased '79 vehicle was created for the introduction of the new G-Class series.

Blending the old and the new, a move awash with symbolism, and a perfect publicity stunt to ensure that all eyes were firmly on the announcement. Mercedes-Benz continues to boast that it considers the G-Class "stronger than time," and as though to prove it, created a resin-encased model that's even heftier and more resilient than any other. It's in its own armored casing. A lot of owners of this exclusive vehicle family may consider it a work of art, but the term takes on an entirely different meaning with this one-of-a-kind creation.

The then-brand-new G-Class series introduced in 2018 was another new yet familiar direction for the line. The exterior didn't go through much of a change; it was largely about the interior, where Mercedes has added some cool interior features to the G-Wagon. At the time, Mercedes-Benz described the revamp as "the most significant transformation of its almost 40-year career, in technical as well as stylistic terms," and familiar aspects such as the mounted spare wheel remained. Along with them came some significant technological advancements, such as new touch technology in the infotainment system and gesture-controlled functionality.

This certainly isn't something you see every day. For all auto enthusiasts who saw it at the show, it has become a part of the mythos of the model family, less a vehicle and more an exhibit. The sculpture, which has been dubbed the "Amber Cube" by Mercedes-Benz, is a foreboding sight, measuring about 18 feet long and weighing approximately 52 tons. Its creation, needless to say, was no mean feat either, as it took about three months for workers to gradually layer all that resin on and around the vehicle.

With all the work and considerable expense, it would have been disappointing if it appeared only once before being consigned to a Mercedes-Benz vault somewhere, and so it was created with a framework that allows it to be transported between events around the world. A brilliant way to keep the G-Class fresh in people's memories. Not that it needed much help on that score. The G-Class is so popular among celebrities for its touch of luxury, Mercedes-Benz has capitalized on that with the introduction of special edition models.

The Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet, bi-turbo V12 was produced in a batch of just 99, and the approximate price of one was a cool €630,000. Brabus has even created a custom Mercedes-AMG G 63 dubbed the Brabus 900 Rocket Edition, which boasts a formidable 900 horsepower. As a general rule, then, it would be fair to say that spectacle is a concept that continues to be important to the G-Class. Different iterations of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class have changed functionality and crucial elements such as engine options, but there's no denying that the brand established a look and style in 1979.