One of only 490 short-wheelbase G 500s built in the first series
Complete service and maintenance history
From the first owner, a Stuttgart publisher
Original mileage of 64,611 kilometres
Extensive and unusual specification
Exceptionally well preserved
The G-Class was already eleven years old in 1990 when Mercedes decided to turn its rugged off-roader into a fully fledged lifestyle vehicle, with the Range Rover firmly in its sights. Until then, the G had primarily been a working tool: angular, robust and about as playful as a toolbox. With the arrival of the W 463, that changed considerably.
Pleasingly little of it showed on the outside. Inside, however, came wood, leather, electric conveniences and all the comforts one had come to expect from a Mercedes saloon. Permanent four-wheel drive replaced the previous selectable system, while three fully locking differentials remained part of the package. The G could now manage the opera and the gravel pit on the same evening.
Initially, the choice of engines remained comparatively sensible. But Mercedes soon discovered that its angular old warhorse took rather well to large V8s. After a small run of limited-production 500 GEs and the 6-litre AMG versions derived from them, the G 500 marked the beginning of regular series production of the V8 G-Class in 1998. Its 5.0-litre M113 V8 produced 297 hp and 456 Nm of torque. Despite aerodynamics that could politely be described as adventurous, the off-roader had become a surprisingly rapid wardrobe.
The short-wheelbase version was particularly peculiar. The three-door G 500 combined its V8 with a wheelbase of just 2.40 metres, giving it quite different proportions. Without rear doors, it looked stockier and at the same time more playful than the long five-door. More off-roader again, less oversized prestige object.
Naturally, none of this came cheaply. Before the first facelift at the end of 2007, the short G 500 cost a substantial €83,181 – stark naked, without a single option. Accordingly, production remained tiny. Including the wonderfully eccentric Cabriolet, only 490 examples of this first version were built, a fraction of the production of the long-wheelbase model. From a practical point of view, there was little reason to take a luxurious V8 off-roader and then relieve it of two doors as well.
But that is precisely what gives the short G 500 its particular appeal today. It comes from that brief period when the G-Class had already become a luxury car, but had not yet turned into a lifestyle statement at any price. In other words: a thoroughly serious off-roader with a delightfully unserious engine.
The history of this rare white G 500 is quickly told. One of the very last short-wheelbase G 500s of the first series, it was registered to Mercedes-Benz on 1 October 2007. Its options list is extensive, making the almost austere grey cloth interior all the more charming. Eight days after Mercedes, it was registered to its first and so far only private owner, a Stuttgart publisher. In 2013, for health reasons, the passenger seat was converted into a swivelling seat at a cost of almost €20,000.
Its service history is as complete as its state of preservation is immaculate. Without exception, Felix Kloth GmbH has been responsible for its regular servicing, most recently last August at 64,611 kilometres. Today, 65,165 kilometres show on the dashboard – and not even those can be seen on the G 500.