Featured

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled a special version of the G-Class that harks back to the 1979 original with a series of historic styling cues.

Called the G-Class ‘Stronger than the 1980s’, it swaps the modern car’s clear bonnet indicators for amber-tinted units like those of the original car and gains a set of classic-looking five-spoke alloy wheels

It is available in a choice of two two-tone liveries, with Agave Green or Colorado Beige paint contrasted against Night Black around the front fascia, skirting and grille, referencing the same scheme used on the original car.

The ‘Schöckl Proved’ emblem mounted on the car’s B-pillar is updated to feature the original G-Class, and at the rear end, the Mercedes-Benz wordmark uses the same font as in the 1980s.

The roof rack, mudflaps, rear ladder and headlight meshes are borrowed from the Professional catalogue of optional extras available on the standard G-Class.

Inside, the seats are upholstered with Dove Grey chequered cloth and the ‘Stronger than the 1980s’ script is inscribed on the passenger grab handle. 

The puddle lights in the exterior mirrors project the message “stronger than time” onto the ground when either of the front doors is opened.

The special edition is otherwise based on the regular G450d, packing a 3.0-litre diesel-powered straight six that puts out 382bhp. This yields a 0-62mph time of 5.8sec and fuel economy of 31.4mpg.

Mercedes will build a total of 460 examples, of the 1980s-inspired G-Class and each gets a plaque on the centre console to denote its place in the series. Prices start at £152,815.

Lexus will go after the BMW i5 and Audi A6 E-tron with a bold new generation of the ES saloon, to be revealed at the Shanghai motor show next week.

Expected to gain the option of electric power for the first time, the new Lexus ES is described as a "global flagship model", confirming that it will be sold internationally but raising questions about the future of the larger LS saloon, which has been Lexus's flagship since it launched in 1989.

Lexus dropped the LS from its line-up earlier this year due to slow sales, having delivered just three examples here last year, leaving the ES as its only saloon offering in the market.

The more fleet-focused ES has historically fared better in the UK, notching up almost 2000 sales in the UK in 2023 - but remains a niche player in comparison to the likes of the similarly positioned BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Audi A6.

Lexus hasn't confirmed whether or not it will bring the new, eighth-generation ES to the UK, but the addition of electric power will strengthen its appeal with fleet buyers and could play an important role in contributing to Lexus parent company Toyota's EV sales mix. 

Lexus hasn't yet released any details of the new car's specifications ahead of the unveiling on 23 April but has trademarked the names ES 350e and ES 500e, hinting at the potential for a pair of EV options - as with the Lexus RZ crossover.

The RZ 350e is equipped with a single motor on the front axle producing 221bhp and a 77kWh battery giving an official range of 357 miles. The lower, sleeker ES would be likely to improve upon this if equipped with the same hardware. 

The RZ 500e meanwhile has a dual-motor powertrain with 376bhp and a 77kWh battery giving a range of 311 miles.

Lexus has also trademarked the ES 350h name, suggesting the new saloon will maintain a hybrid option - likely the petrol-electric set-up from the NX 350h SUV, which produces a combined 241bhp and enables low-speed engine-off driving for an official 45mpg.

An official preview image shows that the next ES will retain a low-slung and rakish-roofed silhouette, with obvious efforts at improving aerodynamic efficiency in pursuit of range. 

The ES's Shanghai debut is reflective of the model's importance in China, where saloons continue to be far more popular than in Europe. According to Bestsellingcarsblog.com, it has been the number one car imported into China since 2017. 

Overall, Lexus imports into China grew by 4.1% last year, bucking a wider downward trend.

The new Genesis X Gran Equator concept showcases the brand's intention to tap the lucrative luxury 4x4 market with a rival to the Land Rover Defender and Toyota Land Cruiser. 

Revealed at the New York Auto Show as an electric concept car, the vehicle has been designed to accommodate both combustion and range-extender powertrains. Although it is strictly a concept at this stage, Genesis design boss Luc Donckerwolke hinted that the car would enter production and suggested it would take three years to develop a road-ready version, indicating at a possible arrival in 2028 or 2029.

Notably more slab-sided than existing Genesis models, the silhouette of the X Gran Equator almost recalls the sizeable American station wagons of the 1970s and 1980s, with a long bonnet, a low shoulder line and a rakish rear window.

Indeed, Genesis said the concept “defies traditional SUV conventions”, more closely resembling high-riding estates such as the Audi A6 Allroad, Volvo V90 Cross Country and classic AMC Eagle.

Nonetheless, it's intended to be a fully fledged off-roader and is fitted with a set of 24in beadlock wheels (so called because the beaded edge of the tyre is clamped to the wheel with a series of bolts) shod with chunky all-terrain tyres.

Donckerwolke said the decision to eschew many of the traditional luxury off-roader design cues was to ensure that the X Gran Equator offered a fresh, modern design.

"We would not do a [Mercedes] G-Wagen, because that is clearly a vehicle that is anchored in the tradition for Mercedes," said Donckerwolke. "We would do something like an old version of a Range Rover, old version of a Jeep, but obviously transporting all our brand DNA and the values of luxury and hospitality into the car. It's a mix of off-road capability, off-road performance and luxury.

"We don't have the design DNA of a Jeep or Range Rover. It's a different brand, so this car has the design DNA of a Genesis. I don't care what the other brands do: I do it my way."

Donckerwolke added that the pared-back design of the X Gran Equator was a deliberate contrast to other cars on the market: "We are living in a time where design is over-saturated. In every car, you have design elements where you can make three cars out of one, because there are an overkill of design elements. We don't need that. Everybody is free to have their own identity, but at Genesis, we are living in purity. We are reducing. We are about what we call the beauty of the empty space, the white sheet of paper. We really care a lot about the proportions.

"This car has such incredible proportions that you don't need to put a lot of make-up on it. If you have a pig, you need to put a lot of make-up. We are working to make sure that we don't have a pig from the start."

Inside, the dashboard does away with the large screens typical of modern cars. Instead, there are physical switches for important functions such as the drive mode and small gauge-style displays showing the sat-nav, wheel travel and an inclinometer. The car’s speed, remaining range and time are shown on a pod of three smaller dials in front of the driver. This design is said to focus the driver’s attention on the road ahead, rather than any interior accoutrements.

Chunky grab handles are mounted to the centre console – echoing a similar feature in the Defender – and the same motif is mirrored for the rear passengers.

The tailgate is split horizontally at the bootlid, opening in two segments, and the concept is fitted with a set of roof rails. 

The X Gran Equator concept is built on what Donckerwolke called a platform "similar" to that of the Kia EV9, but he confirmed a production version would be likely to accommodate a range of powertrains. Listing electric, hybrid and range-extender powertrains, he said that "now obviously we have to look at the business case and the differentiation" between powertrains and other models. However, while the Hyundai Motor Group continues to develop hydrogen technology, Donckerwolke ruled it out for the X Gran Equator.

A range-extender model could prove crucial in helping any production version to win over buyers in the Middle East and parts of the US, where there is plenty of demand for premium off-roaders but still a limited market for EVs. It's a similar move to Volkswagen's revived Scout brand, which will launch with off-road pick-up and SUVs offered with range-extender drivetrains,

The radical concept is the latest in a series of experimental models from the Korean brand, all hinting at a push much further upmarket than Genesis's current positioning as a value-focused BMW and Mercedes-Benz rival.