The Mercedes-Benz G-Class has long been venerated as a pop culture hero that is versatile enough to rise above the fickle winds of fashion, because its appeal transcends generations.
“The G-Class is one of those vehicles that people aspire to, and this is a very similar situation all over the world. It is an icon that is very well-known and recognised,” says Marcel Luis Mustelier Perez, president & CEO of Mercedes-Benz Singapore.
However, the geländewagen was built to be fit-for-purpose and never conceived to be a fashion icon or a status symbol, but this cultural symbol has found its way into music videos and fashion runways. Its runaway success also spawned recent art and fashion collaborations with Moncler (Project Mondo G), as well as “Mercedes-Benz x Moncler by NIGO”.
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The technical brief for the G-Class was clear: A vehicle that not just went from A to B, but could also traverse highways and byways, as well ascountry roads and city boulevards in unflappable nonchalance.
Perez nods in agreement: “It was the first passenger SUV that Mercedes-Benz built, and its origins were rooted in purpose and this purpose was off-roading in all its different forms and shapes.”
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He adds, “It was never intended to become a fashion icon and yet it became one. It was never meant to become an aspirational car for such a wide audience, and yet it became one. The G-Class may have become a symbol of luxury. However, it is still very much a capable vehicle that is driven by utility, because even if the silhouette remains instantly recognisable across the different generations, it packs a lot of new technology under its skin.”
The manner in which the larger-than-life G-Class has been elevated to “hypebeast”, cult car status has enabled it to reach an even larger audience, even some who may not be familiar with its origin story.
“As the G-Class found its way into popular culture, many people who were attracted to it didn’t know its history or its actual abilities. However, they can appreciate the believability and authenticity of the geländewagen, especially since it does not change its DNA drastically to follow trends,” Perez tells us.
However, we can imagine it is not easy to identify a specific target customer for the G-Class, because of how widespread its fashionably anti-fashion appeal is.
“Yes, we have customers from all walks of life, different industries and all genders (specifically females), because the G-Class is very inspiring and very attractive,” says Perez.
