Watch: Upcoming Mercedes G-Class EV Turns Sin City Into Spin City
As we saw earlier this week, Mercedes-Benz chose CES 2024 in Las Vegas to host the North American debut of its Concept CLA, a future rival of the Tesla Model 3.
The German automaker also introduced a new version of its MBUX interface, complete with an AI-powered virtual assistant and Sound Drive feature allowing music to react and transform according to driving dynamics. The latter was developed with the help of renowned artist will.i.am.
- Also: Mercedes-Benz Confirms Baby G-Wagen
- Also: CES 2024: Mercedes-Benz Shows Off CLA Concept, New AI Virtual Assistant
Of course, with Las Vegas being the entertainment capital of the world, Mercedes-Benz took the opportunity to put on a show—right in the middle of the Strip.
As you may have heard, the iconic Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV, which is loved by celebrities and wealthy off-road enthusiasts alike, will soon get a fully electric variant. Ahead of the reveal expected to take place later in 2024, four camouflaged prototypes turned heads during the night by doing full 360-degrees “G-Turns” in a closed-off section of the street—briefly turning Sin City into Spin City.
The rotation is made possible thanks to the four individually controlled electric motors situated close to the wheels. It’s designed to help drivers in tricky off-road conditions, particularly tight spaces. Ironically enough, Mercedes-Benz insists it should not be used on public roads.
By the way, Rivian once considered offering a similar feature with the R1T electric pickup, but the company ended up changing its mind given the likelihood it would destroy trails.
We’ll know more about the technologies and capabilities of the electric G-Class (which may or may not be called EQG after all) in the coming months. Naturally, it will stand out from the gas-powered variant, which is expected to receive a significant update at the same time.
Mercedes-Benz also announced last September that a baby G-Wagen is the works, too. Details about that one are still pretty scarce. We’ll keep you posted as soon as we find out more.