Legendary Mercedes 500 GE gets H license plate
With the legendary 500 GE, Mercedes transplanted the noble eight-cylinder engine into the G-Class for the first time 30 years ago and thus finally completed the step from work machine to lifestyler. ntv.de drove it and took the modern G-interpretation with it.
Please don't draw the wrong conclusions: The modern G 500, which I have placed alongside today's protagonist, the 500 GE, is actually already old again. Upcoming updates, particularly in the drive area, will soon make the veteran a little more modern again. However, the W463 II shown here is expressly not yet the latest version. Of course, the basic character will not change with the upcoming revision. But let's start with the 500 GE.
At the time, the eight-cylinder engine in the G was a minor sensation. It was a sensation anyway that Mercedes made the hardcore off-roader, which had been built in Graz since 1979, much more homely in 1990 with the cockpit from the upper mid-range W124. Now the Kraxler (now with permanent all-wheel drive) could finally conquer the boulevards.
And three years later, those responsible at Mercedes came up with something very special. They seemed to have a few eight-cylinder engines from the M117 series left over. These were the old two-valve engines that were last used in the W126 S-Class, which was discontinued in 1991. So off they went into the G, it couldn't hurt. And with 240 hp, the eight-cylinder engine was no longer on a par with the SL and S-Class with the new four-valve engines (up to 326 hp), but the angular G wasn't going to break any speed records anyway. However, production barely exceeded 400 units - perhaps the Swabians simply ran out of M117 engines.
The V8 in the G-Class sounded great in the past and still does today
Now that a few years have passed, I am of course particularly pleased to be able to drive the old G-Class monster once again. However, the combination of G-Class and M117 is also new to me. So I quickly climb into the classy leather seats and enjoy the burl wood that all the better Mercedes models had back then instead of Zebrano. A glance at the speedometer scaled up to 220 km/h shows that the G was not the fastest.
Then the gaze wanders to the gear selector, which clearly shows that the 5.0 V8 is at work beneath the sheet metal. Since the early 1980s, all V8 petrol engines (and this applies to all model series) have had a "B" for brake position in addition to the usual selector lever positions "P, R, N, D, 3 and 2" - but this means that the automatic transmission simply remains in first gear in this position. Then turn the key and listen: The M117 noise naturally sounds familiar to me after thousands of kilometers with this engine in various models. And then a fundamental difference to the new G-Class becomes apparent. The five-liter engine may murmur nobly, but it doesn't roar quite as energetically as it does today. Sound engineering did not seem to be actively practiced back then.
Productions such as this one, in which the photographer plus other contact persons are divided between the two vehicles on the road, reveal any specific driving behavior better than would be the case on a solo outing. Why? Because the driver of the 422 hp modern G 500 with nine-speed automatic transmission only has to give the vehicle in front a little push on the gas to effortlessly overtake the rather tired-looking veteran. So I have to really push the aged 500 GE with its wide-spread four-speed automatic transmission so that I can follow the 2023 G through the Swabian Alb. At high revs, the old M117 sounds metallic and angry, but seems a little strained when you push it to the limit.
The data supports this impression - the 2.4-ton 500 GE is said to need 11.3 seconds to sprint to 100 km/h (185 km/h top speed). That must have been fast in the early nineties, when rugged diesel off-road vehicles with less than 100 hp needed well over 20 seconds for this discipline. By way of comparison: the current biturbo four-liter (M178) accelerates the G to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds (top speed here 210 km/h).
The modern G-Class has not lost its original character
When I stop at the next parking lot, I want to give myself the pleasure of driving a modern G for a moment. Ever since the engineers gave the massively revised W463 (which now also has a wider track) independent suspension for the front axle, it no longer looks quite so stubby, but without really losing its G-Class character. The directional stability is still not quite top. So I have to hold the steering wheel firmly while the turbo eight-cylinder engine lets me sink into the lavish seats with unbridled pressure and infernal bass.
However, modern times have dawned in the interior - all mechanical displays have been removed. The old instrument cluster has long since been replaced by the so-called widescreen. The product experts were also unable to resist adding modern elements such as a daytime running light signature to the modern design. However, they have not done without a few classic style-defining elements. The buttons for the mechanical one-hundred-percent differential locks can be found in a similar form in virtually every configuration level of the G-Class, always making it clear to technically experienced drivers: With this G, you can throw yourself into adventure at any time and overcome obstacles that most vehicles would capitulate to. Oh yes, and you still have to throw the doors with the metallic clacking openers into the lock with force so that they actually close.
And now some good news at the end: the story of the G-Class continues, of course. In recent months, there has been confusion in the trade press about the discontinuation of this model. Mercedes reacted promptly and assured that this would not happen. Of course it won't, after all, you can already see camouflaged developers of the top seller driving around in Stuttgart.
And the eight-cylinder will also continue to exist, the sparrows are already whistling from the rooftops - but then as an AMG. For the civilian variants, for example, there will be a version with an electrified in-line six-cylinder engine, which is also a nice prospect. And, of course, the fully electric EQG version. And finally, the internal model series designation is also to be renewed. Experts were surprised at the omission of this step in the course of the last major model update. Somehow, tradition does seem to oblige.
Incidentally, the fun with the G-Class will not be cheap. Even the previous G 500 was not priced below 130,000 euros. Used 500 GEs in good condition hardly cost less than 80,000 euros, according to the relevant Internet exchanges. However, if you are not picky about equipment, year of manufacture and engine, good examples are available for less than 30,000 euros.
The vintage 500 GE, with its Mercedes eight-cylinder engine, is an example of how the automobile manufacturer transformed the G-Class from a work machine into a luxury vehicle several decades ago. Despite being older, you can still find off-road enthusiasts driving vintage models of the Mercedes eight-cylinder off-road vehicle as an alternative to modern off-road vehicles like the Range Rover or the Grand Cherokee.
Source: www.ntv.de
