Power Wheels Magazine A Notch Above
Since 1979, the Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen has lived up to its name, which is German for “terrain vehicle”, and has delivered its promise of outstanding driving characteristics and impressive off-road capabilities. Even after 40 years, this iconic Mercedes-Benz off-road vehicle continues to impress enthusiasts by evolving to the needs of the times while retaining its unique character and outstanding capabilities.
Mercedes-Benz Philippines brings to market a powerful, comfortable, superior G-Class that is more accessible and even more fuel efficient – the 2020 Mercedes-Benz G350d. Underneath the hood is a 2925cc inline 6-cylinder diesel engine that delivers a 286 horsepower and 600 Newton-meters of torque. A highly-efficient emissions control system is installed directly to the engine, which expedites the effectiveness of the catalytic converter and the diesel particulate filter (DPF). Thanks to the near-engine insulated configuration, the emission control system has little heat loss and ideal operating conditions.
Daimler fitted the G350d with a 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission and a torque converter that are specifically adapted to meet the needs of off-road driving. There is a dedicated software application to shorten the shift and response times of the 9-speed transmission to provide the G-Class with a more lively performance. The wide transmission ratio makes driving quieter, more comfortable, and offers better fuel consumption of up to 9.6 liters per 100 kilometers (10.4 km/L).
The G350d comes standard with Dynamic Select that offers up to five drive modes and allows adjusting the vehicle’s engine, transmission, suspension and steering characteristics to adapt to the terrain at a touch of a button. Other driver assistance systems include Adaptive Brake Lights and Active Braking Assist to prevent impending collisions or mitigate their consequences and assist the driver during emergency braking. If necessary, the G350d will brake autonomously if the driver takes no action to defuse a detected dangerous situation.
The 19-inch 5-twin spoke light alloy wheels, metallic paintwork, front illuminated door sill panels, and High Performance LED headlights add powerful touches to the G350d’s already imposing and iconic presence. Inside, there’s a plethora of cutting-edge technology and comfort including Keyless-Go function, high-quality leather seats, leather grab handles for front passengers, automatic dimming interior mirror, ambient lighting in 64 colors and 10 color schemes, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen monitor for the infotainment system.
Mercedes-Benz engineers worked on the G350d to be extremely comfortable on long-distance drives. The diesel engine and its exhaust system were designed to produce lower noise and vibration levels by using engine mounts that are actively controlled. At higher engine speeds, the two engine mounts are automatically made stiffer, which has positive effects on the vibrational comfort and the driving dynamics, while the mounts are softer at lower engine speeds to reduce noise and vibration.
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class has earned a reputation for its fine mix of off-road capabilities and creature comforts and the G350d continues that tradition. On the road, it is as agile as it is comfortable and provides the driver with a better steering feel. Off the road, it stays on track more solidly while remaining nimble and effortless to drive.
With a suggested retail price of P10,890,000, the 2020 Mercedes G350d is now available at the Mercedes-Benz showrooms on Edsa Greenhills, Bonifacio Global City, Alabang, and Cebu City. You can also go to www.mercedes-benz.ph to know more about the latest evolution of the iconic Geländewagen.
