- New spy shots give us our first look at the new baby G-Class.
- SUV features flat sides, a boxy tail, and a rear-mounted spare.
- Rides on a brand new ladder-style chassis with an EV drivetrain.
Mercedes is finally letting its upcoming baby G-Class stretch its blocky little legs, and our spy photographers have just captured the first prototype out in the wild. Yes, it’s more comprehensively wrapped than a Christmas present, but this is unmistakably a G-Wagen, just in fun-size.
Parked next to a 1,900-mm-tall (74.8 inches) V-Class minivan, the new mini-G looks noticeably closer to the ground, and when it tucks in behind an EQS SUV in other shots, the height difference becomes even more obvious.
Related: Mercedes Teases New Mini G-Class That’ll Be A Real G-Class In Every Way But One
It’s a G-Class that’s been through the washing machine on the hot cycle and came out 15 percent smaller, but every bit as boxy.
Despite the compact footprint, the styling cues are pure G. The upright windshield, the near-vertical sides, and the squared-off roofline are all present and accounted for.
Even better (though not for visibility), the prototype wears a rear-mounted spare wheel, just like the big-boy G-Wagen, because if you’re going to cosplay as an icon, you might as well commit fully.
Will It Stay All-Electric?
One of the most important details, though, is at the other end. The grille is completely blanked off, which confirms that we’re looking at an EV. Mercedes has already confirmed that the Baby G will debut as an electric model.
Even so, given that the full-size electric G-Class has proved a flop and the rate of EV takeup in key markets like the US is slowing, we’d be surprised if a combustion – or at least a hybrid – option wasn’t under consideration.
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Underneath, things get even more intriguing. The baby G will ride on a new, smaller, bespoke chassis with similarities to a traditional ladder frame, a rarity in the EV world and a sign that Mercedes intends for this pint-sized G to have genuine off-road chops rather than just the aesthetic of adventure.
And Mercedes won’t have this playground to itself when the baby G-Class arrives in 2027. Land Rover is cooking up its own mini-Defender (unlike the G, it’ll be a unibody), meaning these two squared-off, heritage-dripping baby bruisers are destined to go head-to-head.
If you thought the G-Wagen vs. Defender rivalry was fun at full scale, just wait until the little ones show up.
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