BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE : APRIL 24, 2000 ISSUE
BUSINESSWEEK LIFESTYLE The Terminator of SUVs Mercedes' pricey G-wagen outguns its off-road rivals Nothing but blue sky. That's the view through the windshield of the Gelaendewagen I'm driving, as the wheels of the Mercedes-Benz SUV strain to get a grip on a rocky, 50-degree slope. Then G-wagen salesman Michael Aumock flips three switches to fully engage the Mercedes' four-wheel-drive system. The 18-inch tires grab, and we creep up the New Mexico hill. That ability to roll, tank-like, over any terrain is the G-wagen's claim to fame. Mercedes designed the G-wagen in 1979 for military use and still sells a stripped-down version of the Austrian-built SUV to several European armies. But along the way, the German carmaker discovered the G-wagen's quirky appeal to an elite, has-it-all crowd. So last year, Mercedes introduced a $135,000 luxury edition G500, powered by the V-8 engine from the company's flagship S-Class sedan. Despite the vehicle's brick-like looks, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bill Cosby, Eric Clapton, and other celebs who crave the car's unique cachet have been snapping up G-wagens. If the G-wagen appeals to your inner snob, don't worry--you're unlikely to see a crowd of them at the mall parking lot anytime soon. David Holland, whose G.WagenUSA in Santa Fe, N.M., is the vehicle's sole American distributor (www.gwagenusa.com; 505 984-8888), sells only 100 a year. If you hear about the G-wagen from a friend or Mercedes dealer, you can phone Holland. If he figures you're a serious buyer, he'll have Aumock or another of his roving salespeople pull one into your driveway for a test run. But once you take a G-wagen for a spin, you may not want to give it back. On a desert hillside, our G-wagen tilts precariously atop a crumbling sandbank, at least one wheel in the air and nothing but my safety belt holding me in my seat. Eyeing the steep angle, I figure that if the G-wagen tumbles, we're going to roll over at least two or three times. Aumock assures me that the SUV's sturdy frame is nearly invulnerable. But I'm preoccupied by my mental picture of a G-wagen fan's Web site containing a series of photos of the SUV tumbling down a hillside, only to land on its tires and drive away. LEATHER SEATS. Most G-wagen owners are loath to risk scratching up their babies this way--or even drive off the road at all. ''With a $135,000 vehicle?'' asks Holland. ''Are you kidding?'' Still, rugged invincibility that leaves luxury rivals like the BMW X5, Lexus LX470, Lincoln Navigator, and even Range Rover in the dust remains the G500's big selling point. Its closest off-road competitor is the Hummer, another military-derived sport-ute now sold by General Motors. But the Hummer can't match G-wagen's plush interior. You sit on firm leather seats, and the dashboard and console are swathed in acres of burl walnut polished to a high gloss and studded with dials and switches for seat heating, power doors and windows, and dozens of other functions. At night, ''Mercedes-Benz'' glows in blue lights on the door sill. You only get two cup holders, although they can be installed wherever you wish. G.WagenUSA can add additional ones, however. The G500 offers some unusual options, including a winch, mounted on the front bumper, capable of reeling in 9,000 pounds--in case your Porsche rolls into the pool. Or you can order the Cabriolet ($135,000), the only sport-utility vehicle with an automatically retracting convertible top. Gas mileage? Don't ask. The beast averages 13.3 miles per gallon in highway driving, 12.4 on city streets. But tooling around Santa Fe, the G500 handles capably. The high seat offers a commanding view of the road, right over the top of the minivan in front of me. Hit the accelerator on the open highway, and the 5-liter V-8 answers with a heady surge. Even when a snow squall ices up a mountain road, the G-wagen remains sure-footed. I'm almost sorry about that. It would have been fun to see how the G500 pulls itself out of an icy ditch. By KATHLEEN KERWIN _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ BACK TO TOP					RELATED ITEMS The Terminator of SUVs TABLE: Mercedes-Benz Gelaendewagen G500 INTERACT E-Mail to Business Week Online

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