Make sure you’re sitting down. Don’t read the next sentence with a mouthful of drink, or you’ll end up wearing it. Ready?
This is a brand-new Mercedes-Benz where the numbers in the badge actually mean something. We’re not kidding. This ain’t a drill.
The 3,090kg all-electric SUV formerly known as the ‘EQG’ is now the Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology. No one’s actually going to call it that, but the important bit is this: G580 = 580 horsepower.
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Is it just us that’s weirdly fascinated by the prospect of Merc blending its big, blocky, bluff, bling anachronism of a glitter-rolled ex-military SUV with the very latest in electric propulsion? It’s going to annoy purists on both sides of the argument.
Besides the unique badge, you’ll spot a plug-in G thanks to its black eye-mask, which makes it look like one of The Incredibles. The idea is to keep the car looking as authentically old-school as possible.
But Mercedes insists the G580 is in fact a better off-roader because it’s electric. More torque. Better stability. Deeper wading—up to 850mm. Handy when places that normally don’t get flooded start to go under.
Each wheel enjoys its own motor, and each motor powers a private two-speed gearbox to enable high- and low-range. Yep, it’s got four gearboxes. And because the torque-vectoring computers take care of the differential locking, the redundant dashboard buttons now control the ‘G Turn’ function, which allows the driver to spin the left and right wheels in opposite directions, allowing tire-wrecking tank turns. Parking in the mall just got easier.
Despite a curb weight the wrong side of three tons, it’ll do 0-100kph in under 5sec on pretty much any surface. Range isn’t much to write home about at around 460km, even with the token air-smoothing to trim the G’s aircraft hanger aero. Check out that hole in the rear wheel arch and the extra ‘ramp’ of the hood, designed to cut drag. Mmm, slippery. Like an eel, wearing a parachute.
Inside, there’s blue stitching to remind passengers they’re in the eco-G, while under the hood, there’s a speaker shouting something called ‘G-ROAR.’ Grrrr.
Apparently, Mercedes-Benz figured that G-Class buyers wanted something a little more assertive-sounding than the usual EV Tesla monk-hum. So this EV growls.
Top Gear first met the G580 back in January when certain important details were still to be finalized. Things like the price, yet to be confirmed at this moment.
In the meantime, how are we feeling about the electric G? It’s a bizarre combo: low-silicon battery tech from the groundbreaking EQXX concept arrives first...in a literally groundbreaking deluxe 4x4. Is it a car the world needs? Probably not. But that’s never stopped the G—in any of its army or AMG forms—being one of the enduring off-road icons.
More photos of the Mercedes-Benz G580:
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
