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The G-Class is objectively cool. It is a military-grade SUV, one of the only vehicles to come from the factory with multiple locking differentials, and with a history of overlanding records that stretches back for decades. The only problem is that most G Wagons are chromed-up movie-star transporters. But Mercedes-Benz sells its G-Class in Europe badged as the Puch. So is this imported Puch G Wagon actually the hippest Mercedes-Benz you can buy?
This is not a Mercedes-Benz G Wagon
Your eyes decieve you. You are not looking at a Mercedes-Benz. This is a European-Market, 1984 Puch 230GE SUV. It was recently listed for sale on the Cars & Bids auction website.
Its drivetrain is a 2.3-liter I4 engine, four-speed manual transmission, and 4WD chassis with the G Wagon’s signature locking differentials. It was originally sold in the Swiss-market, thus its lack of Merceds badges. Brand new, it was only rated for 125 horsepower and 142 lb-ft of torque: an AMG special-edition this Puch is not.
Features on this specific vehicle include skid plates, headlight guards, and an aftermarket trailer hitch. As an entry-level SUV it just has manual door locks and manual windows. It does, however, have a rear windshield wiper. Oh, what luxury!
Who built the G Class?
Back in the 1970s, Mercedes-Benz decided to get into the military 4×4 market. It joined up with Steyr-Daimler-Puch, a truck manufacturer headquartered in Austria. They developed the G-Class SUV and bid for military contracts. They also decided to toss a civilian version onto the market just to see how it did.
The companies decided to badge this truck as a Mercedes-Benz in most places, as it wasn’t yet an ultra-luxurious brand. Eastern European markets got the Puch-badged G Wagon. Because Puch already had a following in Austria and Switzerland, thos markets got the Puch SUV too–at first.
The G-Class hit the market back in 1979, and its still going stronger than ever. Mercedes-Benz and Steyr (which still manufacturers the SUV in Austria) finally redesigned it for the 2019 model year. The Puch badge has gone the way of the Dodo, and in the North American market the G-Class has transformed into a chrome-covered status symbol that sometimes fetches twice MSRP.
But this imported Puch SUV makes an entirely different statement.
A Puch G-Class may be the hippest Mercedes-Benz that money can buy
Driving around in a Puch G-Class would be quite a statement. It would signal that you understand the mechanical superiority of this SUV, understand it so well in fact that you couldn’t care less about the Mercedes-Benz badge. Driving around in this specific Puch G-Class would also signal that you’re so important that you never need to drive faster than about 60 mph.
I personally love the color combination of this 1984 Puch G Wagon. Of course, its plaid interior in tan is classic. But paired with the Cactus Green paint, the entire thing is a blast from the past.
If you’ve ever poked around on foreign classifieds, you know these early G Wagons are much more common in two-doors. In fact, four-door Mercedes-Benz G Wagons can command quite a premium (still a rounding error in the budget of a 2023 G-Class buyer). But this four-door Puch went for just $17k. I’d say that’s a steal. Although springing for a turbo to get it up to 150 horsepower wouldn’t be a bad splurge.
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