Detroit motor show: Mercedes unveils all-new G-Class

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Following months of teaser images and trailers, Mercedes has finally taken the wraps off its all-new G-Class SUV at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The revamped car is only the second generation of the German car giant’s “longest-standing model”, which “has been on sale in pretty much the same form since 1979”, says Auto Express.

Although the SUV’s boxy design has been tweaked, the magazine says, “the biggest updates come under the skin and in the cabin”.

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For instance, buyers can choose from either analogue dials or a digital display similar to the Mercedes S-Class and E-Class saloons. The optional digital dashboard consists of two 12.3in displays, along with the company’s rotary dial and touch-pad controls.

Mercedes has extended the G-Class’s bodywork by 53mm and widened it by 121mm, in a bid to improve interior space and comfort, says Autocar. The SUV’s wheelbase has also been lengthened, by 40mm, to improve rear legroom - an area that was criticised in older versions.

The first model to appear in the UK will be the range-topping G63 AMG, followed by an entry-level G350d in 2019, says the magazine. And a mid-range G500 variant “is confirmed for other markets and has not been ruled out for the UK”.

An electrified version may also be in the works, with company chief Dieter Zetsche hinting at a possible G-Class EV during the car’s launch in Detroit, reports Engadget.

Zetsche teased: “What is the future [of Mercedes] in fossil fuels? Does this G-wagon eventually come out as an electric G-wagon?”

UK buyers will be able to order the new G-Class from March, says Auto Express, with deliveries due in August.