While we have some folks converting the Mercedes G-Glass SUV into a truck, there are other design engineers coming up with ways to freshen up the legendary Mercedes Geländewagen. For the 2012 LA Auto Show Design Challenge, organizers of the annual event asked automakers to create a patrol vehicle for the year 2025.
The North American Mercedes-Benz division and their Advanced Design Center California did their thing and created the ‘Ener-G-Force Concept’ off-road patrol vehicle. The team built a 1:1 scale model and it will be presented at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show later this month.
Since 1979, the Mercedes G-Glass has seen subtle changes over the years although the overall design stays true to its roots but major changes could be coming to the G-Class. Hubert Lee, designer of ‘Ener-G-Force’, says that this concept uses important genes such as proportions and design elements from the original G-Class adapted to the modern world.
The name, ‘Ener-G-Force’, has been chosen for this vehicle because it “features” a futuristic fuel-cell powertrain which will consume recycled water stored in tanks on the room of the vehicle to power four wheel hub motors. In theory, this futuristic patrol vehicle is capable of traveling about 500 miles before “refueling”.
Maybe I don’t have room to talk as I’m not a designer but the designers could have done a better job in keeping true to the original G-Class design. Don’t get me wrong, it looks awesome but a vehicle that kind of looks like this is already on the market and we didn’t have to wait until year 2025. Yep, the Toyota FJ Cruiser! It would make more sense if the Mercedes ‘Ener-G-Force’ was the futuristic version of the FJ. I know, it’s just a concept and this concept doesn’t mean jack but I would hate for the beautiful G-Class to end up looking like this. Anyways, enough of my rant. Enjoy the gallery below!
Mercedes-Benz Ener-G-Force Concept Gallery
