The is objectively cool. It’s a military-grade SUV, one of the few vehicles to come out of the factory with multiple vehicles and an overflight record history stretching back decades. The only problem is that most G tanks are chrome movie star carriers. But Mercedes-Benz sells its Puch G-Class in Europe. So is this imported Puch G Wagon really the hottest Mercedes-Benz money can buy?
This is not a Mercedes-Benz G Wagon
Your eyes deceive you. You are not looking at a Mercedes-Benz. This is a European market, 1984 Puch SUV 230 GE. It recently went up for sale on the auction website.
chassis with G Wagon signature locking differentials. It was originally sold in the Swiss market hence its lack of Mercedes 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 for this specific vehicle include skid plates, headlight guards, and an aftermarket trailer hitch. As an entry-level SUV it only has manual locks and manual windows. However, it does have a rear wiper. Oh, what luxury!
Who built the G-Class?
In the 1970s, Mercedes-Benz decided to enter the military 4×4 market. He joined Steyr-Daimler-Puch, a truck manufacturer based in Austria. They developed the G-Class SUV and bid on military contracts. They even decided to bring a civilian version to market just to see how it fared.
The companies decided to brand this truck as Mercedes-Benz in most places, as it was not yet an ultra-luxury brand. Eastern European markets got the Puch badged G Wagon. Since Puch already had a following in Austria and Switzerland, those markets also got the Puch SUV, early on.
The G-Class hit the market in 1979 and is still going as strong as ever. Mercedes-Benz and Steyr (who still make the SUV in Austria) have finally redesigned it for the 2019 model year. The Puch badging has gone the way of the Dodo and in the North American market the G-Class has turned into a status symbol covered in chrome which is sometimes worth twice the MSRP.
But this imported Puch SUV makes a completely different statement.
A Puch G-Class might just be the hottest Mercedes-Benz money can buy
Driving in a Puch G-Class would be quite a statement. It would signal that you understand the mechanical superiority of this SUV, you understand it so well that you couldn’t care less about the Mercedes-Benz badging. Driving around in this specific Puch G-Class would also mean 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 tan tartan interior is classic. But paired with the Cactus Green paint, the whole thing is a blast from the past.
If you’ve ever looked at foreign ads, you know that these early G Wagons are far more common in two-doors. Indeed, the four-door Mercedes-Benz G Wagons can command a hefty premium (still a rounding error in a 2023 G-Class buyer’s budget). But this four-door Puch went for just $17k. I’d say it’s a steal. Though springing for a turbo to get it up to 150 horsepower wouldn’t be a bad splurge.
