We Will Buy What We Want To Buy

The power of a simple yet bold design is something that is hard to put in perspective at times. It may come as a surprise but the "Geländewagen " G class AMG is the best selling AMG model in the United States. The slowest, heaviest, worst handling AMG you can buy is the most popular one in the land. AMG is spending millions on its Formula 1 program but its most popular model relies on recirculating ball steering, live axles and aerodynamics of a box. The AMG model makes up over 60% of all Gs sold and sales worldwide are surging this past decade. Equipped with the same twin-turbo V8, the ML63 and even the larger GL63 AMG easily out accelerate the G class and slay it in every performance category. In fact even the Ford SVT Raptor and Ram Power Wagon on knobby tires demolish it on the skidpad, as does a 4 ton dually. This matters little to the G class as sometimes a design catches fire and the image it projects becomes everything. The G class enjoys tremendous popularity among image conscious celebrities many years after the Hummer lost its popularity even though the G is the thirstiest SUV on sale in America today. Brands will spend billions on developing new platforms and designs and then millions more advertising them but sometimes as the G proves one of your hottest products will be the one you don't spend any money on. It's hard to understand but people will buy what they want to buy! And all you can do is give them what they want.

The G Still Looks Great

Second Generation Mercedes-Benz GL Achieves Design Harmony

There are only a few categories of vehicles where boxy design is appreciated; full size SUVs, Japanese subcompacts like the Scion xB, and delivery trucks. The GL occupies the first transportation category and the second generation GL continues to be the modern interpretation of its Geländewagen fore bearer. Following the Scion xB route Mercedes has given its latest GL more curves to give it a fresh design which is a reasonable direction considering that you can't make a box any edgier. In fact the new GL appears to finds a perfect harmony between traditional boxy SUV styling of the G class and Range Rover and the smoother surfaces of the Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne.

Upfront a prominent grille of the last generation remains while SL style headlights fit the SUV better than they do the roadster. At the back the taillights are a curvier version of the first generation. From the side the GL remains a familiar sight while gaining 3-D surfacing compared to the flat and vertical original version. Inside the new GL features an upgraded interior similar to the one on the new ML class. Figure the GL to be powered by the now familiar 4.6 turbo V8 in the GL550 configuration and by the BlueTec diesel in the GL350 BlueTec. A 500+ horsepower GL63 AMG version is likely as well. 

The Boxier First Generation For Reference