Mercedes G 580 EQ review: Does electrification make the G even better?

Well, what daring devils we are again today! Right from the start, we promise: a happy turn. Will everything turn out for the better? For the very best! It's just a matter of deciding which direction the turn will take. So: close the doors. Then we'll begin, like this:

Stay on level ground. Steering straight. Foot on the brake. Gearbox in D. Rock mode and low-range reduction. Pull the left shift paddle on the steering wheel to go left, the right to go – you guessed it – right. Hold the steering wheel firmly. Foot on the gas. Then the left and right wheels turn in opposite directions. And – entirely in keeping with its self-image – the whole world revolves around the G 580 EQ. Twice. After a maximum of 720 degrees, the earth rotates back in its usual orbit, but it has a new hero who already has 46 years of future behind him.

Since 1979, the G has been ripping through world history, differential-locked, all-wheel drive, low-gear transmission, and fuel-powered. Electrify the G, of all things? Of course, it was the G. Mercedes was never above any over-the-top or incense-scented appearance. Just think of the AMG V12, 6x6, Maybach Landaulet, and Popemobile. Such power, off-road capability, and pomp only enhanced its hero status, fulfilling them with dignity and technical perfection. This now achieves a level of sophistication that everything is redesigned so radically that the car's essence remains untouched.

The technicians installed the power plant, one of the most complex in existence, in the vault of the G. Protected by the torsion- and crash-resistant, four-millimeter-thick steel ladder frame, protected by a 2.6-mm-thick, 57.6-kg base plate secured with 50 steel screws, the 216 cells of the lithium-ion battery (116 kWh) are housed in two levels and twelve modules. And then there are the four permanent magnet synchronous motors.

Yes, four, one per wheel, each with its own two-speed gearbox (2:1 reduction ratio). Two of the 108 kW motors are housed in each housing. They drive the G via half-axles with sliding joints for length compensation during compression and rebound. They can be controlled separately and even in opposite directions. All four wheels are always coordinated together, with torque delivered to the nearest Newton centimeter to match the grip. It's perfect torque vectoring: everything applied to the wheel propels the G, as no power is ever wasted, slowed down, or diverted due to wheel spin.

The low gear ratio, which can be activated up to 85 km/h (53 mph), ensures that the electric motors never overheat at low revs. Because no water can gurgle into the engine or exhaust, the G can wade down to 85 cm (33.5 in) deep (+15 cm) and climb with 100 percent gradeability—that's 45 degrees. G-Steering helps it navigate tight corners off-road. The control system shifts the rear wheels to full throttle, allowing the G to take the bend in a drift.

It also got the new infotainment system, including the 3D and off-road camera that shows the area under the hood, and the matrix lights up front. At the rear, where the spare tire usually hangs, a small box now houses the charging cables. This costs – of course – an extra €892.50.

But, friends, this G is worth every euro, every cent. Just the peace, the solitude up here. Sure, the wind whips around the edges of the body at 100 km/h. Although—they're seriously writing this in the press kit, or they're displaying a self-irony that this industry hasn't been particularly suspicious of—it boasts "optimized aerodynamics" thanks to a raised hood, new A-pillar trim, a spoiler lip on the roof trim, and air deflectors on the rear wheel arches. Well, the G still doesn't slip through the airstream; it more like blasts through it. With resounding performance.

They achieve the caliber of the thrilling, yet the immense curb weight of 3,117 kg keeps the 1,164 Nm of torque from the quartet of engines so busy that the haste falls just short of the intimidating. The sprint figures – 4, 6 for 0-100 – don't sound all that impressive in the world of the top electric cars, known for their exuberant acceleration. In the G, however, they convey a stormy burst of energy. After all, you experience them from this lighthouse vantage point at a height of 91 cm, from which the task is to transfer the power to the road and keep the G there. With the roll-stabilizing adaptive dampers and the steering, which is exceptionally precise and responsive for a G, this not only succeeds safely, but also escalates into sublime pleasure. If things threaten to spiral into excess, the brilliant ESP regulates everything.

The charging strategy sets new rules, taking into account not only the topography of the route but also the temperature and the associated heating or air conditioning needs of the passengers, who are swayed by the suspension's comfort, as well as, yes, the charging costs. A dead battery is probably the only thing that can stop the 580 – after 405 km (eco lap) at the latest, and after 326 km on average. This results in a very respectable test consumption of 38.6 kWh/100 km. On the other hand, the 155 g CO2/km corresponds to the emissions load of 6.7 l S – which the G burbles away even during warm-up as an AMG 63 V8.

So what does all this mean? Friends, we have a new dream car. Because in 46 years, no G has had as much of a turnaround as the 580 EQ. And that's it: the end of the story.