Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen: 1979 to 2006

Codenamed W460, the iconic Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, with its boxy, square-edged no frills look, set out to be Stuttgart’s answer to the Range Rover. However, by going back to Gottlieb Daimler’s premise of ’Nothing but the best’ it quickly took its place throughout the world as ’The Best 4X4.’ This Essential Buyer’s Guide will navigate you through the various model changes, starting from the simple hand-built W460, through to the more luxurious market of the W463. You will find details of model changes, engine specifications, and issues that you may come across when looking to buying one of the best purpose-made vehicles around. Nik Greene has written many feature articles and regular copy for popular classic car and club magazines in the UK and France, and his passion for Mercedes cars has steered him towards researching and writing for one of the elite motor manufacturers. Having restored many cars, his present stable of cars includes the Mercedes W126 S-Class 560SE and his beloved Mercedes G-Wagen, as well as several classic Citroëns and Renaults.

Nik Greene was born in St Albans in 1964, before his family moved to Norfolk for a farming life. Having always had an interest in cars he got into the classic car scene soon after buying his first Jaguar at the age of 20. Joining the Jaguar Drivers’ club led him to take his first steps into writing; initially writing newsletter articles, and then as a Jaguar S-Type model representative, which involved writing monthly articles. This became more serious when contacted by Paul Skilleter, the eminent Jaguar historian, to write a few articles for his new magazine Jaguar Quarterly. This opened the door to writing regular copy with other classic car magazines. Not satisfied just ’owning’ a classic car, Nik Greene always threw himself deeply into the history and design of the vehicles he has owned and restored, which has led to a good knowledge base. He often says: ＂There is no better way of knowing your car than by taking it apart, whether physically or historically.＂ Nik Greene’s first Mercedes was a 123 model 280TE, and being a lover of quality and precision design and engineering his love for the marque grew, encompassing the robust G-Wagen then the S-Class 126. After moving to France in 2004, he went on to buy and restore many old Citroens and Renaults, but never moved completely away from his love of the Mercedes Marque. He still owns his beloved G-Wagen after nearly 20 years and having previously owned four 126s, he has settled on a very rare 126 560SE, which remains pampered in his collection.