The magazine 4WheelFun crowns the G-Class as �2009 superstar�: Best in class: the G-Class

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Stuttgart, Germany, May 08, 2009 � the legendary Mercedes-Benz G-Class is continuing to rake in award after award � thirty years after it first appeared on the automotive scene. What is by far the longest serving Mercedes-Benz passenger-car model series is celebrating its successes in the �2009 superstars� readers� poll run by the specialist journal �4WheelFun� and the �classics of the future� vote organised by the magazine �Motor Klassik�. These honours serve to underline the cult status enjoyed by the G-Class.


Readers of the off-road magazine �4Wheel Fun� ensured that the G-Class romped its way to victory by a good margin in the luxury segment of the �2009 superstar� poll. Some 34 percent of the votes went to this ever-youthful classic, putting a clear distance between the G-Class and its competitors. This is the second time that the assertive off-roader has won this title � the first time being in 2007.

Following on from previous victories in 2003 and 2007, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class has now been named �classic of the future� in 2009, too, by readers of �Motor Klassik�. No less than 16,184 readers awarded their votes to Mercedes models in six out of 14 categories, with the G-Class winning by a particularly wide margin. The original version of the vehicle, dating back to 1979, dominated the competition with an impressive 29.9 percent of votes in its class. And the current G-Class model was able to cut an equally fine figure, picking up nearly 25 percent of the votes: that�s twice as many as the vehicle which took second place.

For an incredible sixth time � after 2001, 2006 2007 and 2008 � readers of �Off Road� have once again bestowed the title �off-roader of the year� on this automotive icon.

These awards follow in the footsteps of a long tradition, as soon becomes apparent when taking a look at a small selection of the honours from past decades: no less than 14 times have the readers of the specialist German publication �auto motor und sport� voted the G-Class the best cross-country vehicle in the world. In 1983 the Australian automotive magazine �bushdriver� named the G-Class as the best 4x4 cross-country vehicle of the year, no doubt partly as a reminiscence to the Paris-Dakar win that year. In 1993 readers of the French �Magazine 4x4� awarded the title �cross-country vehicle of the year� to the G 350 TURBODIESEL, and in 1995, readers of the specialist aquatic sport journal, �Boote�, came to the conclusion that the G-Class is the best towing vehicle.

G-Class LIMITED.30 and G-Class EDITION.PUR: spectacular special models to mark birthday celebrations

The fact that the G-Class was designed for operations in the most difficult terrain right from the start is made particularly clear by the special EDITION.PUR model based on the G 280 CDI from the 461 model series. This long-wheelbase station wagon pays homage to the first-generation G-Class, has been optimised specifically for the toughest assignments off the beaten track and is therefore the future dream car for world travellers, expedition leaders, confirmed fans of the G-Class and customers who are in search of an automotive rarity with uncompromising reliability and the ability to go anywhere. With numerous optional extras, the G EDITION.PUR can be equipped for any eventuality, for example with all-terrain tyres in size 265/75 R 16 on aluminium rims, flexible wheel arch flaring, protective grilles for the headlamps and lights, a walk-on bonnet for easier access to the roof rack which is available as an accessory, a towing lug at the front and a two-section rear door. In the interior there are four individual seats upholstered in hard-wearing fabric or man-made leather, rubber floor coverings in the passenger compartment, spray-protected controls and drainage apertures in the footwells. A load compartment with a wood floor, load-securing rings and rails can also be ordered, as can an auxiliary heater or a manually operated air conditioning system.

With the special LIMITED.30 model based on the G 463 model series, Mercedes-Benz is once again demonstrating the manifold possibilities displayed by the G-Class with respect to comfort and prestige. Externally, this long-wheelbase G 500 Station Wagon is distinguished by the designo platinum black paintwork, specially designed light-alloy wheels and LIMITED.30 lettering on the wings. The interior of this G 500 impresses with designo leather in the colour "chablis" and designo wood trim in anthracite poplar.

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