We all know that Mercedes offers luxurious urban vehicles, but how would a Mercedes epic adventure in the Outback of Australia work out? Recently, journalist Alistair Weaver planned his own Mercedes epic adventure, dumped in the Outback with a week’s worth of food and seven Mercedes G Class SUVs for his team. Here, NJ Mercedes dealer, Prestige Motors, gives an overview of the undertaking.
The Mercedes G Wagon was initially built in the 1970s, after the Shah of Iran asked for a rugged, off-road Mercedes. They’re still popular, and the Australian Army has just ordered several hundred of them. With leather and wood in the cabin, as well as adjustable seats, the G Wagon is a luxury vehicle with off-road capabilities; three lockable differentials, limber suspension, and remarkable weight distribution all add up to an SUV that is truly capable off the road.
The route Weaver and his crew traveled is called the Stock Route, and it was initially built to drive cattle across the Australian countryside. It’s an extremely rugged trail, and was sure to put the G Wagons—and the humans driving them—to the test. Almost immediately, they’d blown both the rear shock absorbers in five of the vehicles, and they had to take them off and drive without them, losing control of the rear suspension. By the end of the first day, they’d also broken the spare wheel bracket on one of the vehicles, and the air conditioner had gone out. They had to charter a plane to fly in some spare parts, but they were determined to continue with their Mercedes epic adventure.
While the mechanics were repairing the G Wagons, Weaver took time to learn more about dangers of the Outback. He knew that it was easy to get lost, in all that Big Sky Country, but wasn’t too worried about getting lost during this adventure, as someone had erected a huge Mercedes flag above the camp. The flight doctor talked to him about risks of Outback travel, like snakebites and road trauma, and the danger of traveling such a remote route.
The 2011 G Wagon certainly packed enough power for the Stock Route. With a 3 liter turbo diesel V6 under the hood, the G350 that Weaver was driving packed an extra wallop of power, ideal for traversing those rugged off-road paths. The team had to put in some extra hours, but the Mercedes off-road vehicles were equal to the task. Despite taking a beating, the military grade G Wagon in the group still stood proud, without major issues, a proper G Class Mercedes SUV. At the end of the adventure, Weaver was sad to say goodbye to his G Wagon.
You may not ever get the opportunity to travel through the Outback, but if you’re ready for a Mercedes epic adventure of your own, consider Prestige Motors. Part of a family of dealers that has served the Tri-State area for more than forty years, Prestige is staffed by professionals who are committed to the kind of customer service that creates lifelong Mercedes enthusiasts. Visit the website to learn more, swing by for a test drive, or connect with the online community on Facebook and Twitter.