Mercedes boss Ola Källenius probably wants to bring a small G-Class in the compact segment. The Mini-G should be at the start in 2026, then probably as an electric car.
"Absolutely," the Handelsblatt learned from corporate circles, "Mercedes boss Ola Källenius wants to bring a compact offshoot of the G-Class onto the market by 2026." At first, this statement is surprising. After all, the carmaker has been announcing the deletion of smaller vehicles in favor of large luxury models with a high margin for months. According to official announcements, one does not want to be a volume manufacturer and not compete with the masses. So how does a compact version of the G-Class fit into the picture? ,
Of course, we can only speculate about this at the moment, but the A-Class has already taught us that compact Mercedes vehicles do not have to be cheap. The planned offshoot of the G-Class, which is probably still controversial internally, should above all be flatter and deeper, but not much shorter than the off-road icon. According to the Handelsblatt, due to its great success, Källenius is considering expanding the series in all directions. Not just in the compact segment, but up to the Maybach version.
Mini-G on MMA platform
A car that is planned for 2026 should at least not come onto the market exclusively as a combustion engine. An electric version is then actually mandatory. The new MMA platform ( Mercedes Modular Architecture ) can carry both and will debut in late 2024 with the new CLA. Other compact vehicles up to the C-Class level and the compact G-Class will later be based on it. It is designed for volume models - or at least what Mercedes understands by "volume model". "Sub-luxury models" would probably be more appropriate below those cars on the upcoming MB.EA platform for the successors of EQS and EQE, for example. ,
From the start, the Mini-G-Class should be an electric model with 800-volt technology, a range of more than 500 kilometers, large screens in the cockpit and the new MB.OS operating system. Last but not least, they want to outsmart the electric car pioneer Tesla in Stuttgart. In all probability, the combustion versions will receive engines from the partnership with Geely - as transversely installed three and four-cylinder engines, which also drive Volvo models and cars from Lynck & Co. However, before we can enjoy a compact G-Class, the electric version of the off-roader is due for 2024, which can be seen in the video above. In our photo show at the top of the article, on the other hand, you can see the still camouflaged facelift version of the current combustion G-Class as a prototype. ,
Conclusion
Mercedes boss Ola Källenius seems to be very fond of the idea of a compact G model. The shrink version of the off-roader should therefore debut in 2026 as an electric car and combustion engine on the MMA platform. One can only speculate about the prices for such a car, but they should be far above the costs of conventional compacts à la A-Class.
