4×4 Magazine Australia — November 2017

M

ERCEDES-BENZ’S iconic

G-Wagen was developed more

than 40 years ago to transport

militaries across the deserts

of North Africa and the

Middle East, so it’s only fitting

that when a new variant

arrived in Australia, Benz

chose to take it to the desert.

Despite a much-publicised 2011 expedition on

the Canning Stock Route, where failed shock

absorbers brought the media convoy to a halt,

Benz has been brave enough to do it again, this

time choosing an east-to-west crossing of the

Simpson Desert.

The new variant is the G300 CDI

Professional wagon, which joins the cab-

chassis variant as the workhorse models in

the G range. The G-Pro wagon uses the same

3.0-litre diesel V6 engine, five-speed automatic

transmission, full-time 4x4 and triple diff-

locked driveline as the cab-chassis, in a bare-

bones four-seat, five-door wagon.

The desert convoy included three G300

wagons and two cab-chassis variants, as well

as two left-hand drive G500 wagons belonging

to explorer Mike Horn, who joined us to make

this trip. Drivers came from media outlets

around the world, most of whom had never

even been to Australia before, let alone visited

60 http://www.4X4australia.com.au

DRIVEN MB G300 PROFESSIONAL/SIMPSON DESERT