A Baby G-Wagon Is Coming, And Yes, It Still Looks Kind of Badass

A baby Mercedes-Benz G-Class is nearly here, and judging by the buzz around its full-sized sibling, this shrunken version could find plenty of eager buyers waiting in line. If the final production model bears much resemblance to what we’re seeing so far, there’s little doubt it’ll strike a chord with premium SUV fans.

Several camouflaged prototypes have been spotted testing in recent months, and these spy shots have now inspired a set of renderings that hint at what’s coming.

Read: This Is Mercedes’ New Baby G-Class And It’s A Real Chip Off The Old Block

Mercedes doesn’t appear to be straying far from the G-Wagen’s tried-and-true silhouette. Instead, the goal seems to be a subtle scaling-down, paired with a light smoothing of those famously angular edges.

In illustrations created by Nikita Chuyko for Kolesa, the baby G takes shape with the trademark round headlights, though they now peek out from under a sliver of overhanging bodywork, like a partial eyelid. A new grille adds some character, while more softly contoured edges nudge the design closer to other models in the Mercedes SUV range.

As revealed in our recent spy shots, the sides of the downsized G-Class retain the same upright, squared-off profile as the full-size version. The proportions, though, tell a different story.

With a noticeably shorter wheelbase, Mercedes has squeezed in a pair of unusually small rear doors that sit a little awkwardly within the design. It’s hard to imagine much in the way of legroom behind them, and expectations for rear passenger space should probably be kept in check.

The rear is also typical G-Class, albeit slightly softer and more friendly. You’ll also notice that in place of a traditional spare wheel carrier, there’s a slimmer, square-shaped box. This is expected to house the charging cables. You see, the baby G will hit the market as an EV.

What Can We Expect?

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According to early reports, Mercedes plans to build the baby G on a custom platform modeled after a ladder-frame chassis. That approach should preserve some real off-road credibility.

Precise technical details remain under wraps for now, but it’s likely the powertrain will borrow parts from elsewhere in the lineup, possibly including elements from the all-electric GLC.

Design-wise, there’s little doubt Mercedes is on the right track. Where things get trickier is under the surface. As much as some buyers will be drawn to the EV angle, others may want the option of a hybrid or even a combustion model.

Given how quickly tastes are shifting, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the company keep those doors open.