Evolution of Mercedes AWD
Were you to ask the average American guy who made the first four-wheel-drive system, Jeep would probably be the most popular answer. Yet decades before that--almost a century ago--the company that became Mercedes-Benz already had a working 4x4 system.
Back in 1907, Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) built an all-wheel-drive vehicle for the German Imperial Colonial Office to be used in present day Namibia, Africa. Paul Daimler designed this one-off vehicle for Bernhard Dernburg, which even had all-wheel steering and could climb 25-percent gradients.
By 1926, Daimler-Benz started building another four-wheel-drive car, the tri-axle G1. The G3 (1928) and G3a (1929) were subsequently based on the G1--all driven by the two rear axles. The more-powerful G4 series adopted the same basic design, although some versions had a driven front axle. The Mercedes-Benz G5 (1937 to 1941) had all-wheel drive and selectable all-wheel steering. The Unimog, shortened from "Universalmotorgerat" began production in 1951 and is Mercedes' most rugged off-roader to date. In addition to tall tires and all-wheel drive, it has front and rear differential locks and portal axles that greatly increase ground clearance. In 1979, Mercedes-Benz introduced its tall, boxy G-Class (Gelaendewagen, or all-terrain auto) in partnership with Steyr-Daimler-Puch, presently Magna Steyr. The G-Wagen's tremendous climbing ability, side-slope traction, and steep approach and departure angles make it an excellent off-road machine. The G-Class has been available with gas and diesel engines, including high-power AMG variants, and was finally officially offered in the United States in 2001. Today, about 40 percent of all M-B vehicles are sold with the current version of all-wheel drive.--K.F.