In 2006, Mercedes-Benz added another upgrade to its well-known G-Class W463, giving the vehicle a mild exterior update that made it more appealing to customers.
In 2005, Mercedes-Benz’s board decided to continue production of the G-Class. The milestone decision kept the big and old SUV on the assembly lines, and the vehicle’s fans were happy. The car was already an iconic model, and its steep price transformed it into a luxury item for many people around the world. But there were some essential changes to be made to the G-Class to keep it on the sales floors. One of the reasons why the automaker had to take that decision in 2005 was due to the Euro 4 emission standards that were due to be enforced starting in January 2006. As a result, the automaker had to axe the 400 CDI and the 270 CDI versions, as well as several gasoline engines. To make these changes visible, the automaker also updated the G-Class exterior, starting in mid-2006 for the 2007 model year.
At the front, customers finally got what they were asking for: Xenon lights. These were unavailable before the fall of 2007, but these significantly improved nighttime driving compared to the older Halogen-based headlamps. Furthermore, the automaker used the available oval-shaped fog lamps as cornering lights, which also added a little bit of flair to the massive G-Class.
From its profile, the 2007 G-Class W463 featured body-colored trims on the wheel arches and side sills. Its turn signal lamps integrated into the door mirror caps were carried over from Mercedes-Benz’s parts bin. At the same time, the long black rubber trim that crossed the vehicle from front to back protected the black door handles, neatly integrating them. The side-hinged rear door supported the spare wheel like on all the previous G-Class models, even though it had already become inconvenient, especially for those driving the car within city limits.
Inside, the automaker still used the same old C-Class W203-inspired instrument panel with its half-circle center-mounted speedometer flanked by the tachometer on the left and by the fuel level gauge on the right. It even kept the amber-lit LCD inside the speedometer. In addition, Mercedes-Benz used other parts from the W203 on the G-Class, such as the climate control buttons from the center stack. The infotainment system and the steering wheel were carried over from the E-Class W211. But the automaker made the seats specifically for the G-Class. These were available with a two-stage heating function for the first row. Those seated in the back had to rely on the vehicle’s regular heater. At least they had plenty of legroom.
Mercedes-Benz offered the 2007 G-Class with a choice of two engines: a three-liter V6 and a 5.0-liter V8. The former was a turbodiesel that replaced the V8 and the inline-five units of 4.0-liter and 2.7-liter, respectively, while the latter was a gasoline powerplant. Both were paired as standard with a seven-speed automatic (7G-Tronic) gearbox, which was tried and tested since 2003 on the E-Class and the brand’s flagship, the S-Class.