Mercedes-Benz intends to put the world premiere of the new G-Class on 14 January 201, at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, in the spotlight.
One way Merc has done this is by adorning the entrance to Cobo Hall at the NAIAS exhibition with a gigantic amber-coloured cube made of 44.4 tonnes of synthetic resin. Encased inside is a G-Class from the first production year, 1979.
#strongerthantime
The #Gclass is trapped in amber like an insect and preserving its DNA.
The new model will be surely a real #Gwagon – world premiere is scheduled for next Monday!#MercedesBenz #MadeinGraz #Geländewagen #amber #Art #Detroit #NAIAS2018 #thebestornothing pic.twitter.com/F9LMOfkOPj— Marc Christiansen (@Der_Landgraf) January 12, 2018
According to the German luxury vehicle manufacturer, “the installation symbolises the timelessness of the off-road legend and makes a conscious reference to the natural phenomenon of insects preserved in amber. Like their genetic material the DNA of the first G-Class has also been preserved and is handed down from generation to generation.”
The square block is 5.50 metres long, 2.55 metres wide and 3.10 metres high and took 90 days to make. A creative endeavour indeed.
The 1979 G-Class was built on a ladder-type frame with coil-sprung rigid axels. At its launch there were four engine variants, two wheelbases and two body styles. Watch the 1979 G-Class in action here.