These days, if you want a G-Class,
all you have to do is walk into a dealership and place an order. You won’t even
have to choose between different body-styles, because there’s only one on offer.
But wasn’t always the case.
Back in 2000 when this example was made, the
Geländewagen wasn’t officially offered in the United States. You had to get it
by grey-market import. And you could choose between the five-door version we
have now, the short-wheelbase three-door wagon, or the short-wheelbase
convertible.
Listed for sale by Miller Motorcars out of
Greenwich, Connecticut, this G500 convertible was imported by Europa
International, and upgraded by the Mercedes performance specialists at
RennTech. It’s said to have had an extra $80,000 in upgrades applied, with
enhanced engine, brakes, and suspension bringing it up to near G55 AMG levels
of specification.
The complete package is a much smaller G-Class than
the new one just introduced. Its roof opens more completely than even the
Maybach Landaulet‘s. And it’s supercharged, not turbocharged. Imagine if Land
Rover had made a Defender 90 SVR nearly two decades ago and you wouldn’t be far
off.
It’s been well worn since then, with nearly 30,000
miles on the clock (or some 47,555 kilometers). But it looks to be in pretty
good condition. Interested? It carries a US$ 221,900 asking price. That’s a heck
of a big ticket, which puts it at about the same price point as the outgoing G550
4×4 (with its jacked-up suspension) or AMG G65 (with its twelve-cylinder
engine).
