Next Mercedes G-Class won't think outside of the box

Anyone that was afraid that Mercedes-Benz would follow the example of the Land Rover Range Rover and soften the looks of the iconic Geländewagen when it came time for a redesign need not worry. The iconic off-roader's brutalist design aesthetic will carry on, as it's essential to its character.

"It has to continue as it looks today," Daimler AG boss Dieter Zetsche told Bloomberg. "It's not a vehicle that pretends. The G-Class is the original."

That doesn't mean that the G won't seem some changes soon. Regulatory changes will force some design modifications for 2016, while Mercedes might also take the opportunity to up usable space, widening the SUV by around four inches and dropping the roof slightly, a person familiar with MB's plans told Bloomberg.

Mercedes is at something of a crossroads with the G-Class, facing increased competition from the hot-selling Range Rover and staring down the barrel of new ultra-lux competitors from the likes of Bentley and others. Meanwhile, Bloomberg describes the company as trying to shed a "stodgy reputation." These challenges, though, shouldn't impact the future G-Wagen's abilities, though.

"When it comes to the combination of off-road capabilities and luxury, there's no alternative," the SUV's chief, Gunnar Guethenke told Bloomberg. "The G-Class provides the genes for all Mercedes-Benz SUVs."