The Mercedes-Benz 'Little G' will arrive in 2027 as a baby off-roader that will serve as the new entry point into an expanded G-Class range - and it will be sold with both ICE and EV power.
The new model has been conceived as Mercedes' answer to JLR's incoming 'Defender Sport', so it will posses a set of hardcore attributes.
This will pit it against a new breed of rugged crossovers, including the upcoming Toyota Land Cruiser FJ and Ford's European-made Bronco.
Nicknamed Little G by Mercedes (it will take a different name for production), the model was initially billed as electric-only.
However, Autocar understands the 4x4 - which will sit on a unique architecture and use an array of bespoke parts will now also be offered with the option of an internal combustion engine.
This decision reflects a change in Mercedes' strategy for its new models as it aims to balance varying global regulatory demands with consumer powertrain preferences.
The move also comes amid disappointing sales of the electric G-Class.
Indeed, Mercedes recently scrapped previous targets to go EV-only, with CEO Ola Källenius saying it will sell ICE models "well into the 2030s" as the brand aims to "remain strategically focused and tactically flexible".
Mercedes' shift reflects wider global automotive industry trends that have prompted rivals to alter their plans too - notably Porsche's recent change to its original EV-only intention for the Macan and Cayenne.
Choice of powertrains
The engine the Little G will use is understood to be the turbocharged and hybrid-assisted 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol unit fitted to the CLA.
It is designed and developed by Mercedes but produced by Horse Powertrain, a joint venture operated by Geely and Renault, in China.
In the CLA, the engine delivers up to 188bhp and 221lb ft of torque. It is paired with a gearbox-mounted electric motor that is capable of providing engine-off running.
The pure-electric version of the Little G is set to use a pair of Mercedes' 'eATS2.0' electric motors – one operating on the front wheels and a more powerful unit driving the rear wheels.
An 85kWh NMC battery is expected to provide a WLTP range of close to 450 miles.
Regardless of powertrain, it is understood that the Little G will be sold exclusively with four-wheel drive as part of its brief to deliver class-leading off-road performance.
The hybrid and EV versions are both also due to receive sophisticated power management, with torque vectoring allowing individual drive to each wheel in an effort to offer similar off-road performance to the existing full-fat G-Class models.
Bespoke platform
The Little G was initially planned to share its platform with the new electric GLC and the 2026 electric C-Class saloon, but Mercedes' outgoing tech boss Markus Schäfer recently revealed to Autocar that it will be based on a unique architecture to be "as authentic as possible".
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It's as awful looking as the original G. It seems BMW is the only German manufacturer that doesn't want all of one's cars looking like Chinese copies.