Here's An Ultra-Rare Mercedes G-Class You've Never Heard Of

Apr. 11, 2020 11:05 AM ET by Roger Biermann Off-Road / 2 Comments

No three-pointed star here and in a color that makes it truly unique.

The Mercedes-Benz G-Class is a legend of the automotive world, an SUV from the German luxury car manufacturer that was built to serve the military and conquer landscapes all over the world. It's an incredible specialized SUV, which is why it's been built by Magna Steyr in the company's Graz factory since 1979, seven years after the development of the original G-Wagen got underway. But it wasn't always sold as a Mercedes, and until as recently as 1999, the G-Class was sold in some countries such as Austria and Switzerland under the Puch brand. One of these Puch 500 GEs has now come up for sale, but what makes it even more interesting is that this is one of only three that gave up the three-pointed star entirely in favor of the Puch shield.

It's one of the first-ever G-Classes to be fitted with a V8 engine, with only 446 V8-powered models produced between 1993 and 1994, after which the V8 took a four-year hiatus. All were produced in long-wheelbase form with five doors, and the 5.0-liter V8 produced 237 horsepower and 276 lb-ft of torque. The 5,224-pound SUV was a true conqueror of the unknown, and as such, these Puch 500 GEs have become highly sought after collector's items. It's not common for one to come up for sale, but this particular model is even rarer as it bears the Puch badge instead of the Mercedes one.

Finished in Amethystblau Metallic, it stands out from the crowd even more than usual, but with 101,278 miles on the clock, it has its battle scars and has lived a good life so far. It's currently in a partially restored condition, and if you'd like to get your hands on it, you'll need to partake in RM Sotheby's Essen auction in the second half of June. The Puch 500 GE comes with all the original paperwork which confirms it's the very first 500 GE which was used for homologation purposes and press drives, with a number of photos of this particular SUV having being published in magazines and brochures of the era.