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Posted On: November 4th 2026, 07:53 pm
The story of the Mercedes G-Class begins somewhere you would never expect.
Long before becoming a global symbol of luxury and status, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class was conceived as a rugged off-road vehicle, engineered to withstand some of the world’s most demanding conditions.
Its story began in 1972, when Mercedes-Benz joined forces with Austrian manufacturer Steyr-Daimler-Puch to develop an entirely new all-terrain vehicle.
But an unexpected figure would play a significant role in its early history: Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran.
In the mid-1970s, the Iranian monarch reportedly placed an order for 20,000 vehicles intended for his country’s armed forces, providing important momentum for the project.
History, however, had other plans…
In 1979, the Iranian Revolution brought an end to the Shah’s reign, just as the G-Class entered production. The planned Iranian fleet never materialized, but Mercedes-Benz continued developing and selling the vehicle.
Long before becoming a global symbol of luxury and status, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class was conceived as a rugged off-road vehicle, engineered to withstand some of the world’s most demanding conditions.
Its story began in 1972, when Mercedes-Benz joined forces with Austrian manufacturer Steyr-Daimler-Puch to develop an entirely new all-terrain vehicle.
But an unexpected figure would play a significant role in its early history: Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran.
In the mid-1970s, the Iranian monarch reportedly placed an order for 20,000 vehicles intended for his country’s armed forces, providing important momentum for the project.
History, however, had other plans…
In 1979, the Iranian Revolution brought an end to the Shah’s reign, just as the G-Class entered production. The planned Iranian fleet never materialized, but Mercedes-Benz continued developing and selling the vehicle.
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