The Mercedes Geländewagen appears to have been reborn as a rakish concept that debuted at the L.A. Auto Show this week. But unlike the O.G., the Energ-G-Force, as it will be known, relinquishes its predecessor's hearty thirst for gasoline to harness the power of the late Hindenburg.
That's right, it runs on hydrogen, sporting rooftop hydro-tanks to prove it.
That Mercedes would attempt to go all green with the offspring of its formerly brutish, utilitarian offroad/valet parking-friendly gnarmonster shouldn't be a surprise. What should awaken your, or anyone's interest is that they've — gasp — decided to change body styling that had nearly become immutable after more than 30 years in service.
Ener-G-Force is, dare we say, ruggedly sexy. It looks nice, but also like it could schralp the shit out of a trail or two. Who knows if all that hydrogen hoopla actually works, but if they bail on that proposal and slap a diesel mill into this body, it's likely that people too wowed by how nice looking the rig has become will be none the wiser.