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Here’s the thing about owning a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen: if you can afford a G-Wagen, you probably live in an area where many people own G-Wagens. It’s tough to stand out with one.
So the well-to-do have to find creative ways to make their G-Classes unique. You could distinguish your G from the rest with a super-opulent, yacht-themed wood-laden interior. Another, far classier option would be to buy this incredibly rare, vintage 1993 Puch 500 GE version, which is going up for auction at RM Sotheby’s.
See, Mercedes-Benz Gelandewagens were sold not with three-pointed stars but with Puch branding in specific markets — namely, Austria and Switzerland. Even without the unusual badge, the 500 GE is a significant model in the G-Class lineage; it was the first to be sold with a V8 engine. Only 446 examples of the 500 GE were ever made…and only three of them were Puch 500 GE units. This one, registered originally in Austria, was the first of the three.
This G-Wagen was a homologation model, used for testing, media drives and photographs. Thus, it is — by 1993 standards, at least — loaded with the latest and greatest amenities, like heated front seats, cruise control and a power sunroof. RM Sotheby’s does not give the mileage, but asserts that the Puch 500 GE is “partially restored” and in daily driving condition.
One counterpoint to ownership would be that the 1993-era V8, which put out 237 hp and 269 lb-ft, is a far cry from the 577 hp motor found in the current AMG G63. The Puch 500 GE accelerated from 0-60 mph in 11.4 seconds, around 7.5 seconds more time than the current G63. You also must contend with it being very, very purple. (We’re not sure about that “Puch G” spare tire cover either.)
If this SUV is up your alley, you can bid on this Puch 500 GE at RM Sotheby’s Essen auction, currently scheduled for June 24-27.
