While the Mercedes-Benz ‘Baby’ G-Wagen has so far only been spied in EV guise, it will reportedly now be offered with petrol engines too.
According to Autocar, the Baby G-Class will be sold with the choice of hybrid and pure electric drivetrains.
The British magazine believes the Baby G’s hybrid system will be taken from the third-generation CLA, which has a new 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine aided by a 48V mild hybrid system.
In the CLA, the 1.5-litre is available in three states of tune: 100kW/200Nm, 120kW/250Nm and 140kW/300Nm. The petrol engine is paired to an eight-speed automatic with a built-in 20kW electric motor that’s fed by a 1.3kWh battery pack.
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If this report is correct, it would certainly fit in with the current trend many legacy automakers are adopting, which is to offer electric and combustion options in the one vehicle, with the latest CLA being a case in point.
While EV sales have grown globally, the take-up rate hasn’t matched earlier predictions and adoption has varied wildly, with Europe and China being more enthusiastic adopters.
It’s possible the decision to add petrol options to the Baby G range was informed by the company’s experience with the full-size G-Class, which is available with the choice of petrol, diesel and electric drivetrains.
While the electric 432kW/1165Nm G580 with EQ Technology offers the most power (just) and the most torque (by far) of any G-Class model, sales have been modest, with one anonymous Mercedes-Benz executive reportedly labelling it a “complete flop”.
Unlike the full-size G-Class, which has an electric motor for each wheel, Autocar believes the Baby G EV will have a two-motor setup, with a larger, more powerful motor on the rear axle.
Reportedly measuring around 4.4m long, the Baby G will much smaller than the full-size G-Class, which measures 4.86m from head to tail.
While company representatives have referred to the new model as the ‘Baby G’, ‘Mini G’ and ‘Little G’, the automaker has yet to confirm the car’s official name, but no doubt it will follow the long-held tradition of coupling one to three letters with three numerals.
Production of the smaller G-Class is expected to begin in 2027 with electric variants launching first. It’s unclear when petrol-powered models will start trundling down the factory line.