first Mercedes Benz G Class was made available for sale and purchase by Mercedes in the United States in 2002, though the G Class had been in manufactured and distributed overseas since 1979. The Mercedes Benz G Class, also known as the Gelaendewagen or G-wagen, is a heavy duty SUV style vehicle with extreme off road capabilities and were initially very popular with the military and those who traveled over rough terrain. Until 2002, quite a few G-wagens made their way to American drivers with the assistance of companies that would import the vehicles, modify them to meet U.S. regulations and sell them to upscale and anxious Americans at a tremendous profit.

Although additional models were made available in Europe by 2002, only one model was made available for sale by Mercedes in the United States in 2002 - the four door G500. The Mercedes Benz G500 made quite an impression both with its mechanical engineering and its formidable design.

Just about every concievable interiror luxury feature available at the time was standard on the 2002 Mercedes Benz G500. The power controls, leather seats, wood trim, premium sound system, and sunroof were reminicent of the interior of a large upscale luxury sedan. The Mercedes Benz G500 had a 112 inch wheel base and a 5.0 liter V8 engine that generated 292 horsepower. The G500 was quick to accelerate and tackled the majority of off road duties with ease. The major competitors to the G500 were the Land Rover Range Rover and Porsche Cayenne, both falling short of the power of of the G500.

Since its introduction to the United States, the Mercedes Benz G Class has not seen an extrodinary amount of change. The 2006 model year saw the introduction of the G55 AMG to the Mercedes Benz G Class lineup in the United States. The Mercedes Benz G class;s competitors now include vehciles that are similar in style and function of the likes of the Mercedes G500. The Mercedes G Class G500 and G55, introduced in 2006, have proved themselves more powerful yet not quite as stylish as the Mercedes brand competitor.