Mercedes G-Class AMG OG Had A Face Transplant

Long before AMG became a Mercedes subsidiary, it built a diesel-powered SUV with limousine styling for a tennis champion who didn’t like how it looked.
 

From Military Tool to Civilian Status Symbol
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class began life in the late 1970s as a military vehicle, conceived at the request of the Shah of Iran. Although political upheaval prevented the Iranian order from materializing, Mercedes-Benz decided to move forward with production, and in 1979, the G-Wagen debuted for civilian use. Its boxy design and off-road prowess made it a rugged workhorse, not a luxury icon. That transformation would take decades, and a few unusual one-offs, to materialize.
 
A Tennis Star’s Custom Commission
One such anomaly is a 1983 Mercedes-Benz 300 GD, a diesel-powered G-Wagon commissioned by tennis legend Ivan Lendl. At the time, Mercedes was one of Lendl’s sponsors, and during a visit to the company, he saw a two-door convertible version of the G-Class. While intrigued by the vehicle, he reportedly disliked its utilitarian front end. According to a video by the Patina Collective, Lendl casually asked a Mercedes representative if it could be fitted with a more elegant nose, specifically, that of a road-going sedan.
 
That offhand comment led to a collaboration with AMG, still independent from Mercedes at the time. AMG responded by giving the G-Wagon the front fascia of a W116 S-Class, complete with its wide chrome grille and large rectangular headlights.
 

A Frankenstein Face: S-Class Meets Off-Roader
The result was a jarring mix of styles. The sophisticated front of a luxury limousine clashed with the squared, utilitarian proportions of the G-Class body. The bumper, grille, and headlight arrangement, all lifted directly from the S-Class, sat awkwardly on the boxy SUV, making it look like two different cars had been forcibly fused.
 
But this strange combination wasn’t just about vanity. It unintentionally foreshadowed the future of the luxury SUV, a category that didn’t really exist in the early 1980s. The juxtaposition of high-end styling on a rugged platform hinted at what would later become the blueprint for vehicles like the Mercedes-AMG G63.
 
Other Modifications: BBS Wheels and Recaros
Beyond the unusual nose, Lendl’s G-Wagon received several other upgrades from AMG. The team added custom AMG bumpers and bodywork, BBS wheels, blue leather Recaro seats, and a bespoke paint job. However, it retained the factory engine, a naturally aspirated 3.0-liter inline-six diesel producing just 87 horsepower and 127 lb-ft of torque. With a 0–60 mph time of nearly 25 seconds, it was built more for presence than performance.
 

A Rare Sight on U.S. Roads
At the time, Mercedes didn’t officially sell the G-Wagon in the United States, making Lendl’s example even more unique. After about a decade of ownership, he brought the car with him to Connecticut, where it remained a curiosity on American roads. Even without the AMG makeover, a 300 GD would have been rare, but with its S-Class face and custom features, it was a true one-off.
 
Now on Display: Petersen’s “Totally Awesome!” Exhibit
Today, the vehicle is part of the Totally Awesome! exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, which showcases cars that defined the 1980s and ’90s in pop culture, media, and design. The G-Wagon, now owned by the Patina Collective in Florida, sits alongside concept cars, motorsport icons, and Hollywood favorites. Its inclusion reflects more than just visual eccentricity, it captures a transitional moment in automotive history when the rugged and the refined began to merge.
 
Legacy of a Misfit
Lendl’s G-Wagon may have been an oddity in its day, but in hindsight, it looks prophetic. Long before the luxury SUV craze took off, this one-off hinted at a formula that would eventually dominate the high-end automotive market. Its awkward proportions and glacial acceleration didn’t stop it from planting the seeds of a future where vehicles like the AMG G63 would become cultural fixtures. As the Petersen exhibit reminds us, sometimes the most bizarre experiments are the ones that help shape the future.