Mercedes-Benz wins defence procurement contract

Mercedes-Benz has won a 4WD defence procurement contract and is set to deliver its G-Class wagon on time and on budget under a 15-year service agreement.

The car giant will supply 1200 vehicles over the contract period.  The G-Class will gradually replace the army's fleet of 4000 Land Rover Perenties, which date from 1987 and are based on the Defender workhorse. The army was forced to switch because Land Rover did not tender for Project Overlander.

Originally designed for military use, the G-Class is a joint venture between Mercedes and Magna Steyr. It has been built in Austria since 1979 at the rate of 6000 a year and about 60,000 units are still in service worldwide.

But there is also a civilian version and Overlander opens the door for the return of the G-Class to Australian showrooms after a 20-year absence.

The first civvy G-Class arrived in Australia in 1982, but quickly disappeared because it was too expensive. Right-hand-drive production stopped and only started again last year.

The military's G280 CDi uses a stronger chassis than the civilian version and can carry 2 tonnes. As well as the 4WD, there's a unique 6WD version and body shapes ranging from wagons through single and dual cab-chassis, complemented by special purpose modules.

They will serve in a range of capacities from transporters for troops and munitions, to ambulances, to surveillance and reconnaissance vehicles.

Read more here.