The Next Mercedes G-Wagen Rival Could Have Bronco Bones

Even though the Geländewagen started its life as a utilitarian military vehicle, the boxy icon has since vaulted upmarket. Nowadays, the off-roader occupies a place as one of Mercedes-Benz’s halo models, among its most profitable offerings.

It’s an arc shared by many an SUV across the industry, as brands like Land Rover and Lexus have also elevated once-hardworking 4x4s — the Range Rover and the GX — such that they’re recognized more for their luxury than they are for their historic capabilities.

Mercedes-Benz

By the sound of things, the United States is looking to adopt a similar strategy. A recent report indicates that a new G-Class competitor is in the works, and it’ll be a Lincoln, of all things.

A Lincoln with Bronco chops

Word comes from Autoweek, who spoke with anonymous sources stating that the Lincoln brand is developing a new body-on-frame SUV. One openly compared the forthcoming vehicle to the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, so it’s set to be equal parts rugged and refined.

Ford

In order for the luxury two-row to be up to the challenge, Lincoln is supposedly repurposing the Ford Bronco platform. While no exact specs were suggested, this would open it up to the possibility of sharing the Ford’s four-cylinder and V6 powertrains, as well as many of its off-road-ready goodies.

To that end, it’s possible that Lincoln’s SUV will borrow some of the Bronco’s bodywork. Given the direct comparison to the G — rather than a more streamlined vehicle like an Audi or a BMW — the brand may be looking to cash in on the retro, squared-off look.

Lincoln

In any event, with a projected launch in 2029 or 2030, timing may be the biggest factor affecting how the Lincoln takes shape. As Autoweek points out, this would put its arrival around the expected Bronco overhaul, meaning it could bring some next-gen updates.

One thing the vehicle won’t adopt from its Ford counterpart, however, is pricing. Being a luxury-oriented offering, this body-on-frame SUV will likely come in quite a bit higher than the Bronco — whether it overshadows the Navigator only time will tell.

Stacking the cast of competitors

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the luxury off-road rumor mill, it’s more than understandable. This potential Bronco-based Lincoln is but the latest iron in the fire.

Audi AG

After all, between Audi, BMW and Genesis, several other automakers are reportedly targeting the G-Class with SUVs of their own. The rugged-to-riches story has clearly inspired the competition to go after a piece of the pie and steal some of the market.

However, at the same time, Mercedes-Benz is working on a series of further Geländewagen variants in the Baby G and a quirky convertible. In doing so, the brand will only be catering to an even wider range of buyers and capitalizing on the nameplate’s prior success.

Mercedes-Benz

With Land Rover also looking to round out its lineup through a new Defender mini-me, the segment is set to be more crowded than ever in the coming years.

As such, even if a Lincoln-badged body-on-frame SUV can deliver Bronco levels of off-road capability, it’ll have to bring its A-game on the interior front in order to stand out against a sea of German and Korean alternatives.

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.

Related Topics