A Once Forbidden Piece of Mercedes-Benz Fruit is Confirmed for US Shores

A convertible US-spec Geländewagen wasn’t on our bingo cards for the current model.

Close-up of an amber-colored emergency or warning light mounted on the hood of a green vehicle, with another green vehicle and a large blurred "G" sculpture in the background.

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Published September 29, 2025

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Updated September 29, 2025

Rumor has it that Mercedes-Benz is confirmed to be readying a drop-top version of its baller Geländewagen here in the States. MotorTrend recently got the official scoop after sitting down with one of the brand’s current and most prominent board members, Michael Schiebe.

This would mark a huge occasion as it would be the first time the Three-Point Star would be selling a convertible version of its G-Class in the US.

Mercedes-Benz began officially selling its rugged, boxy G-Class Stateside in the late 1990s. Since then, it’s evolved and exploded in popularity, becoming a pop culture icon and a status symbol of wealth — something its creators, who originally designed the G-Wagen as a military transport vehicle, probably didn’t foresee.

To date, the G-Wagen is the longest series production model ever sold in the brand’s history. But the US only officially received the standard five-door hard-top version. And that’s about to change.

The first convertible US-bound G-Wagen

1979 mb g class car — The first-ever was available in a variety of bodystyles, a convertible being one.

Since it launched in the 1970s, the Geländewagen has been available in a number of configurations. Such varieties include hard-top, soft-top, to even three- and five-door variants — among many others throughout its half-century-long production.

Mercedes produced a convertible up through the previous W463 generation, which ended in 2024. But it was only available for military use and not civilians.

Four classic Mercedes-Benz G-Class vehicles are arranged on a wet asphalt surface. The vehicles include a beige four-door SUV, a red two-door panel van, a red two-door convertible pickup truck with a spare tire in the bed, and a green two-door SUV. All have a boxy design with round headlights and black bumpers. — The Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen was originally engineered as a military transport vehicle.

The last civilian-spec convertible G-Wagen sold in 2013, during the previous generation W463’s nearly 34-year production run. But it was only available to European and certain export markets, which didn’t include North America.

To add, one could only opt for the open-top variant with the three-door version, making them rather uncommon. Otherwise, you had to be a worldly military faction in order to get one. Or, the Pope.

A white Mercedes-Benz popemobile with a transparent roof and two small yellow flags on the front is parked on a cobblestone surface. Five people stand in front of the vehicle, including a man in white papal robes seated in a wheelchair. The background features yellow and beige walls with an arched niche containing a bust and some greenery. — Pope Francis is the only recipient of a modern G-Wagen Cabrio to date, delivered in December 2024.

And if you lived in America, you had to grey-market import it from another market.

But when Mercedes-Maybach debuted a unique, extremely limited-production G650 Landaulet in 2017, fans and prospective buyers began clamoring for a regular production model.

Dark green Mercedes-Benz G-Class 4x4 SUV driving on a dusty dirt road with a beige soft top covering the rear cargo area and a spare tire mounted on the back. The vehicle has a V12 biturbo badge on the front fender and is surrounded by a natural landscape with trees and a palm tree in the background. — Mercedes-Benz’s last attempt at a drop-top G-Wagen was in 2017 with the Maybach division.

Earlier this month, Mercedes confirmed the revival of its soft-top G-Wagen. However, the company didn’t go into much detail.

It’s a part of the ongoing rollout of the latest model’s lineup expansion. Mercedes introduced the current W464 G-Class in 2023 for the US and is still in the process of releasing new variants.

Rear interior view of a luxury vehicle with beige and black quilted leather seats, two headrest-mounted screens, and a central console featuring air vents and controls, driving on a dirt road surrounded by greenery. — The Mercedes-Maybach G 680 Landaulet was for top-paying customers in 2017.

But now, MotorTrend confirmed that a new open-top W464-based is destined for US shores.

The confirmation came during an exclusive with Michael Schiebe, one of the current board members for Mercedes-AMG. Schiebe also oversees the G-Wagen range and even the Mercedes-Maybach luxury division.

The convertible G-Class won’t be for rational buyers

Silhouetted side view of a boxy SUV with a spare tire mounted on the rear, highlighted by subtle blue lighting against a dark background. — The latest W464 G-Wagen is the first model to get a mass-produced civilian cabrio version since 2013.

As part of the interview, MT learned that Mercedes knows this new convertible G-Wagen isn’t going to be a volume model. Rather, it’s going to be more of a recreational vehicle than a sensible commuter purchase (well, let’s be honest — a six-figure gas-guzzling luxury SUV is hardly a sensible purchase period).

But part of its unique pitch is what’s kept Mercedes from producing a civilian convertible G-Class in the first place.

A dark-colored Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV driving on a dirt road, kicking up dust. The vehicle has a spare tire mounted on the rear and a tan cover over the rear cargo area. The background features green trees and hills under a clear sky. — The Mercedes-Maybach G 680 Laundaulet was the most recent and only way for the public to get a G-Wagen Cabrio.

“It is still a car that is not really rational,” Schiebe said in his interview. “Even though for most customers it will be their second or third car, going to a G-Class convertible is like OK, is that really a car that you need? No. But maybe this is what makes it so special, and this is why there will be the demand.”

Unlike past versions of the convertible G-Class, the new one will be available in four-door form. Previously, it was only available in two-door (three, if you count the trunk). It will also be the first civilian four-door convertible variant ever available, and for US customers.

Dark green Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV driving on a tree-lined suburban street, viewed from the rear right side. The vehicle has a spare tire mounted on the back door and tinted windows. The background shows large trees and residential houses with hedges. — US customers can only get a hard-top five-door version of the G-Wagen, for now.

Although Schiebe kept his cards close, he didn’t deny any possibility of their being other versions. This could mean some high-performance AMG or ultra-luxe Mercedes-Maybach variants could also make it into production.

But for now, they’re focusing on the standard model and to see how that plays out.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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