If you’ve ever gone off-road on public land or at an OHV (off-highway vehicle) park in the U.S., you’ve probably noticed a pattern to the vehicles there. On any given trail, it’s very likely you’ll see a convoy of Jeep Wranglers of any generation, late-model Ford Broncos, and/or Toyota 4Runners. There’s a very slim chance you’ll spot a modern Mercedes-Benz G-Class. The odds of wheeling near an old-school Geländewagen, such as our Pick of the Day, are even lower: a 1980 Mercedes-Benz G 280 GE posted on ClassicCars.com by a Georgia dealership.
That’s because the 280 GE wasn’t originally sold here. Yes, many G-Wagens found their way to our shores, but not through official Mercedes-Benz channels. American customers who wanted one of the boxy off-roaders had two options. One was to wait until a vehicle was 25 years old or beyond so that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards no longer applied. The other was to rely on gray market importers who were willing to bring vehicles over and certify that they were compliant with federal emissions and safety standards. It wasn’t until 2002 that Mercedes officially offered the G-Class here.
This Agave Green 280 GE two-door with a manual black soft top arrived to our shores in 2000 thanks to one of those importers, perhaps the most famous one in the G-Class business: Europa International (now known as Europa G.Wagen, LLC). As its name implies, the 280 GE has a 2.8-liter engine, a gas straight-six that was factory-rated at 156 PS (153 horsepower) and 226 Nm (166 lb-ft) of torque, according to this German brochure. Its output reaches the pavement or dirt below through a four-speed manual gearbox, a dual-range transfer case, and BFGoodrich rubber. If Mother Nature gets a little too close, the brush guard is ready to protect this ute’s handsome front end.
The cabin offers gray leather front bucket and rear jump seating, the convenience of power front windows, and the simple utility of diamond-plate floor covering. One notable update is the Bluetooth-compatible Continental stereo.
With only 11,258 miles on its odometer, this G-Wagen is ready for more adventures. You can take this rig to new heights for the asking price of $38,900. Wherever you take it, don’t expect to see another one.
Click here to view the this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com.