Irish Times Podcast

Here is me chatting to Neil Briscoe about the Mercedes Benz G Wagon.......

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Good value at a hundred grand...............

On a recent trip to the Austrian Alps I spent a leisure afternoon at the thrill and ride of the Kitzbühel Off-road Experience. Hosted by Mercedes Benz in a vast and deep quarry, the experience allows those in attendance (and brave enough) a drive in a Mercedes Benz four-wheel-drive vehicle. On offer is the M Class,GLK Class, GL Class and G-Wagon. There was no decision to be made by me as it was always going to be the G-wagon. This in my opinion is the last word in luxury and off-road ability. Think of it as having the ability of a Land Rover Defender on the outside and the luxury and plush finish of a Bentley on the inside. After saddling up in the cosy cabin with my very Germanic and friendly instructor, Michael, we set off in low-ratio gearbox between the red cones and down a hill to our first obstacle, a left-to-right bend on an angle of about 22 degrees with plenty of snow and ice under our winter tyres. I continued to drive for about twenty minutes before handing over to Michael who showed me "how it's done".... We crawled up severe inclines with all three differential locks on and not a spin of even one tyre. We made our way down to the very pit of the quarry where there were ice holes and 30 degree tilt turns waiting for us. All were no problem for this mighty machine, the original and best All-Terrain-Vehicle money can buy.  I asked what price the G-Wagon we were driving was and was told it was Eur 100,000 in Germany and I instantly thought to myself what great value it was at that price.

The G-Wagon is made under contract agreement by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria for Mercedes Benz and has been since it was first launched in 1979.

Booking is essential.  http://www.kitzbuehel.com/en/news-and-events/events/Mercedes-Benz+4MATIC+-+Experience_te29690