Germany / Austria · W460 European launch · 1979

Mercedes-Benz 240 GD Short-Wheelbase Station Wagon

The original G paired a slow, sturdy 2.4-litre diesel with a short frame built to climb where ordinary cars stopped.

Utility 4x4s

Commons identifies a Mercedes-Benz 240 GD museum display, and the photograph visibly shows the short two-door W460 body. The image does not establish that this survivor was built in calendar 1979.

Exterior · Photo shows Commons identifies a Mercedes-Benz 240 GD museum display, and the photograph visibly shows the short two-door W460 body. The image does not establish that this survivor was built in calendar 1979.. exact model family and short body; year representative
Mercedes-Benz 240 GD, Techno-Classica 2018, Essen (IMG 9852).jpg · Matti Blume · CC BY-SA 4.0

Auction-based estimated value

Research pending

A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.

Joyride shows this gap instead of substituting an asking price, unsold bid or mismatched special vehicle.

A place in vehicle history

More than a set of wheels.

Mercedes-Benz and Steyr-Daimler-Puch began the G project together, then launched production in Graz in 1979. The 240 GD was the least powerful of four launch engines, but its ladder frame, rigid axles, selectable four-wheel drive and low gearing made it a serious tool. The short three-door wagon put that hardware on the compact 2,400 mm wheelbase.

Look a little closer.

At launch, buyers could choose a short-wheelbase cabriolet or station wagons on short and long wheelbases; this packet isolates the short closed wagon.

Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.

Why the ladder frame mattered

The body sat on a separate, solid ladder frame, while coil-sprung rigid axles kept both wheels on each axle connected. That layout traded sports-car precision for wheel travel, load tolerance and repair-friendly toughness. Mercedes describes the original design goal as combining robustness and off-road ability with the safety and comfort of a passenger vehicle.

Source: Mercedes-Benz Media · The new Mercedes-Benz G-Class ↗

A launch model before “G-Class” was the name

The 240 GD, 300 GD, 230 G and 280 GE formed the 1979 engine line. Mercedes says the official G-Class name arrived only in 1993, so this vehicle is best called a G-model or Geländewagen in its period context. Its 53 kW output sits at the bottom of the original 53–115 kW launch range.

Source: Mercedes-Benz Media · 40th anniversary of the G-Class ↗

Where these facts come from

Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed October 1, 2026.

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