Pick Of The Day: 1996 Mercedes-benz G 350 Turbodiesel Cabriolet

The name “G-Wagen” may bring to mind the cube-ish four-door SUVs driven around Beverly Hills (and never off-road), but the Mercedes-Benz G-Class has taken many forms over the past several decades, including a two-door and an even an AMG-enhanced 6X6 pickup. Our Pick of the Day is a particularly attractive configuration. You can find this 1996 Mercedes-Benz G 350 Turbodiesel Cabriolet listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Southampton, New York.

The G-Class was introduced in 1979 as a hand-built off-roader available in two wheelbase lengths and five body styles. In response to customer demand for a more comfortable and better equipped vehicle, Mercedes replaced the initial W460 model with the W463 in 1989. This time around, there were three body style choices: cabriolet, short station wagon, and long station wagon.

There have also been several different engine types under the hood of the G-Wagen. Those include gas and diesel, and cylinder counts of four, five, six, eight, and even 12. The W463 rig I’m highlighting here is an interesting combination of the two-door cabriolet layout powered by a 3.4-liter turbodiesel inline-six, which is paired a four-speed automatic and full-time four-wheel drive with locking front, middle, and rear differentials. According to Mercedes, when new, this engine put out 136 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque.

The Ruby Pearl Metallic exterior is accented with bright trim (including the ring around the rear-mounted spare tire cover) and later-model Mercedes wheels. The black soft top covers a black leather interior trimmed with wood veneer and equipped with heated front seats, power mirrors and windows, and a factory AM/FM/cassette radio.

Mercedes never officially offered the G-Class in the United States until the 2002 model year (the gray market was glad to fill in the gap until then), so if you want a G-Wagen that’s a little different than what you’re used to seeing on the road (or trail), you can get it in this 1996 Mercedes-Benz G 350 Turbodiesel Cabriolet for $85,000.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com