Mercedes-Benz has officially confirmed the return of the G-Class Cabriolet, a move that blends nostalgia with modern luxury. Long rumored and teased, the open-top version of the Geländewagen will once again roll out of Magna Steyr’s plant in Graz, Austria, the birthplace of every G-Class since 1979. This time, it will not be a limited-run indulgence like the Maybach G 650 Landaulet but a bona fide member of the global G-Class lineup, available in markets including the United States. Mercedes is quick to position it as the only luxury four-door convertible SUV you can buy from a factory.
The G-Wagen has always lived at the intersection of lifestyle and legitimacy. While it has become a staple of celebrity driveways in Los Angeles and Dubai, it retains its core hardware: ladder frame construction, three locking differentials, and low-range gearing. The Cabriolet promises to deliver all of that toughness, now paired with a sky view and the kind of boulevard presence that only an open-top G can command.
Spectacle is nothing new for the G-Class. Pope John Paul II rode in a white 230 G Cabriolet in 1980, an image that helped cement the SUV’s ceremonial aura. Decades later, Mercedes built the Maybach G 650 Landaulet, a V12-powered safari machine with portal axles and a half-open rear compartment. Limited to 99 units and priced at around €630,000, it remains one of the most extravagant off-road convertibles ever offered. The new Cabriolet continues that tradition, formalizing the theater of the G for a new generation.
Collectors have every reason to take notice. The last run of factory cabrios, the G 500 Cabriolet Final Edition 200, sold out before its official debut in 2013. Today, those cars can fetch more than $500,000 at auction, with dealer prices in the €300,000–€400,000 range. Earlier AMG versions, like the G 55 Cabriolet with its naturally aspirated and later supercharged V8s, only deepen the model’s desirability. The arrival of a new cabriolet could create a fresh blue-chip specification from day one, particularly if allocations prove limited.
For American buyers, the car also carries an echo of history. Before the G-Class was officially sold in the US, enthusiasts relied on importers like Europa International, who federalized examples at six-figure costs. That exclusivity only added to the legend and paved the way for Mercedes to officially sell the G here. The Cabriolet, arriving in 2026, offers US buyers their first opportunity to purchase an open-top G directly from the showroom floor.
Cabriolet Final Edition
The G-Class began as a military project and went on to become a luxury icon without losing its authenticity. The new Cabriolet does not just revisit that story; it reasserts that the G is about more than transportation. It is about heritage, ceremony, collectability, and now once again, the wind in your hair.
