See all undefinedFrom Military vehicle to Pope mobile, the Mercedes-Benz G-class has had multiple iterations and various diverse owners. First created at the suggestion of the Shah of Iran, the initial design was on off road performance vehicle, built to survive difficult terrains and rough conditions.
However, despite its generations as an off road icon, you are most likely to find the G-Class riding along the star studded streets of Hollywood. With its hefty price tag, luxurious updates, and limited distribution it’s no surprise the G-Class has caught the eye of notable celebrities such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bradley Cooper, and Britney Spears. Along with these Hollywood stars, here is some other owners you would not expect to see in a military styled vehicle…
1. Arnold Schwarzenegger
The former Mr Olympia has driven G-Classes for the last 25 years. Much like Arnie himself the G-Class has maintained it’s military-esque styling, strong angles, and classic boxy shape. The term ‘environmentalist’ may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of ‘The Terminator’ but in fact Arnie is so committed to clean energy that he shipped his G-Class back to Austria to be converted from gas to electric. While most celeb owners personalize their G-Class with fancy alloys and a custom paint job, Arnie has taken it to a different level and now drives a $1-million-dollar electric G-Class.
2. Bradley Cooper
Despite being one of Hollywood’s most successful actors, Bradley Cooper doesn’t have the same lavish taste in vehicles as most celebrities. If Cooper is not driving his G-Class you can spot him cruising in his 2007 Toyota Prius. When choosing his wheels Cooper prefers bikes to 4x4s. As an avid biker he owns a silver Aprilia Mana 850 and a red Ducati 1199. Oh, and Bradley’s favorite mode of transport? His navy Vespa.
3. Britney Spears
She may have once taken an umbrella to a Ford Explorer, but that does not mean that Britney isn’t a car enthusiast. Since her infamous clash with said Ford, Britney has collected several luxe cars. Her extravagant portfolio of luxury vehicles includes a Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren, the Audi R8, a Maserati Gran Turismo, a Mercedes SLK 350, the Jaguar XK, and of course her favorite and most frequently used the Mercedes G55.
4. Diane Keaton
They say a person’s car reflects their personality. Rugged and durable do not typically spring to mind when thinking of Diane Keaton. However, Keaton is regularly spotted cruising the streets of Hollywood in her black Mercedes Benz G550. While this is the last car you would expect Diane Keaton to be seen in, she is more than capable of handling its 416-hp twin-turbo and its 4.0-liter V-8 engine type.
Did you think Diane Keaton was the last person you’d expect to see in a G-Class?
5.The Pope
The smoothest rider of them all, Pope John Paul II. During his 1980 visit to Germany the Pope cruised through the streets of Cologne to Altötting in the Mercedes-Benz 230 G. The 230 G was the ideal choice for the Pope with its removable dome and intercom system, which connected John Paul II to the driver.
Yes, this is probably the coolest Pope-mobile that ever was, but it didn’t protect the pope from all evil. It was in this G-Class that the Pope committed a serious traffic offence; driving through a pedestrian zone. The Pope and the G-Wagon failed to impress local traffic wardens and they were landed with 20 German Marks fine.
Even though the G-Class maintains its robust and resistant design, its V8 engine and 610Nm of torque is mostly tested out riding along the star-studded streets of Hollywood. And maybe Vatican City.