Project Mondo G is a testament of Mercedes-Benz’s endeavour to venture beyond the automotive territory.
What makes the cut for a dream car? Formidable performance? Ravishing appearance? First-class interiors? Trailblazing technology? For the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, it is far beyond those conventions that an ordinary driver looks for in an automobile.
Debuted in 1979, the G-Class, aka G-Wagon, was not initially conceived with a luxury SUV in mind; instead, it was a special request made by the Shah of Iran. Though the Shah of Iran did not get the chance to witness the outcome— due to the Islamic revolution — the German marque delivered regardless, and the utility vehicle quickly gained traction among the militaries. In 1980, the G-Class catapulted into the mainstream when the Vatican commissioned Mercedes-Benz to design a special edition G-Wagon to serve as the Pope’s transport for public appearances. The iconic Mercedes-Benz Popemobile was born — a pontifical vehicle that features a see-through thermoplastic box that offered the Pope a clear view of the surroundings.
In 2020, Gorden Wagener — Mercedes-Benz’s chief design officer — took the iconic SUV to new heights by collaborating with Virgil Abloh. Bearing a resemblance to toy cars — or perhaps the creation of Daniel Arsham — the collaboration titled “Project Geländewagen” saw the duo giving the G-Wagon a sporty twist. The celebrity-favoured G-Class was reinterpreted as a race car and boasted a monolithic outlook with white paint and a hand-sanded finish. This year, Wagener expanded the G-Class portfolio with another internet-breaking collaboration: the Project Mondo G. A team-up between Mercedes-Benz and Moncler, the Project Mondo G resembled a vehicle that belongs to galaxies where driving a car in outer space becomes a norm. Touted as “an endeavour of a space mission”, the luxury SUV is a spectacle of creation that cleverly blends the original 1970s design of G-Wagon and the DNA of Moncler, where the roof is adorned with a huge metal zipper embellished with Moncler branded pull tab while giving the wheels a similar treatment.
“We envisioned a car that would take part in a space mission. The whole thing looks like an Apollo spacecraft after the re-Íentry. The Moncler puffer jacket materials reminded me of spacecraft and satellites, so we wanted to find something that’s really futuristic with spacecraft material and combine it with that old spacecraft of ours, the G,”shares Wagener.
Once you’re done with this story about Mercedes-Benz and Moncler’s Project Mondo G, catch up with the rest of our May 2023 issue here.
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