With the incredible rise to fame and fortune of crossovers, SUVs, and trucks (plus EVs) pitted against the decay of many passenger cars, there is also a significant need to invent new models and their relatives.
There's no denying that CUVs and trucks are ruling the automotive market in many crucial regions – such as the North American region. There is also no way of stopping the trend because more and more passenger cars are biting the dust, turning into endangered species, or reinventing themselves into different stuff.
And, of course, that creates ample opportunities for automakers to milk the situation and develop exciting novelties. For example, soon after the introduction of the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser and its subsequent return to the US market, the rumor mill exploded with the whispers about the Japanese automaker planning a smaller, 'little' Land Cruiser body-on-frame SUV that could inhabit the compact SUV sector and scare the bejesus out of ruggedized unibody crossovers like the Ford Bronco Sport.
Those who think such a creation is utter nonsense might want to search deeper into their souls as the rumor mill also talked about its first potential rival that should arrive shortly – a 'baby' Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Even more so, Ola Kallenius, the Mercedes-Benz CEO, has actually confirmed the little G is coming – and even allegedly said that it will be worth the wait.
We should likely brace ourselves for something bigger than a Suzuki Jimny (usually associated with the 'Little G' moniker) and perhaps rocking the blue format of Mercedes-EQ zero emissions. However, that won't happen until "a few years from now." And, of course, some are eager to see 'Baby G' right now. Well, no worries; there is always a solution to such conundrums.
The imaginative realm of digital car content creators quickly picked up on the rumors and acted accordingly – at least as far as this virtual artist is concerned. Known as Theottle on social media, the pixel master has resorted to CGI slicing and dicing a quirky mid-size SUV for this morphing. So, instead of selecting a Bronco Sport, a Defender, or the Land Cruiser as a template, he went after the Chinese (Wey) Tank 300 model.
Looking like a cross between the Jeep Wrangler and sixth-gen Ford Bronco, this model produced since 2020 sure aims for the classic off-road SUV allure of the Mercedes G-Class, so at least it befits the digital project's use case scenario. Annoyingly, though, the CGI expert has toned down many of Merc's rugged off-road signature elements, such as the exposed door latches or the upright front turn signals – and that is never a good thing. All in all, this isn't exactly a reasonable effort if you want our two digital cents on the matter.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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