by A Rare AMG G-Wagon in the Museum
One of the first modified AMG G-Wagon off-roaders can now be seen at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles. This unique car, manufactured in 1983, was created specifically for tennis player Ivan Lendl, who was the US Open champion at the time.
A special feature of this G-Wagon is its design: AMG installed the front end from the S-Class, added BBS alloy wheels, Recaro seats, and a custom paint job. According to Lendl, he approached Mercedes representatives with a request to change the car’s appearance, which led to collaboration with AMG.
The Car’s History
This 300 GD had modest technical specifications: a 3.0-liter diesel engine with only 87 horsepower, making it more of a showpiece than a speed machine. However, its uniqueness and connection to a famous athlete make it a valuable exhibit.
The Petersen Museum presented this car as part of an exhibition dedicated to the automotive culture of the 1980s-1990s. Unlike modern G63s, this specimen does not impress with performance but remains an important part of Mercedes-AMG history.
This G-Wagon is a testament to how individual customer requests influenced the development of the automotive industry even before tuning became a mass phenomenon. The story of its creation shows that even in the 1980s, there were customers willing to order something truly unique.
