Mercedes-Benz G-Class vs Toyota Land Cruiser (J40)

FORCETALLY

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AMilitary transport & logistics

Toyota Land Cruiser (J40)

First system

Second system

Measured figures

Head to head

10 of 23 rows sourced on both sides

Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.

Configuration

Details

Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Toyota Land Cruiser (J40) configuration
Specification	Mercedes-Benz G-Class	Toyota Land Cruiser (J40)
Manufacturer	Daimler-Benz (1979–1998) DaimlerChrysler (1998–2007) Daimler AG (2007–2022) Mercedes-Benz Group (2022–present)^[source]	Toyota^[source]
Also called	Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen (1979–present) Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon Puch G (1979–2000)^[source]	Toyota Bandeirante ( Brazil )^[source]
Production	1979–present^[source]	1960–1984 1968–2001 ( Brazil )^[source]
Assembly

Class	Military off-roader Off-road vehicle Luxury SUV Pickup truck^[source]	Off-road vehicle^[source]

Chassis	Body-on-frame^[source]	—

Designer	Erich Ledwinka^[source]	—

Body style	2-door SWB convertible 2-door cab chassis (pickup truck) 3-door SWB station wagon 3-door SWB panel van 3-door LWB station wagon 3-door LWB panel van 5-door LWB station wagon^[source]	2-door pickup 2-door off-road vehicle 4-door pickup 4-door off-road vehicle (1960–1966)^[source]

Layout	Front engine , four-wheel drive^[source]	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive / four-wheel-drive^[source]

Engine	2.0L M 102.964 E20 I4 2.3L M 115.973 I4 2.6L M 115 2.6 Brabus I4 2.8L M 110.994 I6 2.4L OM 616 I4 diesel 2.5L OM 602 I5 diesel 3.0L OM 617 I5 diesel^[source]	Petrol: 3.9-litre F I6 4.2-litre 2F I6 Diesel: 3.0-litre B I4 3.2-litre 2B I4 3.4-litre 3B I4 3.6-litre H I6 3.7-litre 14B I4 (Bandeirante) 3.8-litre Mercedes OM314 I4 (Bandeirante) 4.0-litre 2H I6 4.0-litre Mercedes OM364 I4 (Bandeirante)^[source]

Transmission	4-speed manual 5-speed manual 4-speed 720.1 (W4A 018) automatic^[source]	3-speed manual 4-speed manual (from 1974) 5-speed manual (from 1984)^[source]

Wheelbase	2,400 mm (94.5 in) (2-door) 2,850 mm (112.2 in) (4-door)^[source]	2,285 mm (90.0 in) 2,430 mm (95.7 in) 2,650 mm (104.3 in) 2,950 mm (116.1 in)^[source]

Curb weight	3,913.21 lb (1,775 kg)^[source]	—

Design and production context	The development of the G-Class started in 1972 with a cooperative agreement between Daimler-Benz and Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Graz, Austria. Mercedes-Benz engineers in Stuttgart were in charge of design and testing, while the team in Graz developed the production plans. The first wooden model was presented to Daimler-Benz management in 1973, with the first drivable prototype beginning various testing including German coalfields, the Sahara Desert, and the Arctic Circle in 1974. Construction commenced on a new production facility in Graz, where the new cross-country vehicle would be assembled nearly entirely by hand in 1975, with production of the "G Model" beginning in Graz in 1979. In 1980, the Vatican took delivery of a specially made G-Wagen outfitted with a clear thermoplastic top which served as the Popemobile . The "Papa G" later took up permanent residence at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany.^[source] This version was assembled from Complete Knock Down ( CKD ) by ELBO , formerly a Steyr-Daimler-Puch branch division, in Thessaloniki , Greece for the Greek Army . Additionally, the CKD was also assembled at Mercedes-Benz's Aksaray plant in Turkey . The engine options were a 2.3-litre four-cylinder inline petrol and later a 2.9-litre five-cylinder inline diesel, with the available models being the 240 GD and the 290 GDT.^[source] The W460 was assembled in France under licence by Peugeot for the French Army with Peugeot engine and transmission from the 504 and 604 respectively as well as its own seats and wiring system. The front differential gear lock was omitted because Peugeot used its own axles. They are easily identified by rectangular headlamps.^[source]	—

Design and production context

The development of the G-Class started in 1972 with a cooperative agreement between Daimler-Benz and Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Graz, Austria. Mercedes-Benz engineers in Stuttgart were in charge of design and testing, while the team in Graz developed the production plans. The first wooden model was presented to Daimler-Benz management in 1973, with the first drivable prototype beginning various testing including German coalfields, the Sahara Desert, and the Arctic Circle in 1974. Construction commenced on a new production facility in Graz, where the new cross-country vehicle would be assembled nearly entirely by hand in 1975, with production of the "G Model" beginning in Graz in 1979. In 1980, the Vatican took delivery of a specially made G-Wagen outfitted with a clear thermoplastic top which served as the Popemobile . The "Papa G" later took up permanent residence at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany.^[source]

This version was assembled from Complete Knock Down ( CKD ) by ELBO , formerly a Steyr-Daimler-Puch branch division, in Thessaloniki , Greece for the Greek Army . Additionally, the CKD was also assembled at Mercedes-Benz's Aksaray plant in Turkey . The engine options were a 2.3-litre four-cylinder inline petrol and later a 2.9-litre five-cylinder inline diesel, with the available models being the 240 GD and the 290 GDT.^[source]

The W460 was assembled in France under licence by Peugeot for the French Army with Peugeot engine and transmission from the 504 and 604 respectively as well as its own seats and wiring system. The front differential gear lock was omitted because Peugeot used its own axles. They are easily identified by rectangular headlamps.^[source]

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Origin reported by inventory	Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 3, row 10, cell 2; revision 1377289840; retrieved 2026-09-30 Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 5, row 2, cell 2; revision 1377709660; retrieved 2026-09-30 Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 5, row 60, cell 2; revision 1375375321; retrieved 2026-09-30 Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 10, row 5, cell 3; revision 1377011537; retrieved 2026-09-30 Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 10, row 6, cell 3; revision 1377011537; retrieved 2026-09-30 Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 10, row 7, cell 3; revision 1377011537; retrieved 2026-09-30 Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 16, row 3, cell 3; revision 1377666189; retrieved 2026-09-30 Germany^[source]Inventory country of origin column; table 2, row 49, cell 2; revision 1371454682; retrieved 2026-10-01 Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 34, row 21, cell 3; revision 1377190815; retrieved 2026-09-30 Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 35, row 2, cell 3; revision 1377190815; retrieved 2026-09-30 Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 11, row 7, cell 3; revision 1375232363; retrieved 2026-09-30 Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 5, row 8, cell 3; revision 1375740974; retrieved 2026-09-30 Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 3, row 3, cell 3; revision 1352605490; retrieved 2026-09-30 Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 15, row 4, cell 3; revision 1376898977; retrieved 2026-09-30 West Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 4, row 7, cell 3; revision 1367424876; retrieved 2026-10-01	—

Origin reported by inventory

Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 3, row 10, cell 2; revision 1377289840; retrieved 2026-09-30

Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 5, row 2, cell 2; revision 1377709660; retrieved 2026-09-30

Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 5, row 60, cell 2; revision 1375375321; retrieved 2026-09-30

Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 10, row 5, cell 3; revision 1377011537; retrieved 2026-09-30

Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 10, row 6, cell 3; revision 1377011537; retrieved 2026-09-30

Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 10, row 7, cell 3; revision 1377011537; retrieved 2026-09-30

Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 16, row 3, cell 3; revision 1377666189; retrieved 2026-09-30

Germany^[source]Inventory country of origin column; table 2, row 49, cell 2; revision 1371454682; retrieved 2026-10-01

Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 34, row 21, cell 3; revision 1377190815; retrieved 2026-09-30

Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 35, row 2, cell 3; revision 1377190815; retrieved 2026-09-30

Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 11, row 7, cell 3; revision 1375232363; retrieved 2026-09-30

Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 5, row 8, cell 3; revision 1375740974; retrieved 2026-09-30

Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 3, row 3, cell 3; revision 1352605490; retrieved 2026-09-30

Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 15, row 4, cell 3; revision 1376898977; retrieved 2026-09-30

West Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 4, row 7, cell 3; revision 1367424876; retrieved 2026-10-01

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