Bespoke G-Wagon for India: How MBRDI Designed Mercedes-Benz’s Ultra-Luxury SUV

India’s luxury car market is undergoing a transformation, with personalization emerging as a powerful trend among discerning buyers seeking vehicles that reflect their unique identities. Tapping into this shift, Mercedes-Benz India has unveiled its first-ever bespoke G-Class—a limited run of just 30 units—created exclusively for the country’s elite. Significantly, the project also marks a historic first for Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI), which played a central role in conceptualizing and crafting this custom edition, underscoring its growing importance in local product innovation.

Fueling a Customization-Driven Market

This move is rooted in a clear and accelerating trend: “From a sales perspective, one of the key factors is that 75% of G-Wagons sold in India are customized,” said Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO of Mercedes-Benz India. This appetite for bespoke luxury, driven by customers who typically own AMGs, Maybachs, or S-Classes, prompted the brand to deliver a G-Class tailored to Indian tastes, aspirations, and cultural nuances.

To maintain exclusivity, the run is strictly limited to 30 units, each priced at approximately Rs. 4.3 crore ($510,000). These vehicles feature engraved grab handles personalized with the names of customers or their family members and are offered in two India-exclusive colors—a monsoon-inspired green and a rich, earthy red. “Whoever owns it in India has the bragging rights for those 30 cars in this color, which won’t be seen anywhere else in the world,” said Manu Saale, MD & CEO of MBRDI.

MBRDI’s Landmark Role

The project marks the first time MBRDI has developed a bespoke vehicle specifically for Mercedes-Benz India’s operations. It represents a leap forward in how the R&D center contributes not just to global platforms but also to India-focused product innovation.

“When the iconic G-Class was up for customization, we grabbed it with both hands and said, ‘Let’s tweak it and bring an Indian flavor to it,’” Saale said. MBRDI, headquartered in Bengaluru with a presence in Pune, is Mercedes-Benz’s largest R&D center outside Germany, housing over 8,500 engineers. It has long been involved in everything from underbody chassis development to software and digital connectivity systems.

For the bespoke G-Class, the team managed the entire lifecycle—styling, engineering, project management, and release—without compromising the model’s legendary off-road capabilities. “MBRDI today represents a mini-Mercedes-Benz universe,” Saale remarked, highlighting the center’s growing end-to-end capabilities.

Blending Artistry and Technology

This made-in-India customization showcases how advanced digital tools are reshaping automotive development. “The world of digital models is now mimicking physical hardware more and more accurately,” said Saale, explaining how digital simulations allowed the teams to minimize prototyping and accelerate timelines.

Particularly complex was the execution of the exclusive paint schemes, which needed to meet global quality standards while resonating deeply with Indian aesthetics. “These colors were chosen for cultural resonance—reflecting India’s monsoon landscape and earthy tones—and digitally rendered with precision,” he added.

To further emphasize the G-Class’s stature, Mercedes-Benz India plans to open a dedicated G-Wagon outlet in Delhi, offering a tailored customer experience for existing top-tier Mercedes owners. “We will give this only to the top-end customers who already have a Mercedes-Benz in their stable,” Iyer said.

Internally, the project has ignited a sense of pride and energy across MBRDI. “This building is buzzing,” Saale shared, reflecting on how engineers—accustomed to working on global programs—were invigorated by the opportunity to shape something exclusive for the home market.

A New Horizon for India-Centric Innovation

“This is the first version, and the license to operate is there,” Saale said, signaling that the success of the bespoke G-Class is just the beginning. “There’s a little bit of India in every Mercedes around the world, but this time, it’s something created for India, from India.”

He added, “I don’t see any limits to the extent of contribution that MBRDI can have on products for India. The customer will define that.”

As personalization becomes the new paradigm of luxury, and with MBRDI stepping into a co-creation role, Mercedes-Benz India is not just selling a vehicle—it’s delivering a statement of identity. The bespoke G-Class raises the bar for exclusivity in India’s high-end automotive space, and hints at a future where luxury and localization go hand in hand.