Mercedes G-Wagen SUV will get a more affordable baby brother, CEO confirms

Mercedes-Benz is going to make owning a G-Wagen a little bit easier, with plans to build a smaller, more budget-friendly version of the boxy off-roader that's a status vehicle beloved by celebrities including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kim Kardashian, Chief Executive Officer Ola Källenius said Sunday.

The vehicle will be electric and “fun to drive — on and off the road,” Källenius said at an event ahead of the Munich Auto Show. He said he views the "Mini-G" as the "daughter or son of the big-G." Specifically, the car, being electric, would be more of a spinoff of the all-electric EQG. Mercedes plans to start sales of the G-Class EV next year.

German news outlets have long reported that has been pushing hard for a Mini-G, and it has been on the drawing board for years. This Autoblog report from back in February has more background on the subject. The outlet Automobilwoche reporting from Munich says the little G could even be designated with a little "g," as in "g-Class."