The 1995 Mercedes-benz G-class, particularly the 29GD/34 model, has sparked curiosity among automotive enthusiasts due to an advertised tare weight of 4,200 kg. This figure, highlighted in listings from the Singapore Army’s release of these cab and long deck vehicles (often referred to as “utes” in New Zealand), seems significantly high for a G-Wagon of this era. According to Wikipedia, tare weight, or unladen weight, represents the weight of an empty vehicle. For the 1995 Mercedes-Benz G-Class 29GD/34, this translates to a substantial 9,260 pounds, a figure typically associated with much larger vehicles like the Unimog.
This unusually high tare weight has practical implications, especially in regions like New Zealand, where a tare weight exceeding 3,500 kg necessitates a more stringent and costly semi-annual Certificate of Fitness (COF) inspection, rather than the standard Warrant of Fitness (WoF). The auction advertisement explicitly notes this, clarifying that the 1995 Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon 29GD/34 requires a COF due to its weight classification.
To put this into perspective, consider the specifications of an earlier model, the 1982 280GE LWB. This model is reported to have a curb weight of 2,065 kg and a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 2,800 kg, with a payload capacity of 735 kg. Even accounting for a full steel body and roof on the 280GE compared to the 29GD/34’s flat bed and fabric roof, the discrepancy in tare weight remains puzzling. If tare weight is indeed the unladen weight, perhaps with a minimal amount of fuel, the 280GE’s tare weight would be approximately 2,020 kg—less than half of the 4,200 kg claimed for the 1995 29GD/34.
The core question arises: how could the 1995 Mercedes-Benz G-Class 29GD/34 be designed with such a substantial 4,200 kg tare weight, particularly when the GVWR of the 280GE is significantly lower at 2,800 kg? Could modifications such as different springs and tire combinations account for this difference? Is it even feasible to upgrade a 280GE to reach a tare weight of 3,500 kg, let alone 4,200 kg? Or is there a possibility of an error in the advertised specifications?
Further investigation into the specific configurations of the Singapore Army’s 1995 Mercedes-Benz G-Class 29GD/34 models is warranted to fully understand this weight anomaly. Exploring potential heavy-duty components or specialized equipment that might have been factory-installed could shed light on this intriguing aspect of this particular G-Wagon variant.
