One of the world’s first AMG G-Wagons exhibited at Petersen Museum

The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles is currently home to a charming early example of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class AMG. Designed by the tuning company before it became a part of Mercedes proper, it features a sedan front end, a removable soft top and a unique exterior finish.

Back in the distant year 1980, tennis champion Ivan Lendl visited the headquarters of his sponsor, Mercedes-Benz, and spotted a curious concept car there. It was a roofless 300 GD model, one of the company’s earliest off-roaders. Lendl really liked the convertible but didn’t particularly care for its front end, which he called ugly. A Mercedes rep replied that they couldn’t change the front for him, but AMG could.

That’s how the car seen here was born. It was built by AMG with unique bumpers and body kit, W116 S-Class headlights, BBS wheels and blue Recaro seats. To top off the styling effort, the then-independent tuning company painted the exterior in three colors not found on any OEM G-Class cars of the era. We were unable to find any mention of the price, but the front swap was guaranteed to be expensive.

Conflicting reports say this particular car could have either five or six cylinders under the hood. Either way, it’s a diesel engine with no more than 88 PS (87 hp / 65 kW) and 172 Nm (127 lb-ft) of torque under the hood. Going from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes a lengthy 25 seconds for it.