Graz, Austria - Nobody was supposed to see the all-new 2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Class without its camo suit until the official reveal at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on 15 January.
Nevertheless, in the connected age leaks are inevitable - and sometimes deliberate, although these low-res versions of the official publicity shots that popped up on a Chinese website look like the real thing, a genuine leak.
And yes, the much hyped W464 looks so similar to its forebears - all the way back to 1978! - that only anoraks will be able to tell the difference, but under the retro-chic no-nonsense box shape, there’s a whole lot of new tech - and not just in the glammed-up, gizmoed-up cabin interior.
Take a peek inside the all-new Mercedes G-Class.
There’s new double-wishbone independent front suspension, developed in collaboration with the performance junkies at AMG, updated suspension linkages for the live rear axle, and a new nine-speed automatic transmission with a new, even lower, low range.
New Mercedes G-Class passes the Schöckl test.
The one aspect of the new G-Class that still hasn’t been leaked, as what engines it will have; all we’ve been told by the maker is that they will be new. Nevertheless, we’ll be keeping our eyes open for more leaks between now and the official reveal at Detroit on January 15.