When Virgil Abloh teamed up with Mercedes-Benz last fall to launch a re-imagined take on the legendary G-Class, the creative exchange led to the offroad icon being turned into a race car. The head-turning concept made waves online but only appeared in a series of exhibitions throughout Asia. Until now!
For me, Mercedes-Benz is a brand that embodies emotion. I don’t simply look at is as a transportation company. I made a career working in collaboration and conversation. I think that helps us get to ideas that we otherwise wouldn’t develop on our own.
Virgil Abloh
The Project Geländewagen symbolized the unification of two worlds, fashion/art and automotive, through Abloh’s signature deconstructed style. The result is a one-of-a-kind art piece that tackles the concept of contemporary luxury while juxtaposing it with the minimalist approach of a racing car that’s stripped down to its essentials.
The next luxury will be what we make out of it. It’s an extraordinary approach in every direction. To me, this is a very progressive step towards the future of luxury.
Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer Mercedes Benz
In October 2020, a scaled down replica of the design piece was auctioned as part of Sotheby’s Contemporary Curated project with the entirety of the proceeds being donated to a charity that supports the arts. The original full scale art piece (which is about the same size as an actual G-Class) will be on display in Mercedes-Benz’ Munich showroom for an exclusive opportunity of public access in Europe.
In accordance with local public health and safety orders, the Project Geländewagen art piece can be viewed up close through online appointment registration with general public access allowed whenever possible. The exclusive exhibition runs thru Saturday, April 24th. After an extensive tour in Asia (and a brief stint in Stuttgart with very limited public access), the Munich showroom at Odeonsplatz is the only opportunity for Europeans to see the art piece in person.
