Thirty years is a long time in the automotive industry, but the more things change, the more they stay the same - in 1979, the second oil crisis was in full swing, Detroit was smack in the midst of its malaise-era madness and the Mercedes-Benz G-Class was born.

Now that three decades have elapsed, Mercedes is celebrating the G-Class with a pair of special-edition variants: the EDITION30 and EDITION30.PUR. The longer of the two - the PUR - is based on the G280 CDI from the previous W461 chassis, but its long wheelbase is just the starting point.

Known as Mercedes' most truck-like SUV, the G-Class makes no bones about its heritage for the anniversary editions. A choice of two off-road packages gives the vehicle even more real offroad capability thanks to all-terrain tires on 16in alloy wheels, flexible wheel arch covers, protective grilles for the lights and a hood that's rated for standing on, to make access to the roof and optional rack easier.

Inside, four individual seats upholstered in synthetic leather or heavy-duty fabric, rubber floor coverings, footwell drains, plus an auxiliary heater and manual air conditioning to deal with extreme climate s as well as terrain.

The standard-length EDITION30 gets a newer W463 chassis, G500 running gear and a more premium treatment, with leather and wood interior elements and a unique 'designo' platinum black exterior.