Carlex Icons: A Considered Interpretation of the G-Class
When we began working on the Icons collection, we had no intention of changing the G-Class. Its form is too coherent, too recognisable and too deeply rooted to warrant improvement. What interested us was something else: how the G-Class could resonate in a different context — one focused on material, proportion and clarity rather than effect.
This is a project that could appear as naturally at Paris Fashion Week as it could at the Villa d’Este Concours d’Elegance. It connects design, craftsmanship and automotive heritage, presenting the car not as a customised object but as a carefully constructed composition.
A Maison-Like Way of Working
At Carlex, we have long worked more like a traditional maison than a conventional automotive studio. Each project is treated as an individual composition with its own narrative, rhythm and responsibility for every detail.
With Icons, we wanted to bring this philosophy to its most refined expression. The starting point remained the Mercedes W465 G63 AMG with its V8 bi-turbo engine. We did not alter its structure. We treated it as an architectural base — a foundation for a project built on proportion, texture and a consistent design language.
Interior as a Unified Composition
The interior of Icons was designed from scratch. The exotic leathers were developed specifically for this collection; their colour, density and texture were tuned through countless iterations.
The seats are entirely new forms, created exclusively for Icons. Their design language is echoed throughout the cabin — from the centre console and armrest to the pillars, headliner and steering wheel.
The hand-painted pinstriping on the door panels is not decoration. It is a precise, controlled gesture that clarifies the design line and makes the presence of the human hand tangible.
In passenger versions, the walnut-wood boot floor extends the interior naturally. It introduces a calm, organic material quality — something close to nature, contributing to the overall sense of harmony within the cabin.
Exterior Guided by Proportion
When working on the exterior, we deliberately removed anything unnecessary. In an industry full of exaggerated forms, we chose discipline.
The carbon-fibre elements are painted rather than shown in their raw weave, allowing the forms to remain clean and integrated. Their geometry references design approaches from the 1950s, when proportion mattered more than visual aggression.
Pinstriping appears on the roof and aluminium side details, creating continuity between exterior and interior. Steel components — including pipes and bumper details — were refined with full attention to surface quality and precision. The paintwork is clearly divided, with a chromed line defining the separation and structuring the entire composition.
Accessories as Part of the Same World
Alongside Icons, we developed a set of accessories in collaboration with Malton & Kielman: a Weekender bag, bespoke shoes and leather cases.
All are crafted from the same exotic leathers as the interior and to the same standard of workmanship. These are not add-ons. They are an extension of the project — elements belonging to the same world. You can read more about our collaboration here.
Price as a Result of the Process
The price of Icons is 695,000 euros. It is not a gesture. It is a consequence. It reflects the materials developed exclusively for the collection, the pace of work that allows full control over quality and the limited number of vehicles we can produce.
Conclusion
When creating Icons, we did not aim to redesign the G-Class. We wanted to open a new space for it — one built on material, proportion and thoughtful design logic.
The goal was not to make a “more luxurious” car.
The goal was to make a more considered one.
A car that can exist both within the world of fashion and among automotive classics.
A car that has no need to shout.
A car that makes sense.