Driver’s Surprised to Learn What ‘G’ Means on a Manual Stick Shift

word that

 

translates

directly to “terrain.” The word originates from the German automotive giant, Mercedes-Benz, with the full word being Geländewagen, which translates to “all-terrain vehicle.” The Mercedes-Benz G-Class was originally developed in the late 1970s as a military off-road vehicle, built at the request of the Shah of Iran before civilian production versions followed. The word Gelände attached itself to that vehicle’s identity and, over time, to any ultra-low gear that shared the same or similar purpose as the gear position on the G-Wagon.

 

 

The “G”

on a stick shift traces

back

 

to Geländewagen, the German word for all-terrain vehicle, a term that originated with Mercedes-Benz’s military off-road program in the late 1970s. Credit: Pexels Image Source: Reddit

Maximum Torque, Minimum Speed