One Roof Took 3,000 Hours: Carlex Turns Mercedes G-Class Into a $3.5M Masterpiece

Polish coachbuilder Mercedes Carlex Design has unveiled the G-Stallion, a radical one-off build based on the G-Class under its exclusive "One of One" program. The company targets a selling price of 3 million euros, or roughly $3.5 million. This project leans on handcrafted artistry rather than loud mechanical upgrades. That philosophy separates it from almost everything else in the segment.

3,000 Hours Spent on the Roof Alone

The numbers are staggering. Over 3,000 hours of manual labor went into the G-Stallion's roof. That started as a raw aluminum sheet before being shaped by hand using traditional tools and wooden molds. It now wears black and silver finishes with gold accents, centered around a large hand-engraved horse motif surrounded by fine ornamental details. Most passersby will never notice it, yet it defines the entire project's character in a way that words struggle to capture.

Design Inspired by the Arabian Horse

Carlex drew its creative inspiration from the Arabian horse, specifically the stallion "Pogrom" from Poland's historic Janów Podlaski breeding farm. On the outside, the car receives a wide-body kit with modified fenders and updated front and rear sections, plus exclusive graphics and decorative elements that make it unmistakably different from any standard G-Class. The visual gap is so significant that confusing the two versions would be almost impossible under any circumstances.

The cabin tells the same story through a deep burgundy leather treatment covering the seats, dashboard, steering wheel, center console, and door panels. Even the rear compartment and luggage area received meticulous attention, going far beyond what most bespoke programs typically address. Alcantara, genuine metal inserts, and hand-engraved details complete an interior that feels closer to haute couture than to automotive production.

Why the $3.5 Million Price Tag?

The targeted price has little to do with the Mercedes G-Class's base value and everything to do with thousands of hours of manual shaping, engraving, painting, and finishing work. Scarcity plays a decisive role as well, since the company locks each car's specifications upon completion and refuses to build an identical copy ever again. Carlex plans to present the G-Stallion to luxury car collectors and rare-piece enthusiasts at the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX 2026), scheduled from August 28 to September 6.