Yes ! This was first commissioned by the Shah of Iran, who was at the time a significant shareholder of Mercedes. Regarding many articles on the internet yes ! The genesis for the G-Wagon came out of an unrelated but massive 20,000-truck order from the Shah of Iran in the 1970s. A significant shareholder in Mercedes at the time, the Shah's order also stood for a tempting deal. To fulfill the Shah's requirements, the carmaker required external help in its production phase. This led to Mercedes collaborating with Steyr-Daimler-Puch, a military equipment manufacturer based in Austria. SDP built famous war machines like the Pinzgauer, a military transport with available 6-wheel drive systems. Mercedes further extended this collaboration when the Shah suggested that the vehicle be built as an all-wheel-drive SUV for military use in his empire