The Schöckl. It’s a nearly mile-high mountain near the Austrian city of Graz, and every new G-Class has to conquer it.

The 5.6-km route up and over the Schöckl includes gradients of up to 60 percent and lateral inclinations of up to 40 percent. For comparison, the steepest public road in San Francisco is measured at about 31 percent. During the development stage, the 2019 G-Class had to endure over 1,000 miles on this demanding course.

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As the first new G in nearly 40 years, Mercedes-Benz is under intense pressure not to screw it up. Sure, the brute is known as a status symbol on the streets of Beverly Hills, but it also needs to retain its level of off-road prowess if it wishes to retain its image as much more than a mall crawler.

According to materials released today by Mercedes, we needn’t worry. The new 2019 G-Class will remain a true G. It will continue with a standard ladder-type frame, three 100-percent differential locks, and a Low Range ratio in the ‘box for off-road adventure.

Teaming up with skunkworks AMG for the suspension, the company says the new G-Class will have an independent suspension with double-wishbone axle up front, with a rigid axle out back.

One of the prerequisites for the improved off-road handling characteristics is a new and fabulously-named “G-Mode”. According to the manufacturer, the G-Class will shift into “G-Mode” independently of the chosen drive program as soon as one of the three differential locks has been activated or Low Range has been engaged. This off-road mode adapts the adjustable damping of the chassis and the steering as well as the accelerator characteristic, avoids unnecessary gearshifts, and ensures maximum off-road capability. Does your off-roader have G-Mode? Mine doesn’t.

Mercedes also released a phalanx of measurements proving the G’s continued capability. Ground clearance between the axles has been increased to 9.5 inches, while maximum fording depth has jumped to a remarkable 2.3 feet. Angles of approach, breakover, and departure are 31 degrees, 26 degrees, and 30 degrees respectively. The G promises driving stability at angles up to a gonzo 35 degrees. Go ahead and tilt your office chair 35 degrees to the side and see how extreme that measurement is.

Engines remain a mystery for now but the luxury brand has confirmed the new G will be equipped with the 9G-TRONIC automatic. It is said to be specially adapted to off-road use. The new transfer case is flange-mounted directly on to the transmission and is adjusted in such a way that 40 percent of the drive torque reaches the front axle and 60 percent reaches the rear axle. The permanent all-wheel drive guarantees maximum traction. Whether you call for that traction on Rodeo Drive or the Rubicon Trail is up to you.

Previous images have shown the next G to have an appropriately swank interior, aping a lot of the design cues found in the uber-luxurious S-Class sedan. Mercedes has confirmed the new rig will have a 360-degree camera (great for off-road) and off-road screen in the infotainment system specially designed for the G-Class that will display data such as elevation, gradient, steering angle, and activated diff locks.

Expect to see a production version of the 2019 G-Class at this month’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit.