Mercedes-Benz is ramping up the development of its entry-level G-Class, a smaller electric car that will be pitched against a new breed of rugged crossovers such as the upcoming Land Rover Defender “Sport,” Autocar reports.

Penciled to launch in 2027, the highly anticipated model, currently referred to as “Little G,” will be a sibling to the larger, legendary off-roader and sold exclusively as an electric vehicle (EV). It is intended to give Mercedes a foothold in the popular rugged crossover market.

Unlike those siblings, which sit on a ladder-frame chassis, the new 4x4 will use the German car maker’s new, and more conventional, MB:EA platform.

Visually, the new model will take strong design cues from the “iconic DNA” of the existing G-Class, with “its own character, but it will be a G”, Mercedes design chief Gorden Wagener previously told Autocar. It is understood the car will also be marked out from its range-mates by having a lower-case ‘g’ in its nameplate.

One key draw of the new G-Class, according to insiders, is its traditional utilitarian design. Autocar has been told it will feature a squared-off profile with flat and near-to-vertical surfaces, giving it a distinctive military-grade look. It will also adopt a glasshouse with an almost flat windscreen, side windows and rear screen.

Although an earlier design proposal for the Little G featured headlights with a U-shaped graphic, a more refined version is said to have progressed to a round headlight graphic similar to that of the latest incarnation of the larger G-Class.

Further signature design details include rectangular indicators mounted on top of the front wings, angular wheelhouses with flared wheel arches, and a spare wheel mounted on the rear tailgate.