The original W460 platform was replaced by the W461 in 1991.
Improvements saw the introduction of all-wheel disc brakes while the engine range was reduced to a choice of one petrol engine and one Diesel plant. Several years after the introduction of the new chassis, the vehicle was updated was once more, having received both exterior and interior minor retouches. Although the G-Klasse is unanimously regarded as a universal 4X4, it was only the future W463 platform that saw the introduction of permanent 4-wheel drive while W460/461 models had a rear-wheel drive layout with an option for manually shifting to 4X4 mode.