The new Mercedes-Benz GLS - the facelifted version of the GL-Class SUV - has been revealed ahead of going on sale next March.
With the GLS, Mercedes has completed the renaming of its SUV line-up. The GLS name aims to provide the car with some of the upmarket cachet already associated with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class saloon.
Along with the new name, the GLS receives a series of subtle exterior styling upgrades, a more luxurious interior with additional connectivity options, more efficient engines, a new nine-speed automatic gearbox and upgrades to its air suspension.
Most prominent among the exterior styling changes is the new grille treatment. It features an oversized three-pointed star and twin-blade adornment, giving the GL's successor a bolder appearance. There’s also a new front bumper, new headlight graphics, subtly altered tail-lights, a revised rear bumper and newly styled wheels.
The mild stylistic revisions continue to the interior where the GLS adopts an upgraded dashboard featuring a free-standing infotainment monitor in combination with a touchpad controller between the front seats, altered instrument graphics and a new three-spoke, multi-function steering wheel. The GLS comes with seven seats as standard.
The car's upgrades are part of efforts to provide the big SUV with greater levels of luxury in a bid to see it more closely challenge the likes of the Range Rover and upcoming Bentley Bentayga.
The standard engine line-up includes both carry-over and upgraded petrol and diesel units. Each provides improved fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions due to the adoption of a new nine-speed automatic gearbox in place of the older seven-speed unit used by the outgoing GL.
On the petrol side (but not available in the UK) is a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 developing 328bhp in the GLS400 4Matic, and a twin-turbocharged 4.7-litre V8 in the GLS500 4Matic that produces 449bhp (an increase of 20bhp over its predecessor). The 3.0-litre V6's official claimed combined economy figure is 31.7mpg and CO2 emissions are 306g/km – an improvement of 2.3mpg and 19g/km on the old GL400 4Matic.
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Oh Dear
Reported elsewhere on the
@ cheltenhamshire
In a vehicle of this size and weight, it wouldn't be exactly dynamic.
Come on Autocar, this was such an obvious error.... the old 270 CDI 5 cylinder had virtually this sort of power in the first gen ML.
I would love one...if
Sadly it wont, it is too long!
I have to say I really hate this craze of BMW and Mercedes-Benz in reducing engine size but keeping existing numbering system.
A GLS 500 is no longer a '500' if it has a 4.7 litre engine....a GLS 6.3 AMG just isn't when it has a 5.5 litre engine turbocharged or not et. etc.
Bordering on mis-representation I would say.
At least Audi model numbers do what they say on the tin.
I do get why BMW and Mercedes