Photo: SB-Medien
When we drove the Mercedes-Benz GL, we found an overly capable personality, able to cater to the needs of the entire family, including quenching the father’s manliness requirements in the GL 63 AMG incarnation. While the GL landed on the market back in April 2012, the engineers are currently in an advanced stage of development for the mid-cycle revamp and we’ve got a set of American-snapped spyshots to prove it.
The prototype was recently spotted during a hot weather testing session in Death Valley, sweating in the name of science. Mercedes-Benz didn’t bother to cover the SUV in camo past the front fascia, since that’s where the most important visual changes will take place.
What they didn’t cover in camouflage though were the headlights, which fall in line with the German automaker’s latest design language. Benz afficionados could talk for hours about the restyled bumper and grille, but we’ll skip to the part of the revamp that matters, namely the technical one.
The big news comes from an all-new GL variant, the GL400, which borrows the E400’s twin-turbo V6 petrol mill. This delivers 333 PS and a respectable peak torque of 354 lb-ft (480 Nm). The rest of the petrol range sees the GL350, GL450, GL550, as well as the range-topping GL 63 AMG being translated into the new model year without important modifications.
Since the GL first came around, the competition got more than a little stiffer. For instance the Range Rover can now be specced up to be more luxurious than ever. At the same time, those aiming for the ultimate plushness in terms of SUV are holding their breath for Bentley to release its SUV.
Rumor has it that Mercedes-Benz is working on a special card to counter the aforementioned luxury offerings. What this means is that we may just see the GL included in the Maybach resurrection plan. Yes, not only will the now defunct prestigious name take on the S-Class as planned, but it could also offer us a massaged version of Mercedes’ range-topping SUV.
Speaking of the model year, the Mercedes-Benz GL Facelift should come to the world in January next year, bowing at the Detroit Motor Show.
What they didn’t cover in camouflage though were the headlights, which fall in line with the German automaker’s latest design language. Benz afficionados could talk for hours about the restyled bumper and grille, but we’ll skip to the part of the revamp that matters, namely the technical one.
The big news comes from an all-new GL variant, the GL400, which borrows the E400’s twin-turbo V6 petrol mill. This delivers 333 PS and a respectable peak torque of 354 lb-ft (480 Nm). The rest of the petrol range sees the GL350, GL450, GL550, as well as the range-topping GL 63 AMG being translated into the new model year without important modifications.
Since the GL first came around, the competition got more than a little stiffer. For instance the Range Rover can now be specced up to be more luxurious than ever. At the same time, those aiming for the ultimate plushness in terms of SUV are holding their breath for Bentley to release its SUV.
Rumor has it that Mercedes-Benz is working on a special card to counter the aforementioned luxury offerings. What this means is that we may just see the GL included in the Maybach resurrection plan. Yes, not only will the now defunct prestigious name take on the S-Class as planned, but it could also offer us a massaged version of Mercedes’ range-topping SUV.
Speaking of the model year, the Mercedes-Benz GL Facelift should come to the world in January next year, bowing at the Detroit Motor Show.
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