Mercedes-Benz GLE 43 AMG Photos, engines & full specs

Mercedes-Benz announced the GLE 450 AMG in late 2014 for the 2016 model year and unveiled it at the 2015 North American International Auto Show together with the rest of the facelifted version for it.

The German automaker thought about offering not one but two AMG versions for the GLE. While the 63 AMG remained the top-performance version, the 450 AMG 4Matic was a balanced version that provided enough grunt without being as thirsty as its higher-powered sibling. But soon after the model's launch, the carmaker changed the nameplate, and instead of the 450 AMG badge, it used the 43 AMG one.

Mercedes-Benz made the 43 AMG with a modified front fascia and the rest of the GLE range. That included a chromed twin double-slat on the grille and a pair of power bulges on the hood, sending the message that a V-engine was underneath it. The front bumper also sported a specific air dam with an A-shaped lower grille and a pair of side intakes that flanked it. A set of 20" light-alloy wheels was fitted as standard, while a 21" kit was on the options list. At the back, the four exhausts sported a rectangular shape.

Inside, the GLE 43 AMG featured a classic-looking dashboard with analog dials in the instrument cluster. Atop the center stack, following the free-floating design trend, the automaker installed the COMMAND infotainment screen, which was controlled via a touchpad housed on the center console. The high-bolstered front bucket seats featured all the adjustments someone would need, and they offered heating and ventilation. At the back, the three-seat bench, although profiled for two, could've been flat-folded to expand the trunk.

The 43 AMG featured a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 powerplant paired with a 9G-Tronic automatic transmission that sent the power in all corners via a fixed 40:60 torque ratio front/rear.