MERCEDES-AMG GLE Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

While its non-AMG sibling, Mercedes-Benz GLE, went through some major changes regarding the drivetrain, the performance SUV was left with the same engine and transmission, which provided plenty of power anyway. But that didn't stop customers from asking why they didn't get more ponies for the new model.

Mercedes-AMG improved the GLE 53's look, keeping the vehicle's image up to date even four years after the model's introduction in 2019. At the front, the Panamericana-grille supported the redesigned company's badge in the middle, which sported a single ring around Mercedes' three-pointed star. In addition, the lower bumper was redesigned, and the side scoops received new inner sides compared with their predecessors. Most importantly, the multibeam LED headlights sported four blocks for the daytime running lights that replaced the previously used double-arrow pattern. Finally, at the back, the car got new lines instead of circles around the inner side of the taillights.

The carmaker replaced the outdated dual-screen on the dashboard with an improved model inside. The same piece of glass served as the cover for both displays—those for the infotainment system and the instrument panel—providing a cohesive appearance. However, only the latter had touchscreen capabilities. As was to be expected, AMG provided brand-specific features for the MBAUX system that provided more details about the settings and performance of the vehicle.

The company fitted a three-liter, inline-six engine under the hood that produced 435 horsepower (429 PS). Power was distributed to all four corners via the nine-speed automatic transmission.

Mercedes-AMG introduced the facelifted GLE 63 S in February 2023, less than three years after the model's introduction on the carmaker's lineup.

After Mercedes-Benz decided to create the former AMG department into a different brand, some vehicles were built on the same assembly lines. In addition, both versions, Benz and AMG, got refreshed simultaneously; such was the case with the 2023 GLE, which was introduced simultaneously in both bodywork versions and under both automakers' badges. But if there was one thing that differentiated the GLE 63 S from its lesser-powered siblings was the mighty V8 turbocharged engine.

On the car's exterior, the front looked quite similar to the car that it replaced, save for the center badge that sported a satin-silver finish and a single circle around the three-pointed star in the middle of the Panamericana grille. In addition, the 22" light-alloy wheels were fitted as standard from its profile and revealed their large disc brakes. Finally, the GLE 63 S featured revised LED taillights at the back, which sported an upper line that crossed from the quarter panels onto the tailgate.

Inside, the performance SUV boasted a leather-wrapped interior and received new color schemes such as the bahia brown/black and macchiato beige/black upholstery. Moreover, lime wood and high-gloss brown were added to the options list. On top of the dashboard, the automaker placed two 12.3" screens, one for the instrument cluster and the other for the MBAUX infotainment unit. The same piece of glass covered both to create a seamless design.

Under the hood, the bi-turbo V8 engine produced 612 hp (608 PS) and was paired with a nine-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT automatic transmission. In addition, the GLE 63 S came fitted as standard with a limited-slip rear differential.

When Mercedes-Benz decided to create a separate brand out of its AMG department, the result was the Mercedes-AMG, and the GLE's first generation had received an upgrade from these magicians of performance vehicles.

First, there was the ML, later renamed GLE as the Mercedes' mid-sized SUV, positioned below the GL (later GLS) and the GLK (later the GLC). But the German automaker already knew that customers were more attracted by the AMG versions, so right from the bat, it built the GLE with a more powerful version. Albeit this time, it wasn't badged as Mercedes-Benz, but as Mercedes-AMG.

The car's design was enhanced by the peeps from the Affalterbach factory, where AMG was based. Thus, the bland-looking grille of the regular GLE was replaced with one that featured the Panamericana grille with vertical slats. Furthermore, the lower bumper received a massive lower air intake flanked on the sides by scoops with two horizontal slats. The car's profile featured side steps so occupants could get easier inside the vehicle. These steps were unsuitable for offroading sessions, but ,they did a better job within city limits. Finally, the GLE 45 4Matic+ got a quad exhaust system at the back, with two pipes on each side of the vehicle flanking a diffuser.

Inside, AMG installed a pair of high-bolstered bucket seats at the front and a bench for three in the back, although due to the transmission tunnel, it was mostly usable by just two passengers. On the dashboard, the automaker installed two screens behind a single piece of glass, creating the impression of a large horizontal display. The one fronting the driver was for the instrument panel, while the one mounted atop the center stack was for the infotainment system.

But the piece de resistance was under the hood, where a hand-crafted inline-six, biturbo engine helped by an electric auxiliary compressor produced 435 PS (429 hp) sent in all corners via a nine-speed automatic transmission.

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.

With an increased demand for performance SUVs, Mercedes-AMG worked on the mid-size GLE model and gave it a big boost.

Mercedes-Benz introduced the third generation of the ML-Class in 2011 and, four years later, it unveiled its refreshed version. At the same time, it changed the nameplate from ML to GLE. Along with the new version, the mid-size SUV received an AMG version, which was now known as a separate performance brand of the Stuttgart premium carmaker.

At the front, the car sported an AMG-specific grille with a twin-slat over the grille, supporting the big three-pointed-star badge. The bumper featured a large, trapezoidal-shaped grille in the apron flanked by two side-scoops. Nothing was just aesthetic, and everything was functional. The GLE needed the side air-intakes to cool the front discs. From its sides, the carmaker enlarged the wheel-arches to emphasize the car's wider stance. AMG installed four rectangular exhausts in the rear under the apron to complete the car's sporty look.

But no AMG customer would take a vehicle without a specific interior. For that, the Affalterbach company installed carbon-fiber trims on the dashboard, door panels, and center stack. The three-spoke steering wheel featured two aluminum paddle-shifters marked UP and DOWN, challenging the driver to shift gears manually. Last but not least, the bucket seats with high-bolstered sides were part of the package.

Under the hood, the carmaker dropped a 5.5-liter V-8 bi-turbo engine that provided up to 585 hp in the AMG GLE 63S version, while the non-S provided 557 hp. The all-wheel-drive system was biased toward the rear axle to enhance the SUV's sporty feeling.