Photo: CarPix
Either Mercedes-Benz has managed to pen a very beautifully proportioned GLE, or this car we see here is a completely different model. Something like the GLB crossover, for instance, a car that's supposedly going to use a larger version of the GLA platform and some G-Class inspired design touches.
After careful deliberation, we've concluded that the first of the two situations appears more likely, and so would like to congratulate the Mercedes-Benz designers once again on a job well done. Well, the SUV still has plenty of camouflage hiding its details, so let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet. But at a first glance and judging only its overall shape, the new GLE looks pleasingly balanced.
Especially if you compare it to the current model, which was a bit of a failure in this regard. A capable off-roader it might have been, but what good is that to the thousands of people who buy a luxury SUV for the "luxury" part and not its rough terrain abilities? The ML-Class (later GLE) did fine with that too, but as hard as Mercedes-Benz tried to hide it, the car was a bit stuck in the past regarding its level of technology and, most importantly, the interior design. Alphanumeric keys on the center console? Come on, Mercedes, those were never cool.
Nobody has seen the interior of the new GLE - we don't even know if it's installed on this test car or not - but, seriously now, is there anybody out there who doesn't already know what it's going to look like? If you've been paying attention lately, all Mercedes-Benz dashboards have been a combination between the S-Class and the C-Class, and we can see no reason why the GLE would break that mold.
Ready to make use of the reduced weight of the new model will be a range of efficient yet powerful engines, starting off with four-cylinder units (thanks, Volvo - even though BMW did do it first with the X5) and climbing toward the AMG GLE63 with its V8 through a series of inline sixes. We'll have plenty to choose from, no worries here, with a hybrid definitely on the cards as well.
And how about that GLS we were talking about? Well, there's not that much to see, but if you shuffle through the pictures you'll notice one parked in the background. It seems to be wearing just as much camouflage as the main subject of our spy shots, but the fact it's there means we could be seeing a photoshoot featuring the larger SUV soon. The two are about the same age, so their replacements should come pretty close from one another.
Especially if you compare it to the current model, which was a bit of a failure in this regard. A capable off-roader it might have been, but what good is that to the thousands of people who buy a luxury SUV for the "luxury" part and not its rough terrain abilities? The ML-Class (later GLE) did fine with that too, but as hard as Mercedes-Benz tried to hide it, the car was a bit stuck in the past regarding its level of technology and, most importantly, the interior design. Alphanumeric keys on the center console? Come on, Mercedes, those were never cool.
Nobody has seen the interior of the new GLE - we don't even know if it's installed on this test car or not - but, seriously now, is there anybody out there who doesn't already know what it's going to look like? If you've been paying attention lately, all Mercedes-Benz dashboards have been a combination between the S-Class and the C-Class, and we can see no reason why the GLE would break that mold.
Ready to make use of the reduced weight of the new model will be a range of efficient yet powerful engines, starting off with four-cylinder units (thanks, Volvo - even though BMW did do it first with the X5) and climbing toward the AMG GLE63 with its V8 through a series of inline sixes. We'll have plenty to choose from, no worries here, with a hybrid definitely on the cards as well.
And how about that GLS we were talking about? Well, there's not that much to see, but if you shuffle through the pictures you'll notice one parked in the background. It seems to be wearing just as much camouflage as the main subject of our spy shots, but the fact it's there means we could be seeing a photoshoot featuring the larger SUV soon. The two are about the same age, so their replacements should come pretty close from one another.
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