Mercedes GLE-Class to Replace ML at New York Auto Show, to Offer PHEV Engine

According to a recent Autoblog report, Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of Daimler, decreed on the eve of the Detroit Auto Show that 2015 would be "the year of the SUV" for Mercedes-Benz. It seems the ML replacement is only a few short months away from being revealed at the New York Auto Show in April.

Technically, the GLE is a major refresh of the older model, done much in the same fashion as the mid-life facelift for the E-Class. Many of the GLE Coupe engines will be carried over, probably including the 367 PS 3-liter twin-turbo for the 450 AMG Sport model. However, there will also be a new powertrain, a PHEV which we've already seen testing in 2014.

Around the same time as Zetsche was making his statement, youtuber WalkoArt managed to film a prototype for the GLE in Stuttgart. As you can see, it's very similar to the old ML, but has updated lights with dynamic LEDs and a revised front fascia, likely to be similar to the GLE Coupe.

It seems both the brand new GLC, which replaces the GLK, and the GLS, which is a facelift for the GL, will also debut later this year. The SUV models have been testing for quite some time now and we have videos of both from the same Youtube user. We're hoping that at least one of these SUVs will be saved for the home crowd in Frankfurt.

Editor's note: I've just heard this joke and it's really funny – "you can't say UGLE without GLE."