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Mercedes GLE SUV Will Debut In New York, Could Spawn 63 AMG and 450 AMG Versions

Back in January, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche announced that 2015 will be the "year of the SUV" for Mercedes-Benz. Well, it seems that every carmaker is tryinig to emulate that at the moment due to financial reasons, but Mercedes is leading the pack as the GLE (former M-Class) could debut in New York.
Mercedes GLE 1 photo
Photo: Screenshot from YouTube
His BMW X6-resembling peer - the GLE Coupe - already made its debut in Detroit and more recent in Geneva, it wouldn't take long before the GLE will take a bow in front of the public. According to German media, the model bound to replace the ML-Class will be officially unveiled at the 2015 New York International Auto Show.

In addition, the mid-size SUV from Stuttgart will go on sale later this year, most likely in September, so launching the car at the NYIAS would make sense if Mercedes-Benz have serious plans with their SUV segment domination strategy.

But since we're talking about an overcrowded and extremely competitive niche, the carmaker will want to bring the big guns to make sure the new GLE will cause not a splash, but a tsunami. This is why we might be seeing a GLE 450 AMG version featuring a 3.0-liter V6 engine that will bring 367 HP and 520 Nm (383 lb-ft) of torque to the table.

Above the GLE 450 AMG we could witness the birth of the GLE 63 AMG which will rely on 5.5-liter V8 powerhouse packing 557 HP and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) for the standard version. An S version is likely to follow, good for 585 HP and 760 Nm (561 lb-ft) of torque. On the other hand, certain voices talk about the 5.5-liter unit being replaced with Affalterbach's new 4.0-liter twin turbo V8.

Mercedes-Benz will also want to add a hybrid to its GLE range, which means the GLE 500e will be given the responsibility of saving the planet thanks to a plug-in hybrid setup. For now, other details are scarce but we could be getting our fair share of teasers from Mercedes-Benz in the upcoming days, since teasing is the new sensation in the automotive world.
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