German luxury car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has unveiled their largest SUV, the Mercedes Benz GLS. The new GLS now looks like it’s siblings the GLC and the GLE following a new design update from brand. The new Mercedes-Benz GLS has a more rounded off front-end, than its sharper predecessor and Mercedes-Benz claims it has reduced the drag coefficient to 0.32 cd which helps in reducing wind noise at higher speeds.
The new SUV is based on the brand’s MHA (Modular High Architecture) platform which has increased the dimensions and it now measures at 5207mm in length, 1956mm in width and the wheelbase is now 3135mm. The new GLS is 77mm longer, 22mm wider and has a 60mm increased wheelbase as compared to its predecessor.
On the interiors, the new Mercedes-Benz GLS gets a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument console and a 12.3-inch MBUX touchscreen infotainment system. The old rotary controls are now replaced with a touchpad on the centre console. The new steering wheel also gets new touchpad controls. The rear seat passengers also get two 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment screens and all seven seats are electrically adjustable.
The engine on the Mercedes-Benz GLS comes in petrol as well as diesel options. Further, the petrol engine comes in two options, both of which are equipped with a 48V mild-hybrid system. The top-spec GLS 580 4Matic will get a 4-litre, twin-turbocharged, V8 with hybrid assistance producing 489 HP of power and 700 Nm of torque. The GLS 450 4-Matic comes with a 3.0-litre, inline, six-cylinder, turbocharged motor with hybrid assistance producing 367 HP of power and 500 Nm of torque. Both the engines will be able to produce an extra 22 HP and 250 Nm of torque over short periods via the EA boost system.
On the other hand, the GLS 400d 4-Matic diesel variant is powered by the OM656, 2.9-litre, inline, six-cylinder, turbocharged diesel engine producing 330 HP of power and 700 Nm of torque. And the 2.9-litre engine is tuned to 285 HP of power and 600 Nm of torque on the GLS 350d 4-Matic.
All the engines come paired to a 9-speed automatic gearbox with torque converter and Mercedes-Benz 4-Matic four-wheel drive system. The suspension on the car is an air suspension standard on all models.
The Mercedes-Benz GLS will be followed by a Maybach version of the SUV and two AMG variants which will arrive in 2020. Mercedes-Benz is also preparing a petrol-electric hybrid with plug-in powertrain which has a much greater pure electric driving range.
Mercedes-Benz has not yet announced the new GLS in India, but it will come to our market very soon.
