Just like Mercedes-Benz brought in the GLE as a replacement to the M-Class, they have now launched the GLS in place of the GL-Class. The new GLS 350d SUV has been priced at Rs 80.40 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune). The GLS, which is now the largest SUV on sale by the Stuttgart-based luxury car maker, continues to look as intimidating as its predecessor and, at the same time, comes with a longer list of features. Up front, the GLS look like a larger and more aggressive version of its sedan sibling, the S-Class.
The flat-ish bonnet leads into the large twin-slat grille that now flaunts a larger three-pointed star emblem. The headlights sport a new design too and are now the brand’s patented MultiBeam kind with daytime running lights. The front bumper also gets larger air intakes which further accentuate the butch stance. At the back, it gets new LED tail lights and a remoulded bumper. The overall silhouette though remains identical.
Inside, the cabin can be compared to the S-Class. The information display from the previous model has been replaced by a hi-tech, eight-inch display on the top of the dashboard. The SUV features Mercedes' COMAND infotainment system which is the one-stop source for audio, navigation, reverse camera display, and various other menus that help set the car up. The centre console also gets a new touchpad to control various features of the car along with a three spoke steering wheel which is wrapped in Nappa leather, just like the seats.
The heart of the SUV is a 3.0-litre V6 diesel. As a result, the car bears the '350d' tag and will operate at 258PS of power and 620Nm of torque. Delivering the power to all four-wheels will be a 9-speed automatic '9G-TRONIC' gearbox via the '4MATIC' all-wheel-drive system. It goes from 0-100kmph in 7.8 seconds and has a top speed of 222kmph. In this segment, the car will rival the likes of the Audi Q7 and the Volvo XC90.
We will get our hands on one soon for a detailed review. Till then, check how its arch rival, the Audi Q7 fared, in our road test.
Source: CarDekho.com
