Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (Germany, 2006-2012)

In 2006 Mercedes-Benz unveiled the GL Class, a new luxury Sports Utility Vehicle. The seven-seater premium off-roader offers excellent handling both on and off-road as well as a spacious and luxurious interior. 
The body measures 5088 mm length, 1920 mm width and 1840 mm height and provides 979 mm headroom for passengers. If fewer seats are required, the rear individual seats can be stowed electrically at the push of a button, either individually or in tandem to provide a completely flat load surface. The luggage compartment capacity amounts to 1240 litres in the five-seater version. The GL-Class can provide up to 2300 litres of load capacity, with the load compartment measuring 2128 mm in length. The THERMATIC automatic climate control system is fitted as standard in the GL 320 CDI and provides consistent temperature for all seven seats. The versions with V8 engines such as the GL 420 CDI, GL 450 and GL 500 come with the standard-fit multi-zone THERMOTRONIC system. Other standard-fit appointments include ARTICO leather upholstery combinations, electrically adjustable front seats and a fixed rear glass roof above the third row of seats.

The occupant protection systems offered by the GL Class include: Adaptive, two-stage airbags for the driver and front passenger. Sidebags in the front, and in the middle row of seats as an option. Windowbags across all three rows of seats from the A to the D-pillar. NECK-PRO crash-responsive head restraints for the driver and front passenger as an option. 3-point seat belts on all seven seats. Seat-belt tensioners and adaptive belt-force limiters for the driver and front passenger, seat-belt tensioners and belt-force limiters on the outer seats in the middle row.

4MATIC, the permanent four-wheel drive, provides the GL-Class with outstanding handling under all conditions. Handling, when pulling a trailer is facilitated by the ESP® Trailer Stabilisation. It defuses critical driving situations involving a trailer before they become dangerous by precisely applying the brakes, while AIRMATIC provides fully automatic level adjustment. Special off-road features such as Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR), hill-start as-sist and off-road ABS assist the GL-Class driver off road.

The engine line-up in all GL-Class models provides drive comfort and compelling performance coupled with efficient fuel consumption figures compared with other vehicles in the class. Alongside the 165-kW/224-hp V6 engine in the GL 320 CDI, the range of diesel models includes the high-performance V8 diesel in the GL 420 CDI, which has an output of 225 kW/ 306 hp and maximum torque of 700 Nm. Both diesel-powered versions undercut the EU 4 limits and feature a maintenance-free diesel particulate filter. In addition to the 5.5-litre, 285-kW/388-hp engine in the GL 500, the second unit in this V8 family of engines celebrated its world premiere in the GL-Class. In the GL 450 the 4.6-litre engine develops 250 kW/340 hp. Both engines also fulfil the EU4 limits (USA: LEV II standard).
All GL-Class engine variants come with the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission with DIRECT SELECT as standard.

The world premiere of the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class took place at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit in January 2006.