BMW carried out some severe surgical procedure throughout the facelift of its X7 earlier this 12 months, but it surely appears to be like like Mercedes is enjoying it protected with the refresh of the GLS, its competitor within the massive luxurious SUV house.
Whereas the X7 gained a controversial split-headlight association Mercedes has chosen to retain the identical primary entrance finish structure, and solely add some small tweaks to assist the now three-year-old SUV maintain patrons .
These footage of a frivolously disguised GLS prototype present that the bottom automotive’s improve plan pretty carefully mirrors that of the plusher Mercedes-Maybach GLS we caught testing a number of weeks in the past. The 2 automobiles will options completely different grilles from each other to make Maybach patrons really feel higher concerning the extra $60k their vendor persuaded them to spend, and it’s doubtless that these grilles might be rigorously re-styled to make the brand new vehicles simply identifiable as 2024 fashions.
We will additionally see the revised form of the air intakes within the entrance bumper of this black GLS, which has an prolonged part of mesh working behind the license plate and throughout nearly the total width pf the bumper. Surprisingly, the headlights seem unchanged from those fitted to present vehicles. They lack the small orange lenses seen on the outer fringe of the headlights of current GLS fashions within the U.S., however that function isn’t current on European-spec fashions anyway.
Associated: Watch And Hear The Ferocious Mercedes-AMG ONE Run Up The Goodwood Hill
Disguise overlaying the rear mild clusters counsel Mercedes is planning to make some extra illuminating modifications at that finish of the GLS. Zooming in on the pictures reveal that the brand new rear lamps are the identical form as the prevailing models, but it surely it appears to be like just like the triangle and rectangle motifs seen when the automotive is working is likely to be ditched for a extra modern slim mild bar.
Inside, we’re not anticipating big modifications as a result of the GLS already has a big media display screen that blends seamlessly right into a digital instrument show that’s nearly as huge. However the MBUX infotainment display screen may go greater once more, and it’s prone to profit from software program and connectivity enhancements and to ditch the outdated touchpad controller.
There might be under-hood enhancements too, little doubt, which may doubtlessly embody a four-cylinder choice for the primary time, although Mercedes hasn’t confirmed this. Developed utilizing F1 know-how, the corporate’s newest 2.0-liter turbo motor places out 402 hp (408 PS) within the Mercedes-AMG C 43 and 376 hp (381 PS) within the SL 43, making it a strong stand-in for the 362 hp (367 PS) mild-hybrid 3.0-liter inline-six at present fitted to the GLS 450. The 4 even out-torques the V6, producing 384 lb-ft (520 Nm), in contrast with 369lb-ft (500 Nm).
Then again, Mercedes could persist with the 450’s current engine and the 482 hp (489 PS) 4.0-liter V8 within the GLS 580. Do you assume a four-banger has the chops to chop it in a giant three-row SUV just like the GLS? Go away a remark and tell us.