Mercedes-Benz GL-Class Makes Asian Debut

Press Release

A complete range: equipment and appointments for even the most discerning tastes

The new GL-Class range comprises four powerful models. Extensive standard specification ensures safety, comfort and a high level of practicality for everyday driving. This starts with the GL 320 CDI 4MATIC, whose equipment includes:

• "ARTICO" man-made leather upholstery combination in grey, black or beige

• 10-way electrically adjustable front seats, driver's seat with lumbar support

• 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive

• 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission

• Adaptive front airbags for driver and front passenger, sidebags for driver and front passenger, windowbags for passengers in all seat rows

• AIRMATIC air suspension with Adaptive Damping System (ADS)

• Audio 20 radio with CD player and eight loudspeakers

• Bird's-eye poplar wood interior trim

• Compass

• Cruise control with SPEEDTRONIC variable speed limiter

• DIRECT SELECT steering-wheel gearshift buttons and steering-column gear selector

• Dynamic handling systems ESP®, BAS, 4ETS, DSR and ABS (with special off-road ABS mode)

• EASY-PACK load compartment cover and safety net

• Headlamp Assist

• ISOFIX child seat attachment points in second and third seat rows

• Off-Road Pro engineering package with "shift-on-the-move" low range, multi-disc centre and rear differential locks (with up to 100% locking action), modified AIRMATIC (max. ground clearance 307 mm, max. fording depth 600 mm), additional underride guard, manual mode for 7G-TRONIC

• Rear panoramic sunroof over third seat row

• Speed-sensitive power steering

• THERMATIC automatic climate control

• Three-point seat belts on all seats, driver and front passenger belts with adaptive tensioners and force limiters, belts on outer centre-row seats with tensioners and force limiters, third-row seats with tensioners

• Tyre pressure loss warning system

• Windscreen wiper/washer system with rain sensor

The standard specification of the V8 diesel-engined GL 420 CDI 4MATIC and the 250-kW/340-hp V8 petrol-engined GL 450 4MATIC also includes:

• 8.5 J x 19 light-alloy wheels with 275/55 R 19 tyres

• Automatically dimming interior and exterior mirrors

• Burr walnut wood interior trim

• Heated front seats

• Multicontour seats with memory function for driver and front passenger, also with electrically adjustable head restraints and electrically adjustable steering column

• Multi-zone THERMOTRONIC

Additional standard specification on the top-of-the-line GL 500 4MATIC includes:

• Bi-xenon headlamps with Active Light System, cornering light function and high-pressure cleaning system

• Heated second-row seats

• Light birch wood interior trim

• Nappa leather upholstery

• PARKTRONIC

• Remote-control electrohydraulic EASY-PACK tailgate

Optional equipment available for all models includes:

• Additional rear air conditioning unit

• Chrome package: stainless-steel underride guard front and rear, high-gloss chrome-look roof rails and cross bar

• COMAND APS with integrated radio, CD/DVD player, DVD navigation, telephone operation and off-road menu, combinable with TV tuner and reversing camera

• DISTRONIC proximity control

• External spare wheel carrier (from 4th quarter, 2006)

• Heated multifunction leather steering wheel

• KEYLESS-GO

• LINGUATRONIC voice control system

• PRE-SAFE®

• Rear-seat entertainment (RSE) system with 7-inch LCD monitors in the backs of the front head restraints, audio/video DVD player, TV tuner, remote control and connection for games consoles or digital camera

• Sidebags for second seat row

• Tyre pressure monitoring system

Intelligent solutions promote excellent safety

The premium off-roader offering comfort levels on a par with a luxury saloon makes full use of the advantages of its unitised body, combining optimum strength with intelligent lightweight steel design. The result is excellent passive safety, which is far superior to comparable models with a ladder-type frame. Combined with the front and rear deformation zones, the high-strength occupant cell forms an efficient base for the occupant protection systems.
These 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 as an option

• 3-point seat belts on all seven seats

• Seat-belt tensioners and adaptive belt-force limiters

With the optionally available PRE-SAFE® preventive occupant protection system, a world first in this market segment, Mercedes-Benz has raised safety to an even higher level. The system's most striking feature: passive and active safety systems are networked with each other. PRE-SAFE® utilises the sensors in the dynamic handling control systems such as ABS, BAS (Brake Assist) and ESP® and optimises the protective function of the passive safety components in potential accident situations. The GL-Class also takes the issue of pedestrian protection to a new level. The front section includes precisely defined, ample crumple space between the body and the major assemblies underneath. In conjunction with impact zones that are designed to yield, this design provides a high degree of protection both for pedestrians and cyclists.