Mercedes (Photo : REUTERS)
Automaker Mercedes-Benz is rebranding its M-Class line of SUV changing its name to GLE-Class. During a recent press event in Germany, Mercedes announced that it will launch eight new SUV's under the new GLE-Class.
According to Auto Focus, Mercedes will release five models for the standard GLE and three for the GLE Coupe.
The Mercedes GLE, aside from the name change, still looks hauntingly similar to the M-Class SUV's. They still retain the signature forward-slanted C-pillar design and a quick look will prove that not much were changed.
On the other hand, the Mercedes GLE Coupe looks entirely different compared to other SUV's the company has produced in the past years. Many industry analysts label this line of SUV as Mercedes' answer to the popular BMW X6.
The new Mercedes GLE series sports some of the company's top-notch electronics and safety systems. Among the new features integrated into it are cross-wind assist, various terrain chassis setting that includes mud and snow and Magic Vision Control. For buyers who wants their car to have additional safety protocols, they can opt in for the optional Intelligent Drive system which throws in a lot of sensors in order to prevent collisions without the need of a driver input.
Mercedes is also introducing the new nine-speed fully automatic transmission which the company claims to provide excellent fuel mileage.
GLE engine variations are still the same to the ML models. There is the 3.0-liter V6 diesel with 249-horsepower and 457 lb-ft torque, twin-turbo V8 with 429-horsepower and a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 with 329-horsepower. According to The Car Guide, all gasoline powered engines still has the 7-speed automatic transmission while the diesel engines will use the new nine-speed 9G-Tronic automatic transmission.
Pricing starts at $59,000 for the base GLE models and can reach up to $108,025 for the GLE Coupe models.
