We’ve seen many spy shots of duct tape-clad “Baby ‘Benz SUV” prototypes throughout the past few years. But now we finally get a good look at the Mercedes’ baby SUV – the GLK Class.
We’ve seen many spy shots of duct tape-clad “Baby ‘Benz SUV” prototypes throughout the past few years. But now we finally get a good look at the Mercedes’ baby SUV – the GLK Class. It won’t be too long before the BMW X3 has another reason to look over its shoulder…
Let’s face it – the X3 has happily pottered around the school run without much competition from within the “premium” compact SUV segment it occupies. Now that we have an undisguised picture of Mercedes-Benz’s GLK Class compact SUV, it’s clear that the X3 will soon face its fiercest competitor to date. And, Volvo’s XC60 (as featured on CARtoday.com recently) can also expect to see some tough times when this little teuton makes its début.
German publication has furnished the world with the first glimpse of the GLK which will make its debut at either the 2007 Frankfurt or 2008 Geneva Motor Show.
The GLK should feature a variation on Mercedes’ 4matic all-wheel drive system integrating a hill descent control system, all-weather tyres, skid plates, and some pseudo-off road styling cues. Diff-locks and low-range transfer cases have not been mentioned, so it is safe to assume the closest this vehicle will come to off-road conditions is mounting the curb outside a shopping mall. The GLK will ride on an all-new platform shared with the upcoming C-Class compact saloon.
International engine and transmission line-ups for the GLK Class is not known at the moment, but reports say the US market will be catered for with the GLK 280 (2,8-litre V6 with 170 kW), GLK 350 (3,5-litre V6 with 200 kW) and the obligatory oil-burner in the GLK 320 CDI (3,2 litre V6 common rail diesel delivering 165 kW). It has also been rumoured that a 373 kW AMG version of the GLK is in the pipeline. Mercedes’ seven-speed automatic transmission will, most likely, be mated with the aforementioned powerplants.
Production of the GLK will commence in early 2008, but it is not yet known whether (and when) the range will reach South Africa.
