Mercedes-Benz’s GL is undoubtedly an imposing vehicle, from its sheer exterior proportions, to its extensive luxury specification and heavy asking price, but German specialist tuner A.R.T has made it larger than life with the GL Mammut programme.
By Kyle Kock
Named after shaggy-haired behemoth that walked the Earth thousands of years ago, the tuning programme grants the GL a distinctive exterior kit that the A.R.T designers hoped would lend it a stance that invokes a sense of strength and atavism.
Up front, the GL has received a new front skirt that incorporates a larger front grille in body-colour and wider air inlets as well as a “Triple Beam Lamp Set” that includes additional xenon high-beam headlamps, daytime LED running lights, dual-function corner light function and fog lamps.
The widened side fenders each incorporate a “gill” vent front and rear, while red LED lights embedded in the rear gill are activated when any of the doors are opened. The A.R.T rear skirt with integrated diffuser adds to the rear end aggression, supplemented by roof spoiler and high-polish 100 mm chrome taipipes. The stainless steel side steps are illuminated by a blue-light beam that activates when the GL Mammut’s key is in use.
A.R.T’s performance division haven’t yet developed any performance-increasing products for the V6s and V8s in the GL range, but they claim to have squeezed an extra 20 % of speed as well as reduced fuel consumption out of the CDI models through optimization the engines’ electronics.
The A.R.T electronic suspension system lowers the GL Mammut by 35 mm and allows individual adjustment up to 60 mm. To fill the gargantuan wheel arches, A.R.T fitted a set of 22-inch monoART1 light-alloys rims with special coating to match the body colour. These are wrapped in a selection of matching tyre sizes that extend all the way to 315/35R22 rubber.
Apart from the sports steering wheel and fine selection of interior trim options including leather/fine wood, leather/leather, leather/alcantara, or leather/carbon fibre, A.R.T says there are no limits to individual customisation.
