GL-Class Design
Everything we’ve learned in over a century of building sports cars has gone into the performance of the GL-Class. For example, the GL is the only full-sized European luxury SUV to have a unit-body construction. This is also the preferred design for most of the world’s high-performance luxury cars because it delivers a smooth, composed ride without sacrificing agility. Its 335-horsepower V-8 engine is mated to the only 7-speed automatic available for more responsive power and fuel efficiency. Combine all this with speed-sensitive steering and nimble handling, and the GL is truly a joy to drive. And a pleasure to travel in.
Strong enough to carry over a century
of Mercedes-Benz ingenuity…
Motorboat? Camper? Racecar? For those who tow, the GL-Class is endowed with a 7,500-lb towing capacity. Just add the optional trailer hitch and the GL is rated for Class IV towing. To make towing safer and easier, the GL uses Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) to detect movements which indicate that the trailer is becoming unstable. It can then apply the 4-wheel ABS brakes individually to help bring the vehicle back under control.
The adventure doesn’t end
when the asphalt does…
When it comes to adventure, you have to be ready to adapt at a moment’s notice. That’s why the GL is equipped with 4MATICTM permanent 4-wheel drive and 4-wheel air suspension that can raise its ride height by up to 3". The added ground clearance can make a big difference when heading off-road or through deep snow. Add the optional Off-Road Package with two locking differentials and a 2-speed transfer case, and the GL can take you to the action even when the road doesn’t. The Off-Road Package even delivers superior on-road performance thanks to its Adaptive Damping System (ADS-II), which continually adjusts the air suspension to changing road conditions for a more comfortable ride.
Make room for possibilities… It’s not a road trip unless you bring friends along. That’s why the GL-Class comes equipped with real room for seven adults. Amenities like the standard 3rd-row fixed sunroof and optional 3-zone climate control system bring an added level of luxury and comfort to rear passengers. The GL is also spacious enough to carry everyone’s stuff with ease. The individual, power-folding 3rd-row seats fold flat in less than five seconds. Fold both the 2nd and 3rd rows down, and there’s over 83 cubic feet of cargo space. Remember, when it comes to adventure, it’s not what you bring, but the memories you bring back that count.
Can a navigation system
help you find yourself?
It can. The GL’s optional DVD-based Navigation System1 can help you find thousands of points of interest, hidden gems and forgotten places along the way. But when it comes to finding entertainment, one need look no further than the GL-Class itself. An auxiliary input (for MP3 players) and glovebox-mounted 6-disc CD changer are standard with the 8-speaker stereo, and the optional Rear-Seat Entertainment System makes short work of even the longest trips. With all this technology at your disposal, the only place you might get lost is in the moment.
Mercedes-Benz Safety… Aside from numerous comfort, off-road, and aesthetic options available to buyers, standard safety features offered in the new GL include innovative and state-of-the-art improvements such as:
- 12-WAY AIR BAG PROTECTION
The GL features the 12-way protection of an 8-air bag system. It includes dual-stage front air bags, front and 2nd-row side-impact air bags and full-length window curtain air bags. The window curtain air bags deploy along all three rows of windows on the affected side. When combined with properly worn seat belts, they help to protect outboard occupants from head injury and broken glass in certain side impacts or rollovers. - BODY STRUCTURE
The unit body of the GL-Class uses advanced technology and robust materials to create a virtual fortress for its seven passengers. High-Strength/Low-Alloy (HSLA) steel is used in many areas throughout the vehicle and makes up 62% of the body structure. Roof pillars employ three layers of steel, and doors feature steel crossbeams. Full-width front and rear crossmembers, along with a reinforced floorpan and door sills, combine to provide protection in a variety of impacts. Advanced front and rear crumple zones progressively deform to help absorb the energy of an impact, while underhood components are staggered to help prevent them from stacking up in a frontal impact, thereby reducing the likelihood of intrusion into the cabin. An ellipsoidal front bulkhead helps channel some of the forces of a frontal impact under, over and around the passenger cabin. - ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (ESP®)
The Electronic Stability Program continuously monitors your vehicle’s motion to help keep you going in your intended direction. If it detects wheelspin, severe understeer (plowing ahead when trying to turn) or oversteer (fishtailing), ESP can brake individual wheels and reduce engine power to help bring the vehicle back under control. ESP is especially important in helping to control your vehicle during accident-avoidance maneuvers and helping to avoid a sideways sliding motion to reduce the possibility of rollovers. Mercedes-Benz pioneered this important safety feature in 1995 and has continued to refine its performance ever since. - ACTIVE HEAD RESTRAINTS
In the case of a rear impact exceeding a preset threshold, the Active Head Restraints spring forward, reducing the distance between the head restraint and the front-seat occupants’ heads. This action helps limit the rearward travel of their heads, thus reducing the possibility of whiplash-like neck injuries. - BRAKE ASSIST (BAS)
Research has shown that drivers rarely apply the brakes hard enough or soon enough during an emergency situation. Brake Assist monitors pedal application speed to sense emergency braking and will provide additional braking power. - SEAT BELTS
Seat belts are arguably the most important passive safety feature, so the GL incorporates seat belts with Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs) and adaptive belt force limiters at all outboard seating positions. In the event of a collision exceeding a preset threshold, the ETDs use a pyrotechnic charge to instantly remove slack from the seat belts. Adaptive belt force limiters allow a slight amount of give in the seat belts. This helps to more evenly distribute the forces between the seat belts and air bag (for front-seat occupants) and reduce the peak seat-belt forces on the occupant. - ROLLOVER SENSOR
If sensors identify that the vehicle may begin to lift/tip, in certain evasive maneuvers, or if it senses a potential loss of control, the vehicle will automatically deploy the seat-belt Emergency Tensioning Devices to help reduce occupant movment and, if deemed necessary, inflate the window curtain air bags. - LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING SYSTEM
The Low Tire Pressure Warning System can automatically detect a substantial loss of tire pressure in any wheel and alert the driver via an illuminated icon on the multifunction display. The system does not display which wheel is affected.
For additional information, please visit DaimlerChrysler or Mercedes-Benz U.S.A.