Mercedes GLK: the lowdown
Manufacturers just can’t get enough 4x4s – despite the rising importance of green issues sweeping industry thinking. Now Mercedes is muscling in on the compact SUV market with this top-secret GLK, a mini 4×4 to slot beneath the M- and GL-class in Merc’s burgeoning range. We’ve snapped these revealing photos of prototypes testing in Scandinavia and Germany, and they spill the beans on next year’s hottest 4×4. Click ‘Next’ to see the GLK from every angle – and what it looks like under that disguise
Which end of the market is the GLK aimed at?
Mercedes is aiming the GLK squarely at the growing junior executive SUV sector – a market which is hogged by the BMW X3 today. At a starting price of around £28,500, it’ll challenge a growing spread of rivals, like the forthcoming Audi Q5, Volvo XC60 and VW Tiguan. The GLK is supposed to be a comfortable, smooth-handling car on the road, with differing levels of off-road ability depending on which model you opt for.
So will the GLK go off road at all?
Cheaper GLKs will have 4wd only as an option. This junior mud-plugger is based on the C-class estate platform, so entry models will remain 2wd for better fuel consumption and cheaper prices; needless to say, these will struggle to go far off road. Cars with 4wd will have better traction for maintaining progress in slippery conditions. We’re driving the new C-class later this month, so we should know for sure just how good the donor chassis is. We expect its independent suspension to work well on the taller GLK SUV, and a self-levelling rear suspension will be available. Don’t go expecting Airmatic air suspension, though.
What’s in the engine room?
The entry-level option is a 2.1-litre diesel with 2wd and 205bhp, and there are a further three petrol engines and a V6 diesel on the spec list. Among these is a hefty 400bhp-plus V8, which should make for some interesting trips to the school gates and petrol station, if nothing else. The full range is: • GLK 280 • GLK 350 • GLK 63 AMG • GLK 220 CDI • GLK 320 CDI
A new Mercedes must bring loads of gadgets?
It certainly does. We hear there will be a full alphabet’s worth of safety gizmos, including Brake Assist-plus, which can help your chances of slithering to a stop in an emergency, plus Presafe-plus to prepare the car for an accident and radar-activated automatic cruise control. In fact, all those gadgets that so impressed on the S-class two years ago are now trickling down to the rest of the range.
What will the GLK look like under all that disguise?
Well, we reckon our new spy photos tally pretty well with the artist’s impression we published last year. Expect to the GLK to be every inch the shrunken GL its name suggests. Click here to read our original scoop story.