Mercedes-Benz GLS – The R2-million luxury SUV

The Mercedes-Benz GLS – the largest and most luxurious SUV from the manufacturer – has arrived in South Africa.

“South African customers will be able to choose from the new Mercedes-Benz GLS 400d 4M and Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 4M, which marks the world premiere of a new electrified V8 petrol engine with 48-volt on-board electrical system and integrated starter-generator,” said Mercedes-Benz.

The company said the GLS is the “S-Class of premium SUVs” and will be the market leader in South Africa, as it combines modern luxury with the character of an off-roader.

The SUV will be available in two models to local customers: one with a petrol engine – the GLS 580 4M – and the other with a diesel power unit – the GLS 400d 4M.

“The GLS 580 4MATIC’s new electrified V8 petrol engine has a displacement of four litres and produces an output of 360kW and 700Nm of torque, with another 250Nm of torque and 16kW of additional output temporarily on tap via EQ Boost,” said Mercedes-Benz.

The GLS 400d 4MATIC produces 243kW and 700Nm of torque, with a combined fuel consumption of 7.9-7.6 l/100 km.

Both models are then paired with a 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission.

Luxury and comfort

The GLS comes with an array of comfort features for the driver and passengers, including three fully-electrically-adjustable seat rows which offer occupants “a generous amount of space and seating comfort”.

The seats in the third row can also be lowered into the floor to increase the boot space – up to 2,400 litres – while the seats in the second row can fold flat.

“The seats in the third row are fully fledged seats that are suitable for people up to 1.94m tall,” added Mercedes-Benz.

A Rear Comfort package includes a removable 7-inch Android tablet in its own docking station in the second row of seats’ centre armrest, coupled with wireless charging.

“The tablet allows touch control of all the Mercedes-Benz User Experience comfort and entertainment functions from the rear seat rows, such as access to radio, media, phone, and web browser.”

“It can also be used to control the Rear Seat Comfort package and the five-zone automatic climate control for the rear seats. The driver can assume control of all options and features from his or her seat at any time.”

Ride comfort is another area Mercedes-Benz has focussed on in the GLS, and the SUV comes with an enhanced AIRMATIC air suspension system with Adaptive Damping System Plus as standard.

“This setup adapts the damping characteristics to the road condition and driving situation in real time. In addition to this, the air suspension keeps the car at the same level, regardless of the load on board.”

Performance statistics

The performance statistics of the new GLS are detailed in the table below.