DaimlerChrysler's biggest off-roader, the Mercedes G-Class, will get a replacement next year. Like the new Mercedes ML-Class and R-Class, the next Mercedes G-Class will be produced in the United States in the DaimlerChrysler plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and not - like the current G-Class - by Magna-Steyr in Graz, Austria. The carmaker has increased the Tuscaloosa plant's capacity and is now able to produce 160,000 units per year with the help of 4000 employees.

In order not to disappoint fans of the sturdy 4x4, DaimlerChrysler has developed a special top-of-the-line 4x4 package for the new G-Class. Power will come from a range of diesel and V-8 engines. The V-8s include a 326-hp, 4.6-liter unit and a 5.5-liter, 408-hp version. An AMG version may top 460 hp.

The new-generation G-Class will not, critics say, be a true Gelandewagen ("G-Wagen") like its Austrian-built military-issue predecessor.
This one's going to be built alongside the comfortable, luxury-limo R-Class crossover and family-moving M-Class in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, as it will share the same basic underpinnings. That means a car-like unibody structure, rather than separate body-on-frame construction, and an emphasis more on on-road refinement. It'll be the largest M-B 4x4, however, with seven seats and a cavernous interior. Engine options are said to include three new V8 petrols - a 325bhp 4.6, a 410bhp 5.5 and a 465bhp AMG-developed 6.3 - and two diesels, a 230bhp V6 and 300bhp V8. It will be launched at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2006, will production beginning soon after.

MUNICH, Germany -- Mercedes-Benz is putting its premium sport wagon platform to work as a base for three vehicles designed for different lifestyles.

The GL-Class, which will make its debut at the Detroit auto show in January, will be the third vehicle Mercedes has derived from the premium platform. The others include the M-Class, aimed at SUVs such as the BMW X5, Lexus RX and Volkswagen Touareg; and the R-Class, a crossover that blends minivan space with the comfort of a premium sedan.

The GL will be larger than the M-Class and aimed at full-sized U.S.-built SUVs.

"We are targeting customers who would also be looking at a Lincoln Navigator or Cadillac Escalade," said Uwe Ernstberger, director of development for M-, R- and G-Class models. The R-Class sport wagon goes on sale in the United States on Oct. 3.

Catherine Madden, production analyst for Global Insight in Lexington, Mass., said about 60 percent of G-Class production at Mercedes' factory in Vance, Ala., will stay in the United States.

Audi, BMW target niche

Mercedes isn't the only premium automaker diversifying its portfolio of large all-wheel-drive vehicles with flexible space in order to cater to everyone from off-road driving enthusiasts to families.

BMW will use its next-generation X5 platform to build a sport wagon. The vehicle will have a coupe-like appearance.

BMW also is planning its "space-functional concept," which is built on a different architecture, sharing parts with the 7 Series.

The current X5 is a stand-alone product for BMW, but the Land Rover Range Rover borrows heavily from its architecture. BMW formerly owned Land Rover.

The platform of the Volkswagen Touareg and the Porsche Cayenne was the basis for Audi's Q7 premium SUV, even though few parts were carried over.

Unibody design helps

Modern SUV architectures, which use a unibody structure, have a couple of key advantages over traditional body-on-frame designs, from which SUVs historically were derived. Unibody designs can be re-engineered easily into different models, and they offer carlike handling and comfort.

Traditional SUVs such as the Toyota Land Cruiser and the current Mercedes G-Class feature a body-on-frame architecture and also can be redesigned to fit different uses. But their trucklike driving characteristics render them unsuitable for the on-road comfort that today's car buyers want.

Manufacturers who are able to use their platforms to make several model derivatives can better use plant capacity and thus stand a better chance of making a profit, Global Insight's Madden said.

"The premium segment will grow in areas beyond traditional styling," she said. "We'll continue to see offerings that are a morphing between a multiactivity vehicle and sport-style wagons."

Not dead yet

The old G-Class, in production since 1979, may not be dead yet.

A Mercedes source hinted that the company may continue to build limited numbers of the old-generation G-Class, previously known as the Gelaendewagen.

Privately, some Mercedes sources question whether the new GL class will be able to woo customers of the current G-Class. The boxy, rugged-looking G-Class was developed for military use and has the same kind of cult-like following as the Land Rover Defender.

The old G-Class is made at the Magna Steyr plant in Graz, Austria. Magna Steyr could continue production or the vehicle could be built elsewhere - possibly in Russia, where it has an enthusiastic following.

Ernstberger acknowledged that the GL-Class is a vehicle much different from the Gelandewagen.

"I believe we are speaking of a different clientele," he said, adding: "But we will reach much higher production volumes."

Bradford Wernle contributed to this report

First Class On and Off the Road
Mercedes-Benz is to unveil a new highlight in the luxury Sport Utility Vehicle market segment: the GL-Class. The seven-seater premium off-roader offers excellent handling both on and off-road and pampers occupants with its extremely spacious accommodation and the comfort of a luxury saloon. The GL-Class sets another milestone with PRE-SAFE®, the comprehensive safety concept, a first in this market segment.

With its poised, assured presence, the GL-Class leaves you in no doubt about its aspirations to conquer this competitive market segment. The distinctive design idiom exudes power and exclusivity. Calm body surfaces, powerful, wedge-shaped features and striking details give the impression the luxury off-roader is surging forward even when stationary. The spacious body (length 5088 mm, width 1920 mm, height 1840 mm) is beautifully proportioned.

Superlative comfort whatever the conditions

The welcoming interior with its top-quality materials provides passengers with that feel-good atmosphere as only Mercedes knows how, with more than ample space for up to seven passengers. The GL-Class offers superb comfort on board - whether you’re just popping into town, cruising hundreds of kilometres or negotiating rough terrain. Occupants still enjoy good freedom of movement even on the two full-sized individual seats in the third row of seats. The distance to the middle row of seats is 815 mm, with 979 mm headroom for passengers. If you need fewer seats, the rear individual seats can be stowed electrically at the push of a button, either individually or in tandem to provide a completely flat load surface. In the five-seater version, luggage compartment capacity is 1240 litres – an impressive benchmark value in the class. The GL-Class can provide up to 2300 litres of load capacity, with the load compartment measuring 2128 mm in length. In line with the wide range of applications handled by the versatile all-rounder, the THERMATIC automatic climate control system fitted as standard in the GL 320 CDI provides consistent temperature for all seven seats both in the depths of winter and on those sweltering summer days. The versions with V8 engines such as the GL 420 CDI, GL 450 and GL 500 come with the standard-fit multi-zone THERMOTRONIC system, which offers even more climatic comfort. Other standard-fit convenience and comfort appointments include ARTICO man-made leather upholstery combinations, electrically adjustable front seats and a fixed rear glass roof above the third row of seats.

Intelligent solutions promote excellent safety

The GL-Class makes full use of the advantages of its unitised body, combining optimum strength with intelligent lightweight steel design. The result is excellent passive safety that is far superior to comparable models with a ladder-type frame. Combined with the front and rear deformation zones, the high-strength occupant cell forms an efficient base for the occupant protection systems that include:

Adaptive, two-stage airbags for the driver and front passenger

Sidebags in the front, and in the middle row of seats as an option

Windowbags across all three rows of seats from the A to the D-pillar

NECK-PRO crash-responsive head restraints for the driver and front passenger as an option

3-point seat belts on all seven seats

Seat-belt tensioners and adaptive belt-force limiters for the driver and front passenger, seat-belt tensioners and single-stage belt-force limiters on the outer seats in the middle row

With the optionally available PRE-SAFE® preventive occupant protection system, a world first in this market segment, Mercedes-Benz has raised safety to an even higher level. The system's most striking feature: passive and active safety systems are networked with each other. PRE-SAFE® utilises the sensors in the dynamic handling control systems such as ABS, BAS (Brake Assist) and ESP® and optimises the protective function of the passive safety components in potential accident situations. The GL-Class also takes the often neglected issue of pedestrian protection to a new level. The front section includes precisely defined ample crumple space between the body and the major assemblies underneath. In conjunction with impact zones that are designed to yield, this design provides a high degree of protection both for pedestrians and cyclists.


The GL-Class meets all the requirements of a state-of-the-art, luxury SUV, or even redefines them on a higher level. Yet the hallmark Mercedes off-roader genes such as superlative robustness, ruggedness and long-term durability have not been compromised. It is not for nothing that the model designation echoes the legendary precursor of all Mercedes-Benz off-road vehicles – the G-Class. The evergreen off-roader is now entering its 26th year of production and will continue to be marketed alongside the new GL-Class.

Outstanding handling on and off-road

4MATIC – the permanent four-wheel drive from Mercedes-Benz – provides the GL-Class with superior handling whatever the conditions. Together with the standard-fit AIRMATIC air suspension, the precise speed-sensitive power steering and the ADS Adaptive Damper System also fitted as standard, the imposing GL-Class (wheelbase 3075 mm) handles impressively. Handling when pulling a trailer is no less impressive thanks to the ESP® component TSA (Trailer Stability Assist). TSA defuses critical driving situations involving a trailer before they become dangerous by precisely applying the brakes, while AIRMATIC provides fully automatic level adjustment.

Special off-road features such as Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR), hill-start assist and off-road ABS assist the GL-Class driver off road. The Off-Road Pro engineering package, standard on all ECE models, means the GL-Class can also handle the most extreme off-road terrain. This includes a two-speed transfer case with a low range ratio and 100 percent differential locks for the transfer case and the rear axle. The modified AIRMATIC air suspension, designed specifically for the more demanding conditions, increases the ground clearance to a maximum of 307 millimetres where required, and raises the fording depth to 600 millimetres.

Majestic drive systems: new V6 and V8 engines

The ultra-modern engine line-up in all GL-Class models provides superlative drive comfort and compelling performance coupled with superior fuel consumption figures compared with other vehicles in the class. Alongside the 165-kW/224-hp V6 engine in the GL 320 CDI, the range of diesel models includes the new-generation high-performance V8 diesel in the GL 420 CDI, which now has an output of 225 kW/ 306 hp and maximum torque of 700 Nm. Both diesel-powered versions undercut the EU 4 limits and feature a maintenance-free diesel particulate filter. In addition to the newly developed 5.5-litre, 285-kW/388-hp engine in the GL 500, launched earlier in the new S-Class, the second unit in this ultra-modern V8 family of engines is celebrating its world premiere in the GL-Class. In the GL 450 the 4.6-litre engine develops 250 kW/340 hp. Both engines also fulfil the stringent EU 4 limits (USA: LEV II standard).

All GL-Class engine variants come with the standard-fit 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission with DIRECT SELECT. Excellent performance and low fuel consumption result not just from the perfect combination of ultra-modern engines with 7G-TRONIC and the friction-optimised powertrain. Another important factor is the comparatively low gross vehicle weight thanks to the unitised body and the excellent aerodynamics (Cd 0.37) for such a large vehicle.

Success story from state-of-the-art production facilities

“Mercedes Quality – Made in America” has established itself as the company’s new trademark on the other side of the Atlantic and illustrates the success story of the DaimlerChrysler plant in Tuscaloosa/Alabama. The birthplace of the GL-Class started production in 1997 as the first Mercedes-Benz plant outside Europe. Around 600 million US dollars have been invested since 2001 in expanding and constantly modernising the plant; overall the company has invested around 1 billion US dollars. Following the extension of the Tuscaloosa plant in May 2005, its theoretical annual production capacity for all model series stands at 160,000 units. The new GL-Class is now the third model series to be built here, alongside the M-Class and the R-Class.

The world premiere of the new Mercedes-Benz GL-Class will take place at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit in January 2006. U.S. customers will be the first to savour the delights of the new trendsetter in the spring; European customers will have to wait until September 2006 for a taste of the versatile off-roader.

The GL-Class will arrive in Australia in the fourth quarter of 2006. Engine line-up, standard specifications and pricing for Australia will be announced closer to the vehicle’s arrival in Australia.