The full-size Mercedes-Benz GL-Class has received a minor facelift for the 2010 model year, along with minor upgrades to the interior as well as a new diesel engine option.

The exterior changes include a redesigned chrome underbody plates up front and at the back, a new front grille with LED daytime running lights, new bumpers, reworked chrome tailpipes and two new metallic exterior paint choices. Light alloy wheels with sizes ranging from 18-inch to 21-inch form part of the available wheel choices.

The seven-seater GL-Class has a spacious interior that provides passengers with the pleasant ambience that is typical of Mercedes-Benz and comparable to that of the S-Class. The redesigned leather/ARTICO seats with contrasting trimming will be a real eye-catcher in the new model year, while the top-of-the-line GL 500 model will be available with exclusive nappa leather appointments. All vehicles will have a new range of instruments, a multifunction nappa leather steering wheel and crash-responsive NECK PRO comfort headrests for the driver and the front-seat passenger. The interior’s attractiveness is further enhanced by optional equipment such as two-tone leather appointments in black/cashmere beige or black/alpaca gray and the indirect ambient lighting employed in the S-Class.

In addition to the GL 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC featuring SCR technology, the GL-Class is now available with BlueEFFICIENCY technology in the GL 350 CDI 4MATIC. This model, with a 224 hp V6, consumes around 5 per cent less fuel than its predecessor without any change in performance.

Like all other BlueEFFICIENCY models from Mercedes-Benz, the GL also features an extensive package of measures that help reduce fuel consumption. Besides the direct-injection diesel engine, these include the efficient 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission that switches to neutral when the vehicle is waiting at a traffic light or in a traffic jam in order to reduce engine load and fuel consumption. Fuel consumption is further reduced through the use of lower rolling resistance tires. Aerodynamics have been improved by redesigning the radiator grille and adding more spoilers to the areas surrounding the front wheels. The GL’s fuel consumption is further reduced by the energy-saving electro-hydraulic power steering system. And thanks to a fuel consumption computer and a display showing current fuel consumption, GL drivers can always regulate their fuel consumption and, if necessary, adjust their driving behavior.

Other models include the GL 550’s with a 388 hp 5.5L V8 engine. Within 6.3 seconds the vehicle can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph, and the top speed of 150 mph. In the GL 450, there is the 340 hp 4.6L V8 petrol engine. The vehicle accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 7.0 seconds and has a top speed of 247 mph. The 306 hp V8 diesel engine in the GL 450 CDI 4MATIC delivers enough torque to create ideal conditions for offroading.

The history of BlueTEC in Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicle models began in the USA in October 2006, when Mercedes-Benz launched a BlueTEC version of the E-Class saloon on the market to coincide with the introduction of low-sulfur diesel fuel. The vehicle immediately received great praise from customers and trade journalists alike and was voted the 2007 World Green Car. In the autumn of 2008, Mercedes-Benz added three new models to its range of BlueTEC vehicles: the R, ML and GL BlueTEC 4MATIC. These were the first diesel SUVs to meet the stringent emissions standards of all 50 US states. Besides the low emissions of the BlueTEC technology, US customers were impressed by the vehicles’ high fuel efficiency. The GL 320 BlueTEC 4MATIC, for example, consumes about 20 to 40 per cent less fuel than comparable petrol models, making it by far the most economical full-size luxury SUV in the USA.

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