Mercedes-Benz officially unveiled the new GL-Class, which has been renamed as GLS, in line with the brand's new nomenclature.
The face-lifted version gets a redesigned front-end which is in line with the new brand design language as seen in S-Class. The new twin slat grille sports more imposing three-point star logo. The redesigned headlamps incorporate the LED daytime running lights. The front and rear bumper have also been tweaked to house the cosmetic changes. Mercedes has added new body colours and alloy wheel designs. The basic silhouette of the full size SUV remains unchanged; only subtle changes on the exterior can be found.
The GLS gets the recently launched GLE SUV kind of interior. The centre console now boasts of standalone tablet-sized 8-inch screen with touch-pad control in place of the integrated display in the outgoing model. A new 3-spoke multifunction steering wheel covered in Nappa leather also comes in the GLS.
The Mercedes-Benz GLS is available in petrol and diesel engines. The range topping GLS 500 4MATIC is powered by 4.7-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol engine that develops 449bhp while the 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol engine develops 328bhp. The AMG version of the GLS is powered by the 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol that develops whopping 557bhp which is more than 27bhp over the current model.
The diesel powered GLS350d 4MATIC features 3.0-litre V6 turbo engine that develops 255bhp and 616Nm of torque. All versions feature nine speed automatic transmission as standard barring the Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 which uses seven-speed G-tronic transmission. The nine speed transmission is available with low-range gearbox and centre differential lock optionally.
Another notable addition to the GLS is the Dynamic Select that provides five modes that can be selected according to the terrain. In addition to the currently available comfort, slippery and sport modes, the GLS will feature individual and off-road mode.