Mercedes is giving its biggest SUV a tweak this year with new technology and a refreshed design
Mercedes has given us our first official teaser of the facelifted GLS SUV. In a post on social media, the brand confirmed a 4 April arrival for its refreshed BMW X7 rival, strongly suggesting it’s a car due to be revealed at this week’s New York Motor Show.
The current Mercedes GLS was revealed back in 2019, when it replaced the GL-Class at the top of the firm’s SUV line-up. We’ve caught various iterations of the facelifted GLS testing, including a hot AMG 63 version and even a luxury-focused Maybach model.
The shadowy teaser image on Mercedes’ Twitter account doesn’t give too much away. Previous spy shots of the sporty AMG 63 have suggested the front bumper will be bespoke to the AMG 63 with different air intakes below the headlights and a new AMG grille. The headlights themselves may even adopt a darker tint.
Side steps have been spotted on test cars too, we’ve also spotted a new set of alloy wheels, black wing mirrors and more black detailing where the Maybach model would have chrome. To the rear we can expect AMG’s signature quad-tip exhaust layout with a diffuser. The rear reflectors are incorporated into the bumper, unlike the separate units on the Maybach GLS.
The mid-life update for the GLS comes at a crucial time for Mercedes in the luxury SUV sector. Since the GLS launched, there BMW X7, Audi Q7, Range Rover and the Porsche Cayenne have all been revitalised and there’s now competition from pure-electric alternatives such as the BMW iX, Tesla Model X and Mercedes’ own EQS SUV.
Get ready for the new #GLS models! Catch a first glimpse now and look forward to the entire GLS family with a fresh look, new software and equipment changes! Check out the latest news on April 4. #MercedesBenz pic.twitter.com/AIK1P7P0Oi
— Mercedes-Benz Press (@MB_Press) March 31, 2023
To combat this, Mercedes will give the cabin a tweak. The GLS line-up will be brought into line with Mercedes’ latest models, featuring a new steering wheel with a double spoke design similar to that used in the S-Class luxury saloon.
The infotainment system will also be upgraded to Mercedes' latest MBUX set-up. We could even see the same portrait-orientated touchscreen that debuted on the S-Class making its way to the SUV. The GLS should receive the latest 'Hey Mercedes' voice assistant tech and upgraded computing hardware. There should also be external cameras to deliver a “see-through bonnet” (similar to the Land Rover Defender’s) to make off-roading and parking easier.
As for the Maybach model it’ll rival the upper echelons of the luxury SUV genre, against the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls Royce Cullinan. Previous teasers have highlighted a larger grille and potentially new air intakes below.
A pre-production example has been spotted with 22-inch alloy wheels sitting over some unsurprisingly huge brake calipers. There’s also chrome trim on the sills, side windows and door handles. The Maybach D-pillar badge was missing from the test model, but will probably be applied to finished production cars.
Rather than use the same MRAII platform as the current S-Class, the GLS sits on Mercedes’s first generation MRA platform, essentially a stretched variant of the previous GLE model. This means a plug-in hybrid model is unlikely to be introduced with the facelift. Instead of taking on Mercedes’ new AMG E-performance engines, we expect the GLS AMG 63 to adopt a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 which could be tuned to improve on the outgoing car’s 603bhp and 850Nm of torque.
Keyword: New 2023 Mercedes GLS facelift teased ahead of New York reveal