Stuttgart has rolled out no less than three pre-production cars onto the wintery German roads for cold-weather testing before their imminent introduction at a motor show this year.
The C-Class may have had a substantial update last year, but the mid-size premium saloon is slated for a production replacement in around 2014, so look out for a concept car to woo you any time soon.
Meanwhile the behemoth that is the GL-Class seven-seater SUV has been trundling along since 2006, meaning it’s due time that we see the second generation model appear in the metal later this year.
Judging by the excellent new ML, which we already drove in the States, we expect nothing short of the same dose of awesome in the upcoming GL. These revealing shots of the next GL captured in Sweden clearly show us the proportions of the car, if not the details. But it’s wearing the least amount of camouflage so far, and we can clearly make out more angular headlights, a meaner grille, and hidden exhaust tips.
Mechanically, we can safely expect Mercedes-Benz’s fabulous new 3.5-litre V6 to make up most of the sales numbers, while the GCC market should favour AMG’s new twin-turbocharged 5.5-litre V8, rated at 518bhp and mated to the usual seven-speed automatic transmission.
As for the SL grand tourer, Mercedes seems to be testing the 2013 SL63 AMG with larger air intakes, visibly bigger brakes with upgraded callipers, new front and rear spoiler designs as well as a new diffuser at the back. While not an entirely new car, the 2013 model will likely still surface at the Geneva motor show next month.
