The new mercedes gl500 stands for power and exclusivity. It's capacious, stylish and efficient, says Paolo Rossetti
Is the new Mercedes full-size SUV a real off-roader? Does it sacrifice the legendary Mercedes smoothness on-road?
Let's start by looking at how a vehicle cannot possibly do both. Sure, a powerful engine, all-wheel-drive system and a half-bred road cruiser / tough off-roader look are possible and have been endlessly produced by all manufacturers, but the fundamental difference between a truly capable all-terrain machine and a tarmac hugger is not as easily compromised.
The very basic of an off-road vehicle is in the ground clearance. That is the single most important difference; in fact, it is the defining foundation.
You simply cannot have a low-slung vehicle perform well over rocks, mud and sand dunes -the bottom just drags along, causing drag that even the most powerful engine or most-effective 4x4 drive can overcome. It's like dragging a sack of potatoes instead of carrying a backpack.
Besides clearing obstacles, a higher ground clearance brings about a better approach angle (so your front plastic bumper doesn't catch on every little hill) and a better departure angle (so that your rear doesn't scrape over every rock) -and as you have already guessed, most modern SUVs fail miserably at getting enough height under them.
The reason for this is that the long suspension so important off-road does not produce a smooth ride on-road.
So it's a compromise that the majority of car manufacturers do not address in their fancy shmanzy ads of rugged-looking outdoorsmen parking their SUVs on rocky outcrops.
Mercedes is not prone to misrepresenting their products -not in the least -so when they gave me the keys to their top-of-the-line GL 500 and said "see if it works off-road" with a little twinkle in the GM's eye, I knew something was afoot.
Having completed a rigorous test-drive in UAE conditions, I hereby declare the GL500 is the new King of the Desert (and Highways)!
Based on the successful ML platform, and carrying the proud engine of the powerful S-series, the GL500 ravages the competition to an extent that it deserves a new automotive category all for itself.
With this car you can conquer the most challenging obstacles -and I'm talking monster dunes, not sand tracks! -yet at the same time cruise home on the highway in the most luxurious of sedans.
At the heart of this incredible feat on behalf of Mercedes engineers, is the suspension system. Rotating a simple knob allows an unprecedented selection of height, from a sports setting, to kangaroo legs.
Other vehicles have been fitted with adjustable shocks, nothing new really, but none to the extent of the GL -it goes from low and sleek cruiser to a long-legged acrobat in seconds! And I mean you can see that baby grow under your very eyes, like a good loaf of bread rising.
So ground clearance no longer an issue, your worry of catching the chassis on the ground disappears, and you can start to enjoy the 5.5-litre V8 engine producing a full 383 hp and 285 kW of torque -it blasts you forward like a young buck prancing up Rocky Mountain boulders.
At the same time, you are secured in a refined driving environment, and comfortable to boot, while the rough terrain flies past -truly remarkable!
The technology applied to the GL500 is as spectacular as it is efficient.
The PRE-SAFE(r) safety system, a first in this market segment is pure genius -it networks passive and active safety systems seamlessly utilising the sensors in the dynamic handling control systems such as ABS, BAS (Brake Assist) and ESP(r) to optimise the protective function of the passive safety components in potential accident situations.
And it won't let you turn turtle easily either, at the end of my test-drive, as I became more interested in exploring the limits -Dang! Were there any limits??? -I tried all sorts of driving no-nos, like swerving uphill against gravity, but I was in the protective embrace of the GL500 mother-instinct, and she wouldn't let me hurt myself.
The distinctive design of the GL-Class portrays power and exclusivity. Calm body surfaces, powerful, wedge-shaped features and striking details give the impression the luxury off-roader is powering forward even when stationary.
The spacious body (length 5,088 mm, width 1,920 mm, height 1,840 mm) is beautifully proportioned and the interior is perfectly balanced and finished in style -comfort is extreme for all passengers.
The handling dynamics are formidable both off- and on-road, and absolutely fitting of the new Mercedes SUV flagship.
Another among the many superlative features, the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission with DIRECT SELECT offers excellent performance and low fuel consumption resulting from the combination of ultra-modern engine design and the friction-optimised powertrain.
Also an important factor for such a large vehicle is the comparatively low gross vehicle weight, thanks to the high-tech body frame and excellent aerodynamics with drag coefficient of 0.37.
All in all, Mercedes has stunned the luxury SUV segment by releasing a vehicle that excels both on and off-road -it is an offspring fathered by the enviable history of the G-Class 4x4 machines, which continue to be produced, and the second-to-none Mercedes luxury S-Class sedans -a blend of two world-best machines that has taken the right genes and resulted in an unprecedented level of performance, safety and convenience -well done, Mercedes! You lead the way once again.
