The Mercedes-Benz GLE, formerly Mercedes-Benz M-Class (designated with the "ML" nomenclature), is a mid-size luxury

SUV A sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a car classification that combines elements of road-going passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive. There is no commonly agreed-upon definiti ...

produced by the German manufacturer

Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...

since 1997. In terms of size, it is slotted in between the smaller GLC and the larger GLS, the latter with which it shares platforms. The first-generation M-Class, designated under the model code W163 is a

body-on-frame Body-on-frame, also known as ladder frame construction, is a common motor vehicle construction method, whereby a separate body or coach is mounted on a strong and relatively rigid vehicle frame or chassis that carries the powertrain (the engin ...

SUV and was produced until 2004. For a short time, between 1999 and 2002, the W163 M-Class was also built by

Magna Steyr Magna Steyr AG & Co KG is an automobile manufacturer based in Graz, Austria, where its primary manufacturing plant is also located. It is a subsidiary of Canadian-based Magna International and was previously part of the Steyr-Daimler-Puch congl ...

Graz Graz (; sl, Gradec) is the capital city of the Austrian state of Styria and second-largest city in Austria after Vienna. As of 1 January 2021, it had a population of 331,562 (294,236 of whom had principal-residence status). In 2018, the popul ...

, Austria, for the European market, before all production moved to the U.S. plant near

Vance, Alabama Vance is a town in Tuscaloosa and Bibb counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,529. It is most famous for the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International plant, currently the only one in North America. The curr ...

. The second-generation M-Class (W164) moved to a

unibody A vehicle frame, also historically known as its '' chassis'', is the main supporting structure of a motor vehicle to which all other components are attached, comparable to the skeleton of an organism. Until the 1930s, virtually every car ha ...

platform while sharing most components with the

GL-Class The Mercedes-Benz GLS, formerly Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, is a full-size luxury SUV produced by Mercedes-Benz since 2006. In each of its generations it is a three-row, seven-passenger vehicle positioned above the GLE (formerly Mercedes-Benz M-Class ...

, which sports a longer body to accommodate third-row seating. Since April 2015, the M-Class has been renamed to the GLE with the release of the facelifted W166 model, in an effort to harmonize Mercedes-Benz SUV nameplates by aligning it with the E-Class.

Nomenclature update from M to GLE

Although grouped under the "M-Class" naming banner since the first launch, BMW, who sells M models such as the M3, objected to the car being badged "M" with the three-digit engine level afterwards (e.g. M 320). This forced Mercedes-Benz to defer to a double-tiered marketing strategy of "ML" badging (e.g. ML 320) under an M-Class umbrella. There has been some confusion surrounding this nomenclature, with many sources erroneously referring to the series as the "ML-Class", including Mercedes-Benz itself. From 2015, with the release of the facelifted W166 third-generation model at the New York Auto Show in April, the M-Class was renamed to GLE as per the revised nomenclature adopted by the brand. Under this scheme, SUVs use the base name "GL", followed by the model's placement in Mercedes-Benz hierarchy. The "G" is for Geländewagen (German for off land wagon or

off-road vehicle An off-road vehicle, sometimes referred to as an overland or adventure vehicle, is considered to be any type of vehicle which is capable of driving on and off paved or gravel surface. It is generally characterized by having large tires with dee ...

) and alludes the long-running

G-Wagen The Mercedes-Benz G-Class, sometimes colloquially called the G-Wagen (as an abbreviation of Geländewagen) is a four-wheel drive automobile manufactured by Magna Steyr (formerly Steyr-Daimler-Puch) in Austria and sold by Mercedes-Benz. Originall ...

. This is followed by the letter "L" that acts as a linkage with the letter "E"—the GLE being the SUV equivalent to the E-Class.

First generation (W163; 1997)

Development

Mercedes-Benz proposed a plan to replace the G-Class, which at the time had been in production for 11 years. A joint agreement with

Mitsubishi Motors is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.Montero/Pajero platform, with one of them being badged as a Mercedes-Benz and the other a Mitsubishi. In May 1992, these plans were abandoned citing "technical problems" and Mercedes-Benz continued on with in-house development from January 1993. In March 1993, a search for a location to build a U.S. manufacturing plant began. By September 1993, a location in the state of Alabama was chosen and construction started in 1994. While plans were being made overseas, in Germany development continued. Design work took place from late 1992 to 1994. A design from Mercedes' Sindelfingen studio was chosen in 1993 and approved by the executive board in February 1994. The design patents were filed in Germany on 13 July 1994, and in the U.S. on 13 January 1995. Prototype testing started with test mules and crash tests using mock-ups in May 1994. First functional prototype's crash test took place in February 1995, with full testing run from March 1995 to December 1996 in various climates and regions of the world. Pilot production began in May 1996. In July 1996, construction on the

Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Mercedes-Benz U.S. International (MBUSI) is a Mercedes-Benz automobile manufacturing plant near Vance, Alabama. It is located about west of Birmingham and about east of downtown Tuscaloosa. The factory was announced in 1993 and produced its ...

plant in Vance, Alabama concluded, with the very first production M-Class rolling off the assembly line the week of 9 February 1997.

Initial release

Mercedes-Benz launched the first generation W163 series M-Class on 19 February 1997, in the United States for the 1998 model year, with sales beginning that September. It is a mid-sized

SUV with seating for five, or seven with an optional third-row, seven-seat version. Access to the third-row was deemed problematic and the seats were not suitable for large adults. As the result, the seven seater ML-Class was discontinued after the 2005 model year and replaced by the larger GL-Class. The Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W163) was available with permanent 4Matic four-wheel drive, which routed

torque In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). It represents the capability of a force to produce change in the rotational motion of th ...

to all four wheels through all open front, center, and rear differentials. The system used a two-speed dual range

BorgWarner BorgWarner Inc. is an American automotive supplier headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The company maintains production facilities and technical systems at 93 sites (as of June 6, 2022) in 22 countries worldwide and has around 49,000 emplo ...

4409 transfer case with reduction gearing, and Mercedes' new '' Four-wheel Electronic Traction System'' (4-ETS). 4-ETS simulated three

differential locks Differential may refer to: Mathematics * Differential (mathematics) comprises multiple related meanings of the word, both in calculus and differential geometry, such as an infinitesimal change in the value of a function * Differential algebra * ...

on all three open differentials, via aggressively braking one or more spinning wheels. The M-Class was the first

luxury Luxury may refer to: * Luxury goods, an economic good or service for which demand increases more than proportionally as income rises *Luxury tax, tax on products not considered essential, such as expensive cars **Luxury tax (sports), surcharge pu ...

SUV to feature

electronic stability control Electronic stability control (ESC), also referred to as electronic stability program (ESP) or dynamic stability control (DSC), is a computerized technology that improves a vehicle's stability by detecting and reducing loss of traction ( skiddi ...

, a system designed to detect loss of control and instantaneously intervene with selective braking to bring the vehicle back on its intended course. Furthermore, the M-Class boasted front- and side-impact airbags with advanced occupant detection for the front passenger seat, which helped earn the W163 the highest marks in insurance industry crash tests. Manufactured in Vance, Alabama, in the United States, the M-Class launched in the North American market first as the ML 320. The ML 320 was sold internationally, with the "320" suffix alluding to the 3.2-litre V6 engine. An entry-level, manual transmission-only ML 230, fitted with a 2.3-litre

inline-four A straight-four engine (also called an inline-four) is a four-cylinder piston engine where cylinders are arranged in a line along a common crankshaft. The vast majority of automotive four-cylinder engines use a straight-four layout (with the e ...

was available in Europe from launch in March 1998 until 2000. From launch in 1998, European markets also received the ML 270 CDI with a 2.7-litre inline-five

turbodiesel The term turbo-diesel, also written as turbodiesel and turbo diesel, refers to any diesel engine equipped with a turbocharger. As with other engine types, turbocharging a diesel engine can significantly increase its efficiency and power output, ...

engine. This unit was made available in Australia in 2000 and continued on in the W163 until being replaced upon the release of the W164 M-Class in 2005. Later, in 1998, the more powerful ML 430 became available with the newly introduced Mercedes-Benz 4.3-litre V8. This was followed by the February 1999 debut of the 2000 ML 55 AMG, featuring a 5.4-litre

V8 engine A V8 engine is an eight-cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. The first V8 engine was produced by the French Antoinette company in 1904, developed and us ...

made by AMG, modified bodywork, and other performance features. Mercedes-Benz ML 320 Jurassic Park IMG 0887

In September 1996, before the vehicle was launched, Mercedes-Benz allowed the producers of the 1997 film '' The Lost World: Jurassic Park'' to make use of modified pre-production M-Class SUVs as a way to advertise the W163 when it was launched in 1997. As a result, a Mercedes-Benz advertisement appears before the film on original VHS copies of the film.

Jeff Goldblum Jeffrey Lynn Goldblum (; born October 22, 1952) is an American actor and musician. He has starred in some of the highest-grossing films of his era, such as ''Jurassic Park'' (1993) and '' Independence Day'' (1996), as well as their sequels. ...

, the star of the film, received a complimentary ML 320 from Mercedes-Benz as a result of the tie-in. Three versions were used in the movie, of which 2 copies of each were built. Two are displayed at the Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, there is one at the

Mercedes-Benz Museum The Mercedes-Benz Museum is an automobile museum in Stuttgart, Germany. It covers the history of the Mercedes-Benz brand and the brands associated with it. Stuttgart is home to the Mercedes-Benz brand and the international headquarters of the Merc ...

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...

, Germany, and one at the Visitor Center at the M-class factory in Alabama.

Awards

The ML 320 was ''

Motor Trend ''MotorTrend'' is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, and designated the first Car of the Year, also in 1949. Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles published ''MotorTrend'' until 19 ...

'' magazine's

Truck of the Year The ''Motor Trend'' Car of the Year (COTY) is an annual ''Car of the Year'' award given by ''Motor Trend'' magazine to recognize the best new or significantly refreshed car in a given model year. Background ''Motor Trend'', which debuted in 1 ...

for 1998 and was voted the 1998 North American Truck of the Year at the

North American International Auto Show The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), also known as the Detroit Auto Show as of 2022 and prior to NAIAS, is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., at Huntington Place. The show was held in January from 1989 to 2019. ...

, Detroit, in January 1998. It also received the World Car Award in March 1999, voted by an international jury of automotive journalists in Geneva. Despite the accolades, Mercedes-Benz received considerable criticism with respect to the substandard quality of the W163, resulting in the car being nicknamed ''Alabama Trashcan''. Quality improved over the years, especially after the facelift in 2001 for the 2002 model year.

DaimlerChrysler The Mercedes-Benz Group AG (previously named Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufacture ...

spent US$600 million on improvements at the Alabama factory before launching the second generation ML in 2005.

Engines (1997–2005)

Facelift

Mercedes-Benz revised and updated the W163 in 2001 for the 2002 model year. Styling updates involved the fitment of new head- and tail-lamp lenses, front and rear bumpers, new alloy wheels on most variants, the relocation of the side turn signals from the fenders to the side-view mirrors, and various interior trim changes. At the same time, the ML 430 was replaced by the 5.0-litre V8-powered ML 500 and a new 4.0-litre V8 turbodiesel ML 400 CDI became available in Europe. The following year, in 2002, Mercedes-Benz launched the ML 350 fitted with a 3.7-litre V6 engine. The ML 350 replaced the ML 320 in some markets, but supplemented it in others. The previous

Popemobile The popemobile is a specially designed motor vehicle used by the pope of the Catholic Church during public appearances. It is usually considered the successor to the antiquated and was designed to allow the pope to be more visible when greeting l ...

was based on a W163 series ML 430 and has been in service since July 2002.

Volkswagen Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German Automotive industry, motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a ...

had offered to build a new vehicle based on the

Touareg The Tuareg people (; also spelled Twareg or Touareg; endonym: ''Imuhaɣ/Imušaɣ/Imašeɣăn/Imajeɣăn'') are a large Berbers, Berber ethnic group that principally inhabit the Sahara in a vast area stretching from far southwestern Libya to sou ...

, but

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...

opted to continue using his predecessor's Mercedes-Benz-manufactured vehicle.

Second generation (W164; 2005)

In 1999, development on a successor to the W163 began under the codename "W164" and spanned a period of 6 years. First design drafts have appeared in 2000 with the first production models in scale 1:4, and in 2001, three full-sized versions were prepared. By late 2001, the production design styled by Steve Mattin under Peter Pfeiffer was chosen and approved by the executive board in 2002. The design patents were filed in Germany on 10 June 2003, and in the U.S. on 25 July. Prototype testing was conducted throughout 2003 and 2004, concluding in early 2005. The redesigned M-class (chassis name ''W164'') was introduced in April 2005 as a 2006 model after a showing at the

in January. It was almost entirely new, with a more sporting, aerodynamic look—the

coefficient of drag In fluid dynamics, the drag coefficient (commonly denoted as: c_\mathrm, c_x or c_) is a dimensionless quantity that is used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object in a fluid environment, such as air or water. It is used in the drag e ...

went down to 0.34 compared with the previous generation. Mercedes-Benz made the new M-Class 71 mm larger, 150 mm longer and 5 mm lower than the first model. The M-Class was named "Best New Sport Utility Vehicle" in the 2006

Canadian Car of the Year Canadian Car of the Year winners, as chosen by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada: Canadian Car of the Year 2014 :Canadian car of the year: Mazda 6 :Canadian Utility vehicle of the year: Jeep Cherokee :Best New Small Car (under $21, ...

awards. Mercedes-Benz extensively publicised the

US$ The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...

600 million spent to update its factory and add manufacturing space for the new R-Class. According to early automotive press reports, the 2006 M-Class vehicles demonstrated vast improvements in quality. The W164

platform Platform may refer to: Technology * Computing platform, a framework on which applications may be run * Platform game, a genre of video games * Car platform, a set of components shared by several vehicle models * Weapons platform, a system or ...

used for the new M-Class is shared with the new

and is a

type rather than the former (W163) body-on-frame used by the M-Class vehicles produced from 1998–2005. The X164 GL-Class, a longer seven-seater version of the W164 platform, is also available. New features in the 2006 M-Class include the 7G-Tronic seven-speed

automatic transmission An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving c ...

, optional Active Curve-Illuminating Bi-Xenon headlights which "steer" in the path of the vehicle, and an adjustable-height air suspension. The

manual transmission A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed motor vehicle transmission (mechanics), transmission ...

has been dropped. Permanent 4Matic four-wheel drive remained, with one-speed transfer case (no low range), center

limited-slip differential A limited-slip differential (LSD) is a type of differential that allows its two output shafts to rotate at different speeds but limits the maximum difference between the two shafts. Limited-slip differentials are often known by the generic tr ...

and four-wheel electronic traction system (4-ETS). In most countries except the U.S., an Off-Road Pro package with center and rear differential locks, 4-ETS, two-speed transfer case with reduction gearing, and adjustable ground clearance was available as an option increasing the original fording depth from 500 mm to 600 mm. The AMG version of the W164, the ML 63 AMG, was introduced at the 2006 North American International Auto Show as a limited edition 2007 model. It features a 6.2 L '' M156''

producing and that is handcrafted in Germany. The engine is added to an AMG Speedshift

7G-Tronic 7G-Tronic is Mercedes-Benz's trademark name for its seven-speed automatic transmission, starting off with the W7A 700 and W7A 400 (Wandler-7-Gang-Automatik bis 700 oder 400 Nm Eingangsdrehmoment; converter-7-gear-automatic with 516 ...

seven-speed

. The 2006 ML 63 AMG can accelerate from in just 4.8 seconds, or from in just 5.0 seconds. These impressive features made the ML 63 AMG the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 SUV in the world.

Facelift

By 2007, design work on updates to the W164 were finalized and patented domestically in Germany on 23 November 2007. The 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class got a minor facelift as it debuted at the 2008 New York International Auto Show in March 2008. This facelift includes new front headlights, redesigned front and rear bumpers, new exterior mirrors, new rim choices, a larger front grille, restyled interior, and a new ML 420 CDI engine choice. The ML 280 CDI became the ML 300 CDI, the 320 CDI became the 350 CDI, and the 420 CDI became the 450 CDI. Models using Bluetec

Diesel engine The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-call ...

with

urea Urea, also known as carbamide, is an organic compound with chemical formula . This amide has two amino groups (–) joined by a carbonyl functional group (–C(=O)–). It is thus the simplest amide of carbamic acid. Urea serves an important r ...

injection were introduced in 2008 for the 2009 model year. At the 2009 New York International Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz showed their ML 450 Hybrid SUV, which was announced on 8 April 2009. The ML 450 Hybrid consumes almost 50% less fuel than the ML 550 does, even though it produces over 90% of the power generated by the V8 model. Total power generated will be and of torque, while getting on the highway and in the city, according to

United States Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...

(EPA) estimates. The engine itself runs on the

Atkinson cycle The Atkinson-cycle engine is a type of internal combustion engine invented by James Atkinson in 1882. The Atkinson cycle is designed to provide efficiency at the expense of power density. A variation of this approach is used in some modern auto ...

and by itself makes 275 hp. The ML 450 was developed under the

Global Hybrid Cooperation Global Hybrid Cooperation, formerly Advanced Hybrid System 2 (AHS2), is a set of hybrid vehicle technologies jointly developed by General Motors, Daimler, and Chrysler LLC, with BMW joining in 2005. It uses 2 or 3 planetary gearsets in an autom ...

, and will only be available in the United States under lease.BMW, Daimler, GM hybrid alliance nears end
, Matthias Krust,

Automotive News ''Automotive News'' is a weekly newspaper written for the automotive industry, predominantly individuals corresponding with automobile manufacturers and automotive suppliers. Based in Detroit and owned by Crain Communications Inc, ''Automotive ...

, 14 July 2009 In 2011, Mercedes-Benz came out with their flagship SUV model, the Mercedes-Benz M BlueTec Grand Edition. The vehicle had cosmetic changes, including specially-manufactured 22-inch 10 spoke wheels, black leather with white stitching, and smokers package with Grand Edition modeling. The exterior consisted of new wheels, tinted headlights and tail lights, xenon-package (LED tail lights and daytime running lights, Xenon headlights), black grille, AMG, and side-view mirrors. The Grand Edition was offered in Midnight Blue, Black, and Ivory White, differentiating the basic model by colour already. The interior had changes, including deletion of the heated steering wheel and the replacement with an AMG steering wheel.

Engines (2005-2011)

Third generation (W166; 2011)

In 2006, development began on the next-generation M-Class and spanned over a period of 5 years, a shorter duration than its predecessor. In 2008, the final design by Emiel Burki was approved and patented domestically on 16 December 2008 (U.S. design patent filed on 15 June 2009). The newly redesigned M-Class (chassis name ''W166'') was introduced in pre-production form 10 June 2011 as a 2012 model. The first customer-designated W166 rolled off the Vance production line on 20 July. It is moderately refined, taking styling cues from the new generation

Mercedes-Benz E-Class The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a range of executive cars manufactured by German automaker Mercedes-Benz in various engine and body configurations. Produced since 1953, the E-Class falls midrange in the Mercedes line-up, and has been marketed worldwi ...

. An increase in rear seat legroom has been implemented, alongside adjustable rear backrests. It was to be launched in September 2011. New features in the 2012 M-Class include an updated 7G-Tronic Plus seven-speed

to provide improved fuel economy, optional

adaptive cruise control Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is an available cruise control Advanced driver-assistance systems, advanced driver-assistance system for road vehicles that automatically adjusts the vehicle speed to maintain a safe distance from vehicles ahead. As ...

(Distronic Plus), active

lane departure warning system In road-transport terminology, a lane departure warning system (LDWS) is a mechanism designed to warn the driver when the vehicle begins to move out of its lane (unless a turn signal is on in that direction) on freeways and arterial roads. These ...

, and an adjustable-height air suspension (AirMatic). An active curve system with

active anti-roll bar An anti-roll bar (roll bar, anti-sway bar, sway bar, stabilizer bar) is a part of many automobile suspensions that helps reduce the body roll of a vehicle during fast cornering or over road irregularities. It connects opposite (left/right) wheel ...

s for body roll compensation was introduced. The W166 was one of the last vestiges of the joint venture between Daimler and Chrysler while they were a consolidated company. DaimlerChrysler developed the core platform and technology, benefitting from Chrysler's strong SUV sales and R&D domestically. The underlying platform work was largely completed in 2006, as the two companies were separated. Chrysler uses the same platform to power the

Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK2) The fourth-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK2) is a Mid-size car, mid-size SUV. It was introduced in 2010 for the 2011 model year by Jeep. The unveiling took place at the New York Auto Show#2009, 2009 New York Auto Show. The new version was ve ...

and

Dodge Durango The Dodge Durango is a mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) produced by Dodge in three generations starting with the 1998 model year. The first two generations were very similar in that both were based on the Dodge Dakota and Ram Pickup, both fe ...

. Because of the separation however, the cars are extremely different in terms of interior and body design as well as engine choices. Aside from engines, the three SUVs share many powertrain components, including some transmissions. An ''On&Off Road Package'' is available for most markets (now including North America) as of the 2013 model year. The package adds a two-speed dual range

Magna Powertrain Magna Powertrain is a major American manufacturer of transmission and drivetrain systems owned by Magna International. In addition to producing transmission systems and drivetrain systems, they also provide metal-forming as well as engineering se ...

transfer case with center differential lock, reduction gearing, underbody

skid plate A skid plate is an abrasion-resistant material affixed to the underside of a vehicle or boat to prevent damage to the underside when contact is made with the ground. Skid plates may be used on off-road Off-roading is the activity of dri ...

s, and a 6-mode selectable

terrain Terrain or relief (also topographical relief) involves the vertical and horizontal dimensions of land surface. The term bathymetry is used to describe underwater relief, while hypsometry studies terrain relative to sea level. The Latin word ...

driving program system. The rear differential lock has been discontinued. Open front and rear differentials are fitted, and use four-wheel electronic traction system (4-ETS) to simulate front and rear differential locks. The Mercedes M-Class won first place in the "Luxury Crossover SUV" category and has been named the most ideal vehicle for Americans based on a study undertaken by California-based automotive research and consulting firm AutoPacific. Mercedes-Benz India established a manufacturing plant in Chakan, Pune in early 2009 that rolled out the first W166 M-Class to be built outside the US in October 2012. In the following month, Mercedes-Benz Indonesia began M-Class assembly at a factory in Wanaherang, West Java. These plants perform final assembly of vehicles shipped as "knocked-down" kits from Vance, USA. In the second half of 2015 a facelifted W166 was released as the GLE, along with a coupé version. The previous

was based on the 2012 M-Class and was delivered in December 2012.

Engines (2012–2019)

Facelift (GLE)

The GLE name was used in 2015 for the facelifted W166 along with the new five-door coupé derivative GLE Coupé (C292) which was unveiled to the public in January 2015 at the

. As part of Mercedes-Benz's new naming strategy, the GLE will define the SUV's positioning in the middle of its segment and between the future GLC and GLS (the former GLK and GL, respectively), the same way the E-Class is positioned in relation to the C and S-Classes.

Body variants

= SUV (W166)

= The W166 facelift was unveiled at the

New York Auto Show The New York International Auto Show is an annual auto show that is held in Manhattan in late March or early April. It is held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. It usually opens on or just before Easter weekend and closes on the first Su ...

. The GLE 500 e is the first

plug-in hybrid A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a hybrid electric vehicle whose battery pack can be recharged by plugging a charging cable into an external electric power source, in addition to internally by its on-board internal combustion engin ...

in this model range, combining a 333 hp V6 engine with a 116 hp electric motor. The first 19 units were delivered in the American market in June 2016.

= Coupe (C292)

= The GLE Coupé (C292) is the

coupé SUV A coupe SUV is a type of sport utility vehicle with a sloping rear roofline similar to those of fastbacks or Kammbacks. The sloping roofline is adopted to offer a styling advantage compared to its standard SUV counterpart, which helps increase p ...

version and is heavily related to the W166, sharing its platform, mechanicals and interior (but having a unique body with a similar design). The C292 coupe was unveiled to the public in January 2015 at the

, it was discontinued in August 2019 after the introduction of the W167. The GLE Coupé was built in Alabama with the GLE on which it is based. Sales are expected from the second half of 2015. The range is topped by the

Mercedes-AMG Mercedes-AMG GmbH, commonly known as AMG, is the high-performance subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz AG. AMG independently hires engineers and contracts with manufacturers to customize Mercedes-Benz AMG vehicles. The company has its headquarters in Aff ...

GLE 63 S-Model, powered by 5.5-litre twin turbo V8 producing 585 bhp and 768 Nm of torque, making it one of the quickest of its type.Lieberman, Jonny.
Cayenne Turbo S vs. GLE63 S Coupe vs. X6 M vs. Range Rover Sport SVR
''

'', 21 December 2015
Archive
/ref>

Safety

:¹ vehicle structure rated "Acceptable" :² strength-to-weight ratio: 6.68

Fourth generation (W167/V167; 2019)

The fourth generation GLE was unveiled at the

2018 Paris Motor Show The 2018 Paris Motor Show took place from 4 October to 14 October. For the first time, it consists in three shows dedicated to automobiles, motorcycles and new mobility. Introductions Production cars *Audi A1 * Audi E-tron EV *Audi Q3 * Audi S ...

. At launch, the GLE was sold in the U.S. with two engine options. The GLE 350 has a 2-liter 4-cylinder engine with and the GLE 450 has a 3-liter, inline-6, turbocharged engine with and torque. The GLE 450 has a 48V electric system with an integrated starter motor. The system powers the air-conditioner, in-car electronics and the electronically driven turbocharger. The GLE 450 features a refined

Active Body Control Active Body Control, or ABC, is the Mercedes-Benz brand name used to describe electronically controlled hydropneumatic suspension. This suspension combines a high level of ride quality with control of the vehicle body motions, and therefore vi ...

system, that does away with mechanical roll bars, notably enhancing performance. Other engine options are also available. The AMG GLE 53 was introduced at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show in March. It has a 3.0 L turbo I6 boosted to and torque. A 48V electric system like in the GLE 450 features EQ Boost for an extra and torque on demand. For the first time, the GLE also adds a seven-seat option.

Plug-in hybrid

In the European market, two

versions are available: the GLE 350e, using a petrol engine, and the GLE 350de, using a diesel engine. Both use a 31.2-kWh battery. The vehicle can be equipped with a 60 kW quick charging option. The declared WLTP all-electric range is . File:2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4Matic rear 6.16.19.jpg, Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 File:2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 AMG Line Premium+ 4MATIC 3.0 Front.jpg, Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 File:2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 AMG Line Premium+ 4MATIC 3.0 Rear.jpg, Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 File:Mercedes-AMG GLE 53, GIMS 2019, Le Grand-Saconnex (GIMS0599).jpg, Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 File:Mercedes-AMG GLE 53, GIMS 2019, Le Grand-Saconnex (GIMS1270).jpg, Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 File:Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC IMG 3430.jpg, Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S File:Mercedes-AMG C167 at IAA 2019 IMG 0656.jpg, Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe File:Mercedes-AMG C167 at IAA 2019 IMG 0514.jpg, Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe

Long-wheelbase (V167)

The fourth-generation GLE saw the introduction of a long-wheelbase (LWB) variant, which as of 2020 is currently only sold in India. The LWB has a wheelbase that is 8 centimetres longer than that of the standard version. The variant is still designed as a default 2-row SUV, with most (69 mm) of the additional length being put into use in the second row. Available powertrains include a 2.0-litre turbodiesel (300d), 3.0-litre turbodiesel (400d), and 3.0-litre petrol (450), all making the same power as in the short-wheelbase (SWB) counterparts. In India, the LWB's only market, the SWB variant is not marketed. Mercedes currently has no plans on bringing the LWB to Europe or North America.

Engines

Sales

References

Notes

Bibliography

General

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Workshop manuals

* * * * *

External links

Official website
{{Authority control GLE All-wheel-drive vehicles Crossover sport utility vehicles Mid-size sport utility vehicles Luxury crossover sport utility vehicles Luxury sport utility vehicles Euro NCAP large off-road Motor vehicles manufactured in the United States Cars introduced in 1997 Plug-in hybrid vehicles 2000s cars 2010s cars 2020s cars