English
A few days back, we broke the news that the 2013 Mercedes Benz GL-class will be launched in India on May 16, 2013. With less than three weeks to go for this official launch, Mercedes Benz has started calling its esteemed clientele and prospective customers for a ‘special preview’ of the upcoming GL-class. Therefore, the 2013 GL-class is now traveling to all the major Mercedes Benz dealerships around the country.
The model that will be launched in India is the GL350 BlueTEC 4MATIC. It is powered by a 3.0-litre diesel V6 engine which puts out 260 PS of power and 620 Nm of torque – which is a significant improvement over the model it replaces. The seven-seater SUV also uses the latest generation of the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system and has a host of safety tech under the hood. Our spy shots also reveal a generous use of chrome on the car – with chrome-plated skirts and skid plates which have a similar treatment to what we saw on the new ML-class.
The GL350 BlueTEC 4MATIC will be imported via the CBU (completely built units) route initially and will shift to the CKD (completely knocked-down kits) assembly operation by the end of 2013. Only 90 units will be imported initially and knowing the demand for the GL-class in India, we expect them to sell out almost instantly – much like the new ML-class. So if you are planning to put your money down for the new GL350, then make sure you join the line in good time!
We are told that the revised pricing for the GL-class will take into account the CKD operations that will begin at the end of 2013 and therefore we expect the luxury SUV to be priced competitively.
The current Mercedes Benz GL-class starts around the Rs 70 lakh mark. To get the on-road price of this car in your city, click here.
For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest News Cars News on India.com.