The 1998 classic "Jurassic Park 2: The Lost World" featured an impressive car – a fierce but nimble Mercedes SUV, and yes, the first-generation M-Class.
On May 21, 1997, the first-generation Mercedes-Benz M-Class (codenamed W163) was officially released. Instead of traditional auto shows, Mercedes-Benz chose a special way to make an appearance – they invited about 5,000 customers from all over the world, as well as some government officials from Alabama, to take them to witness the birth of the M-Class at the Tuscaloosa plant. On that day, the M-Class officially went into mass production.
The first generation of M-class off-road vehicles was launched with a very clear purpose. In order to further expand the US market at that time and replace its classic Mercedes-Benz G-class, due to the poor comfort of the G-class at that time, and the unsatisfactory road performance and vehicle interior, Mercedes-Benz hoped to launch a model that achieved a better balance between road and off-road, performance and luxury.
The new M-Class was originally designed as a mid-sized (medium and large) luxury SUV model, with guaranteed space, comfort and technology, and is equipped with a variety of powertrains. In addition, in order to rival the off-road capabilities of the G-Class, the M-Class is equipped with an OurHours four-wheel drive system, and is also equipped with a two-speed transfer box to simulate the role of a differential lock. Therefore, in that era, the four-wheel drive system of the Mercedes-Benz M-Class was powerful enough and very versatile, so it was recognized by the market.
Back then, there was a small episode in the naming. It was well known that BMW had always used the letter M, including the early M3 and M5 models. However, in order to avoid unnecessary trouble, Mercedes-Benz adopted the method of adding letters, eventually becoming ML, including ML320, ML400 and other models.
Therefore, the ML-level inborn genes have a strong off-road ability.
After a long 21 years, the Mercedes-Benz ML has finally evolved to the fourth generation, and since 2015, this car series has a clearer positioning serial number – GLE.
In appearance, the changes of the new generation of Mercedes-Benz GLE are very obvious. The grille adopts the new Mercedes-Benz family design language, which is inverted trapezoidal. The headlights adopt a new design, with bifold LED daytime running lights inside, and the outline of the light group is more sleek. The air intake under the headlights has a domineering feeling unique to this class of SUV.
In contrast, the side shape of the new car continues to pay homage to the classics. The design of the new generation of Mercedes-Benz GLE’s upper structure still retains the design that has been carried over from the first generation of Mercedes-Benz ML. The inclined C-pillar shape is still clearly defined as part of the characteristics of the whole vehicle, and the corresponding shape is the hidden shape of the B-pillar and D-pillar.
Under the influence of the clear C-pillar and roof lines, the top of the new generation of Mercedes-Benz GLE clearly presents the design style of a large yacht, which is also the essence of the four generations of Mercedes-Benz ML series.
As for the taillights, the grouping design of the inner triangle and outer quadrangle makes it quite elegant and elegant and more recognizable. It is worth mentioning that the new car has achieved a drag coefficient of 0.29Cd, which is 0.03Cd lower than the previous generation. It is the lowest drag coefficient in this class of SUV.
In terms of data, the size of the new generation GLE is 4924, 1947, 1795mm, and the wheelbase is 2995mm. Compared with the current GLE, it has increased by 120mm, 21mm, and 80mm respectively. The wheelbase has also increased by 80mm, catering to the current trend of size upgrades with big beauty.
"Twenty-one years ago, Mercedes-Benz pioneered the mid-to-large SUV segment. Now, the new Mercedes-Benz GLE will better meet the needs of the occupants in every seat," says Ms Britta Seeger.
Therefore, the interior upgrade has become the highlight of the new generation of GLE.
The new three-frame multi-function steering wheel is composed of 18 control elements and is equipped with a dual thumb control system (Dual Thumb Controls), which greatly enhances the sense of technology.
In the gear bar area, the new generation of GLE also adds more layers. Handrails with practicality and luxury are added on both sides of the area. At the same time, the Mercedes-Benz Command system is equipped with a larger touch panel for easier operation.
Of course, the new GLE SUV is also Mercedes-Benz’s first SUV equipped with MBUX intelligent human-machine interaction system. It has a "mind-reading voice assistant" that supports natural language recognition. It can be easily started by calling "Hello Mercedes-Benz" or pressing a button. In addition to Mandarin Chinese, it can also recognize dialects such as Cantonese and Sichuan. The "24/7 AI consultant" using artificial intelligence technology can learn user habits and make personalized suggestions when appropriate.
The new generation Mercedes-Benz GLE has also upgraded the second row of seats, which can be folded in a 4:2:4 ratio, and the rear row supports electric adjustment, fully considering the passenger’s ride comfort. In addition, a third row of seats can be optional.
The new GLE 450 4MATIC we tested this time is equipped with a new inline 6-cylinder engine with a 48-volt intelligent motor system, which is unique in the same class. It has 367 horsepower and a peak torque of 500 Nm. The intelligent motor can also output an additional 250 Nm of torque and 22 horsepower for a short time. It is also equipped with a 9-speed automatic transmission with better ride and fuel economy, and the acceleration time of 100 kilometers is 6.0 seconds.
Compared to the off-road ability of the gle itself, the road performance of the new GLE is even more surprising. The 48-volt intelligent motor system is frequently involved throughout the driving process, making it easier to reaccelerate over 100 kilometers, and also making the engine start faster and smoother, and the exhaust emissions are cleaner and more environmentally friendly. The new GLE 450 4MATIC is equipped with a new intelligent OurHours four-wheel drive system, which can flexibly distribute the front and rear axle torque in the range of 0% to 100% according to the demand or selected driving mode, improving road handling.
In the Chengdu Modern Pentathlon Off-Road Park, which is full of red soil hills, the new GLE SUV successfully challenged 26 off-road test driving subjects including cross axles, bumpy roads, hump roads, side slopes, wading and other off-road scenarios. The new air suspension system of the new GLE 450 4MATIC is standard because it is connected to the 48-volt intelligent motor system, which adjusts faster and consumes less energy. Five modes of the system can also be selected according to dynamic control: "comfortable", "sports", "off-road", "energy saving" and "custom". And considering the vehicle speed, the suspension height can be automatically increased or decreased.
For example, in "off-road" mode, the suspension will automatically increase by 60mm, improving wading capacity and passability. The maximum wading depth of the new GLE SUV is 500mm, which can be increased to 600mm with optional off-road components. In addition, the intelligent OurHours four-wheel drive system, four-wheel drive electronic traction assistance system (4ETS), downhill speed control system (DSR) and more, easily manage a variety of complex and extreme road conditions.
At the same time, in order to facilitate the driver to keep abreast of the driving status of the vehicle, the MBUX intelligent human-machine interaction system also adds an off-road display mode, which can display parameters such as the lateral and longitudinal inclination of the body, the torque distribution ratio of the front and rear axles, and the height of the suspension, adding more off-road fun.