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By
EWAN KENNEDY
21 May 2007
The Mercedes’ GL-Class is the real 4WD, not a people mover with
macho looks and an extra couple of differentials. It has excellent
ground clearance by way of height adjustable air suspension, a complex
4WD system that’s complemented by electronic traction aids, even a
low-range transfer case.
We did a lot of driving on the sand on Fraser Island off the
Queensland coast. The sort of area attracts weekend family
adventurers or fisher-folk was covered with ease by the big Merc.
It made light work of high road centres, steep climbs and
washed-out descents. We also tried some rocky road running and
found the GL worked well, though its size was against it in tight
areas.
Just as importantly for many owners (dare we say almost all
owners?) this Mercedes wagon is a spacious seven-seater and makes
a fine people mover. It can carry seven adults in comfort, though
six and a child in the centre position of the second row would
probably be a better bet.
The front seats are large and comfortable and well suited to
ever-expanding Aussie backsides. Even the seats in the other two
rows are well proportioned and remain comfortable on a long trip.
Those in our test GL-Class had vinyl covering, which is practical
if not exactly image enhancing. The quality of the vinyl, which
Mercedes calls Artico, is good and many wouldn’t pick it as
being anything other than leather.
There's still room for a couple of good-sized suitcases and
some smaller bags when all seven seats are in use. Incidentally,
the Mercedes GL-Class is also offered as a five-seater with a
positively cavernous boot.
However, this interior space has been gained by building a huge
vehicle that will not be to all tastes. Indeed, if you come across
any of the anti-4WD brigade they are likely to take an instant
dislike to you and your car.
Big tyres and well-sorted suspension mean the Mercedes GL-Class
has good road grip in normal on-road driving. Obviously a vehicle
of this size and mass is never going to be nimble but its handling
is predictable and the ESP system mean you would have to be doing
something very silly to come unstuck.
Noise and vibration are well suppressed and this wagon gives
you interior refinement that aren't that far short of those in an
average passenger car.
Styling of the big Mercedes GL wagon is on the macho side,
which is no bad thing in this market segment. The three-pointed
star on the prominent grille that fronts up a big bonnet tells
others that you can afford to buy a Merc and to many that’s
certainly no bad thing.
The lower-cost model, the Mercedes GL320 CDI turbo-diesel V6
comes in at a pretty reasonable $103,900; then there's a big jump
to the GL500 petrol V8 at $146,900 petrol GL-Class.
However, you do get a lot more in the upmarket petrol variant.
To start with the engine isn’t the 5.0-litre you might expect
from the title, rather it’s a 5.5-litre unit that’s close to
AMG in its specifications. This gives sports car like performance
to a 2.4 tonne 4WD that will delight many owners. It has
officially measured fuel consumption of 13.9 litres per hundred
kilometres, probably not a problem if you can afford $150,000 to
put a new car on the road, but you’re chewing up the earth’s
resources and pumping out a lot of carbon dioxide.
Thankfully, our test vehicle for the past week had the
turbo-diesel engine. This unit has 510 Newton metres of torque on
offer and also manages a healthy 165 kW. Its combined fuel
consumption is a far more respectable 9.7 litres per hundred. We
managed to get figures close to this during our testing. Typically
the efficient engine was running at a frugal eight to nine litres
per hundred kilometres in the country and 11 to 12 around town.
This Mercedes-Benz is a huge 4WD aimed fair and square at the
American market, though it’s not too far out of place in
Australia. It provides comfortable transport for a lot of people,
yet can transport them to places that most so-called 4WDs would
find totally out of reach. Best of all, in turbo-diesel form it’s
surprisingly affordable for this class.
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE
GL 320 CDI 3.0-litre diesel five-door wagon - $103,900
GL 500 5.5-litre five-door wagon - $146,900
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard
Air Conditioning: Standard
Automatic Transmission: Standard
CD Player: Standard
Central Locking: Standard
Cruise Control: Standard
Driver Airbag: Standard
Passenger Airbag: Standard
Anti-lock Brakes: Standard
Metallic Paint: $1900
SPECIFICATIONS (Mercedes-Benz GL 320 CDI 3.0-litre diesel
five-door wagon)
ENGINE:
Engine Capacity: 2.987 litres
Configuration: V6
Head Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 17.7:1
Bore/Stroke: 83.0 x 92.0mm
Maximum Power: 165 kW @ 3800 rpm
Maximum Torque: 510 Nm @ 1600-2800 rpm
DRIVELINE:
4WD Type: Full-time
Manual Transmission: Not offered
Automatic Transmission: Seven-speed
Final Drive Ratio: 3.45:1
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 5088mm
Wheelbase: 3075mm
Width: 1920mm
Height: 1840mm
Turning Circle: 12.1 metres
Kerb Mass: 2375kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 113 litres
Towing Ability: 750kg (3500kg with braked trailer)
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: Independent, double wishbone, pneumatic springs,
gas-pressure shock absorbers, anti-roll bar
Rear Suspension: Four-link, pneumatic springs, gas-pressure shock
absorbers, anti-roll bar
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Ventilated disc
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 9.5 secs
Standing 400 Metres: 16.7 secs
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Fuel Type: Diesel
Green Vehicle Guide Greenhouse Rating: 4.5/10
Green Vehicle Guide Air Pollution Rating: 3/10
Fuel Consumption - Combined Cycle (ADR 81/01): 9.8 L/100km
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years/unlimited km
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Marque Publishing Company
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