SCOOP! Prices for SA on new Mercedes GLS

What is the S-Class of SUVs?  What is the biggest Mercedes you can buy?  Which one competes with the likes of Range Rover?

In the Mercedes re-alignment/renaming exercise, Mercedes cars are being named in line with the level where they fit in along the main 4 classes – A, C, E and S.  The GLA is the cross-over version of the A-Class, while the C in GLC denotes it fits in next to the C-C-Class, while the ML or M-Class became GLE, and the S-Class is the flagship Mercedes and its counterpart SUV is therefore the big GL which will henceforth be known as GLS.  It may sound like a model name of an old Corolla, but GLS now completes the full line-up:  GLA, GLC, GLE and GLS.

Mercedes GLS
   
The GL was introduced in the year 2006 as the biggest ever Mercedes SUV, not intended to take over from the G-Class legend, but to offer a big 7-seater SUV to compete in the big comfortable modern SUV market.  In 2009 it had a facelift, and another one in 2013.  It had 2 facelifts already, so this 3rd facelift, effectively, sees it change to the new smoothed-over look and the rename to GLS.

3 distinct Mercedes GLS models

There are only 3 models of Mercedes GLS in SA:  the Mercedes-Benz GLS350d is the sensible diesel one, the Mercedes-Benz GLS500 is the understated power choice with a burbly 4.7-litre V8 turbo (both now with the 9G-Tronic gearbox) while the Mercedes-AMG GLS63 is the full-pack powerful 430kW 760Nm “performance” option, pushing its 2.6-ton kerb weight from 0 to 100km/h in 4.6 seconds.

SA prices for Mercedes GLS SUV

Prices, excluding emissions tax of between R 6000 (350d) and R 17 000 (GLS63) are:

Mercedes-Benz GLS350d	R 1 199 000
Mercedes-Benz GLS500	R 1 349 900
Mercedes-AMG GLS63	R 2 099 900