The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (code name X164) is a full-size crossover SUV built by the German carmaker Mercedes-Benz since 2006. The GL-Class debuted at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. It lacks the typical SUV boxy styling and body-on-frame construction of the G-Class in favor of a modified version of the M-Class's unibody architecture. Many motorists consider it the "Elongated and Wider" version of the recently redesigned M-Class. It is a three-row, seven-passenger SUV with much more luxurious equipment than previous civilian G-Class vehicles. All GL-Class vehicles are assembled at Mercedes-Benz US International, Inc., Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. Mercedes-Benz introduced its BlueTec diesel system to the GL-Class at the 2006 North American International Auto Show as the GL 320 Bluetec. This system uses urea to clean diesel emissions, making the GL 320 50-state legal in the United States. Optional for all trims include a DVD entertainment system, heated steering wheel, iPod adapter, tri-zone climate controls, and keyless start. Over the last year, people have complained about the GL-Class's limited standard features compared to more upscale competitors such as the Cadillac Escalade and Range Rover Sport.
One can hardly mutter the words "German," "luxury" and "all-wheel drive" without invoking visions of Audi. From vehicles like the globe-conquering Unimog to the somewhat more civil G-Class, the Silver Arrow has more than a little experience when it comes to overcoming uncertain terrain. Beyond four-wheel drive systems, Mercedes has sold over one million 4Matic all-wheel drive vehicles in the U.S. We took to the C350 4Matic Coupe to find out. Angled projector headlamps with LED daytime running lights give the fascia an athletic appearance, and the lower valance's LED turn indicators and mesh insets help lend the impression this is a vehicle capable of dashing through the snow with glee. Around back, the coupe features a rounded rear section with contoured LED taillamps, a subtle trunk lip spoiler and a more demure emblem. Dual ovoid exhaust outlets add a little flash to the lower valance as well. In the flesh, we think the rear of the C-Class coupe doesn't quite gel with the crisp, angular lines of the vehicle's nose. The aft quarter simply leaves us a bit cold.
Not that we needed any help shedding body temperature. With the thermometer hovering around 16 degrees and a scornful wind threatening to rip our eyelids from our faces and beat us to death with them, there was no sanctuary more welcome than that of the C350 4Matic Coupe's interior. The cabin features a set of well-bolstered leather bucket seats as gorgeous as they are comfortable. Handsome contrasting double stitching, attractive pleating and a chrome forward-release handle all make the seats easy on the eye. Throw in the fact that the three-stage heated buckets are warm enough to boil water and we were suitably smitten. The C-Class Coupe treats its driver to a sporty three-spoke, leather-wrapped steering wheel with perforated hide and ergonomic contours at nine and three. The multifunction piece is a perfect fit for the sporty two-door, as are the attractive three-bezel gauges. With an informative LCD set in the center of the speedometer and a slick, outer-ring needle system, the gauges offer a nice blend of analog and digital displays. But we're more interested in the vehicle's mechanical innards.
The 2012 C350 4Matic is propelled by the same 3.5-liter V6 engine found in its rear-wheel-drive counterpart, complete with identical power figures. The engine produces 302 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque and manages to net the same 20 miles per gallon city / 29 mpg highway Environmental Protection Agency figures as the rear-drive C350 Coupe. Mercedes-Benz employed a raft of engineering cleverness to reduce driveline drag, starting with the seven-speed automatic transmission designed and built in house. The gearbox is the core of the company's modular 4Matic system, and uses an internal transfer case to slim efficiency losses. Instead of a separate transfer case unit bolted to the rear of the transmission, the seven-speed diverts power to the front wheels directly from the tailshaft via a separate, but still internal, shaft. In addition to curtailing driveline losses, the design offers significant weight savings: 100 pounds over the third-generation 4Matic architecture and 150 pounds over the company's first all-wheel-drive systems. The modular design also allows the vehicle to use the same suspension geometry as the base C-Class Coupe, which means both ride height and turning radius remain unaffected.
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