India-bound new-gen Mercedes-Benz GLE officially revealed

-    The new-gen GLE-Class debuts brand’s new face and a host of new features. 

-    Will make its public debut at the 2018 Paris Motor Show. 

-    Expected to arrive in India next year. 

After multiple spy shot appearances and a few teasers, Mercedes-Benz has officially taken the wraps off the new-gen GLE-Class without any fanfare. The executive SUV debuts a new design language with a plethora of new-age driving aids. It will arrive at the Paris Motor Show in October for its public debut and we expect it to be launched in India sometime next year.

Appearance wise, the GLE introduces the new design language which will be seen in all the other SUVs from the German brand. Moving to the new platform, the GLE has grown in dimension. The fascia gets a massive grille which seems to have been inspired from the 2014 Vision G-Code Concept. The headlights are new and get two LED strips running across like eyebrows over the projector headlamps. The silhouette retains its design over the previous model. 

But the rear is new and is slightly more rounded off compared to the boxy posterior of the outgoing model. The tail lights are petite and somewhat similar to the new-gen A-Class. The SUV sits on 18-22 inch wheels with shod inside the cladded wheel arches. There are ample chrome and bling all around, and for added pizazz, Mercedes optionally provides an illuminated running board as well. On the other hand, the GLE has the lowest drag coefficient in its class of 0.29.  

On the inside, the GLE takes inspiration from the flagship S-Class. The wide-screen infotainment system stacked on the dashboard is the new Mercedes cabin layout. This new wide-screen layout will also be seen in all the upcoming Three-Pointed Stars. It comes integrated with Mercedes’ MBUX system. 

The five-seater has a luggage capacity of 825litre which can be increased to a whopping 2055litres folding down the second-row seats. The AIRMATIC air suspension can lower the SUV by around 40mm for easier loading and unloading. For the first time, the GLE will also get third row seats but as an optional fitment. 

Initially, the GLE will be available in the 450 4Matic guises with a mild hybrid 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine under the hood. It produces 360bhp and 500Nm while the conjoined motor adds around 16kWand 250Nm. The nine-speed automatic gearbox sends power to all four wheels. A range of plug-in hybrids and turbodiesel will be added at a later date. 

The GLE is available with Mercedes' latest driving assistance aids as well. Pricing for the mid-level SUV is yet to be announced. It is expected to hit the streets in early 2019.