GLK-Class (X204) [Official] 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK Facelift

[Sonder]

In related news MB posted an opening for an interior designer in Como, Italy.

Hey Wolfgang, wow, thank you!
I will aply for this job, because the whole life i was dreaming to do that.
You never know, there's nothing to loose..

 

[fortuner]

Good luck sonder

 

[Centurion]

For the first time I actually like the eye brows. They work well on this car and with the new bumper the GLK now has a softer appearance.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

I don't know if I like it or hate it. It looks good, but I'm having difficulty digesting the harmony of some of the more rounded and organic details with some of the harder edged ones. This is more so an issue in the interior. I have the same fear for the FL E, because the E and GLK were by far the hardest edged in the current line up and it seems this trend was VERY VERY short-lived.

Have they gotten the right hand drive engineered this time Wolf? I'd love to see this down under.

 

[Wolfgang]

Have they gotten the right hand drive engineered this time Wolf? I'd love to see this down under.

Expected with the next generation (X205) in 2014/2015.

'We sat down with Wilfried Steffen (the head of Mercedes-Benz UK) and with the next generation of cars you will be able to have everything. We will prepare our vehicles for all markets.'

http://www.germancarforum.com/cls-class/35888-4matic-permanent-all-wheel-drive-cls-first-time-2.html

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Thanks Wolf!

I was hoping they would go the extra mile for the FL. They really did shoot themselves in the foot not engineering this for RHD markets.

 

[GTA45E]

Goofy looking headlights with those eyebrow leds, this is the worst one yet. The main problem here is the symmetry followed by the graphics of the headlights.
The front end has so many design problems, I simply don`t have the time to point them out. The profile looks pretty good though... but again the slant (waterfall) angle in the nose looks out of place there. It should have been boxed off like the new SL.

The interior is a big improvement. The round air vents with the rugged looking design graphics give the f/l GLK a more utilitarian theme.


The E-Class is next!

 

[purplehenk]

I rendered the GLK55 AMG.
Click the image for a rear view.
http://autolifestyle.nl/auto/amg-v8-power-voor-opgefriste-glk/

 

[HighestOfHigh]

 

[K-A]

Terrible! The front looks awful there. Too bendy to mix with the straight and angular design! No doubt they will ruin the balance with the facelifted E-Class by doing the same thing, just watch.

 

[HighestOfHigh]

^I have some hope for the E-class facelift, but this GLK is upsetting to look at.

 

[warot]

I agree with everyone on the interior, nice upgrade, looks upscale. But to me, what's even worse than the "manbrow" (<-- that's hilarious by the way), is that gigantic chrome piece on the lower front bumper. That looks like it came right out of a 60's Cadillac. That looks AWFUL, especially on a white car.

Again, I think chrome accents, done moderately is ok. But that is just disgusting.

 

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

I think it's better if I just kept my mouth shut. Still love the way it looks. The car flows very nicely. I'll leave it at that.

 

[PHYBENZ]

I actually think it looks much better in the real life photos than in the press pics and I think it's a great improvement over the first generation. Interested to see it person.

I also REALLY hope they fixed the interior door pulls so that they don't make that plastic creaking noise every time you squeeze them.

 

[K-A]

I agree with everyone on the interior, nice upgrade, looks upscale. But to me, what's even worse than the "manbrow" (<-- that's hilarious by the way), is that gigantic chrome piece on the lower front bumper. That looks like it came right out of a 60's Cadillac. That looks AWFUL, especially on a white car.

Again, I think chrome accents, done moderately is ok. But that is just disgusting.

Yikes, amidst all the junk up front I didn't even notice that distinct piece. Terrible.

While people get more and more inclined to de-chrome cars, M-B is adding them right smack dab in major areas. I love a little chrome, and M-B's NEED some chrome, but that's way overboard, IMO.Hopefully they just keep them for the SUV's and keep the cleaner chrome-free front bumper look on the cars.

 

[Wolfgang]

a diesel update

Part of a renewed diesel push in North America, the Mercedes diesel engine was engineered with a urea-injection system that helps lower emissions to a level that sees the GLK250 Bluetec adhere to tough BIN5 standards—something that allows it to be sold in all 50 states.

No performance or consumption claims for U.S. versions of the new diesel have yet been made official, but the European GLK250 Bluetec, which develops an added 11 hp, is claimed to hit 62 mph in 8.0 seconds, reach a top speed of 131 mph and return an the equivalent of 38.6 mpg (U.S.) on the European test cycle.

Neither the Q5 nor the X3 are sold in North America with the choice of a diesel engine, leading to Mercedes' claim that the GLK is the first European midsize SUV to do so.

The diesel variant is expected to arrive in early 2013.

Read more: 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK revealed for New York auto show - Autoweek

LOS ANGELES – Nearly two years after Mercedes-Benz executives told WardsAuto a 4-cyl. turbodiesel was being field-tested for the U.S. market, it appears such an engine likely will be available sometime in 2013.

Details about the powerplant will not be confirmed for several months. But Gunter Fischer, project manager for the SL roadster, says a small diesel is a good fit for the U.S. as consumers adapt to downsized engines designed to meet strict fuel-economy mandates that require a 35.5 mpg (6.6 L/100 km) fleet average for each auto maker by 2016.

“I think it will go in that direction,” Fischer tells WardsAuto when asked at a media program here about diesel prospects.

“We brought a 4-cyl. gasoline engine to the U.S. Why shouldn’t we do that with a 4-cyl. diesel? Our competitors do it.” Mercedes’ 1.8L turbocharged gasoline engine is available now in the C-Class.

Mercedes 4-Cyl. Diesel Expected in U.S. | Vehicles & Technology content from WardsAuto

 

[ZicZachZo]

I can imagine the head of design saying to the team, "Alright, for the facelift we're going to take this block of granite, aka the GLK, and erode it." Honestly, the exterior update is neither here nor there in terms of being better or worse than before. I always thought the first gen car was kind of a half assed attempt to take on the X3 anyway. At least now, with the revised interior that is befitting of something far more expensive, the GLK is all the better for it.

 

[Carmaker1]

I have a question. Do these lights belong to the 2013 GLK? These showed up in a recently released design patent and I couldn't them match to any currently released models in the Mercedes-Benz line-up. The patent was filed in September 2010, as all the newly released models patents were filed in 2009-early 2011.

 

[Carmaker1]

Yes they lights belong to the 2013 GLK-Clas. The first four photos of the headlight is the standard halogen version, whereas the rest is the Bi-Xenon and LED version.

Thanks, the shape of them didn't really match the ones on the actual vehicle, but it makes sense since the patent date only includes the easily identifiable taillights.

 

[Carmaker1]

Yes they lights belong to the 2013 GLK-Clas. The first four photos of the headlight is the standard halogen version, whereas the rest is the Bi-Xenon and LED version.

Just realized something. Except the last one, these might belong to the CLA. The shape of both the front bumper and headlights of the GLK facelift could not fit these, but the new pics of the FEP CLA have a much closer match. The only thing is that they were patented the same day as the GLK taillights, so I'm not really sure