GLE [Spyshots] 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe

Merc1 · Jan 15, 2013

Wolfgang said:
Saw it in the papers a while back, Merc1.

Pent-up demand for its Alabama-built models should help Mercedes-Benz reach another U.S. sales record this year, the German automaker's top U.S. executive told Reuters. Stephen Cannon, president of Mercedes-Benz USA, said other models, including the redesigned S-Class sedan and the new CLA compact four-door coupe, will fuel the projected high.

He added that capacity at the Tuscaloosa County factory constrained last year's sales of the Alabama-built M-Class and GL-Class SUVs. The company set a U.S. sales record anyway, selling more than 274,000 Mercedes brand models during 2012. Sales of the M-Class rose 6 percent over the previous year, while sales of the GL-Class increased 3.6 percent.

"We also could have sold 10,000 more MLs and GLs together had we gotten that extra production... we've got huge pent-up demand for both the ML and GL-Class," Cannon said.

http://blog.al.com/businessnews/2013/01/mercedes-benz_aims_for_new_sal.html

Thanks Wolf, as always you're on it. S-Class?? What the hell is that lol? As soon as Detroit is over the pics should drop in mid-feb I guess?

M

Wolfgang · Jan 15, 2013

Looks like the A45 AMG is next? LOL

Mick Briesgau said:

Smithee · Jan 21, 2013

http://www.carpoint.com.au/news/prestige-and-luxury/audi/sporty-to-be-the-next-suv-wave-34640?

Sources insist the 2014 MLC will be heavily based on the current M-Class (which is also a machine that is hurrying towards a rushed facelift, with senior design officials unhappy with its looks). In fact, so few spy shots of the MLC exist because it has been largely tested inside current M-Class bodyshells, with the only hints to prove its existence being wider rear tracks and some cladding hiding the rear bumper area and wheel well.

Think of the MLC as the CLS of the M-Class family. It will not only have a swoopier coupe-style body, but its cabin will be split by a full-length centre console as well, rendering it capable of only carrying four people.

Up front, Benz’s typical array of high-output four-cylinder engines won’t play much of a role here, with Mercedes preferring thumping V8 and more economical V6 petrol and diesel engines. There will, of course, be an AMG version with the 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 powering all four wheels.

Even closer to production is the GLA. Buoyed by the acclamation it received for the CLA sedan in the backrooms of the Detroit Motor Show, Benz insiders are already extremely confident its new, smaller SUV will hit the mark, too.

Unlike the current GLK, the GLA will be built in right-hand drive. It will also be sold as a four- or a five-seater and will have the upcoming A45 AMG’s powertrain almost from the start of production, in the first quarter of 2014.

Mr. Mercedes · Jan 21, 2013

Ayayaya, if the ML facelift reports are on point, then there have been some serious issues within the MB design department. The whole transition from Pfeiffer to Wagner seems to have been incredibly mismanaged:

- Firstly the GLK and E-class sit in-congruently within the line up. Overly angular and hard edged, this design theme is abandoned as quickly as it started. The GLK receives a substantial softenning of it's edges and E-class receives a massive FL to bring it into line with the incoming new models.
- Secondly the SLS is labelled a 'missed design opportunity'.
- The blunt looks of the SLK are lamented because they were forced to make it look like the SL, which sat on ice for over 2 years.
- The SL's looks are quietly unloved by a few within the design department, and information is leaked that the front and rear were designed by two different designers.
- Now the ML is reportedly heading for a rushed FL because

To me it seems that Pfeiffer had his way with a lot of the designs, and in his twilight years as head commissioned and oversaw some designs that were less than on trend and not particularly beautiful or pretty like the designs of the previous models. Wagner had been earmarked as his successor and had very strong ideas about freshening up MB's designs, however for whatever reasons, Pfeiffer got his way for the most part until he left. Wagener has now gone about scrambling to alter the designs signed off under Pfeiffer to bring them into line with the more expressive and organic vehicles now coming out.

This is however all conjecture and speculation on my part, and I doubt we'll ever get to know the real reason behind the turmoil at MB design.

I just hope from here onwards, there is some consistency and no major about faces model to model. Judging by what we have been seeing post 2012, I think they are on track.

Merc1 · Jan 21, 2013

I don't see anything wrong with the ML really. Looks like a typical Benz SUV to me. Well if they're going to make it look more like the gorgeous GL then have at it, but it doesn't need it IMO.

Yeah the SL is just a loss in 550 form, the AMGs do look better, but they're just not pretty it is supposed to be the fashion model of the group.

M

K-A · Jan 21, 2013

OMG. ANOTHER extensive and/or rushed "about-face"lift? I find the ML kind of blah and bland, but not "bad" looking. Who knows what "they" think is wrong with it.

What will the M-B apologists say this time?

Clearly the design and management team don't know what the F they're doing!

LaArtist · Jan 21, 2013

Lets see when it happens if it is in 2014 its in order .. 3 years ( half time of life cycle)

The car was introduced in 2011

Until then no comment!

K-A · Jan 21, 2013

The Artist said:
Lets see when it happens if it is in 2014 its in order .. 3 years ( half time of life cycle)

The car was introduced in 2011

Until then no comment!

MB-Apologist #1!

Usually M-B does their facelifts after 4 years. Also, even if they run it the original time-frame, there's a big chance they'll do an extensive "recharacterization" which is equally as telling toward a lousy Design team who can't uphold their original vision.

Wolfgang · Jan 21, 2013

The timeline in the article may be off a bit. For example their "2014 MLC" may start production in 2015.

http://www.germancarforum.com/commu...build-fifth-model-at-alabama-auto-plant.40333
http://www.germancarforum.com/commu...nz-gls-class-coupe-crossover-spy-shots.47992/
http://www.germancarforum.com/community/threads/gls-concept.37861/

LaArtist · Jan 21, 2013

^

W163 98-2005 (FL in 2001 3 years from 98)
W164 2005-2011 ( FL in 2007 2 years from 98)
W166 2011- Present ( FL in late 13 as a 14 model is thus IN TIME!)

You do not know s***

K-A · Jan 21, 2013

So, either they do an early facelift or they over-extensively change and re-characterize things on their self-proclaimed faulty designs. That's the M-B trend lately. We can speculate that this article is wrong, but considering M-B's facelift actions lately, it's probably best to give the article the benefit of the doubt.

Either way it's a phail. I feel bad for those who are getting ML's who will get "W204'd(interior)" or "W212'd", and don't know any better at this point in time.

LaArtist · Jan 21, 2013

Yes sure, you have seen the FL right?

Wait, until its out then you can keep on trolling, meantime spare us please

PS

K-A · Jan 21, 2013

The Artist said:
Yes sure, you have seen the FL right?

Wait, until its out then you can keep on trolling, meantime spare us please

Do I need to? M-B's been doing about-facelifts on all their cars lately, for the same reasons (unhappy with their own work). Why would this time be any different, especially when there's an article claiming to have inside information on that very thing?

I'm sure the SL will have an all new front with completely re-designed headlights for its facelift as well, basically confirming all those's criticisms from the get-go, once again.

The sooner you can accept that those who criticize M-B's designs lately have simply been ahead of the curve in that M-B ends up essentially admitting fault on those same aspects "we" have been, and changing those things around during their now-infamous "about-faces", the more inclination M-B's design team can have a fire under their a$$es to start getting designs right from the get-go again, thus bringing back timeless virtues to the brand.

LaArtist · Jan 21, 2013

NOOO you of course do NOT need to view the product to judge it..not at all..as you have foresight like Nostradamus apparently.

Did they email you and told that they were unhappy with their work?

You have never ran across an article that did not end up being 100% anchored in reality?

Since you got that email, and they are so unhappy, and you being even more unhappy then them, are you not then happy that they are doing something about it?

K-A · Jan 21, 2013

The Artist said:
NOOO you of course do NOT need to view the product to judge it..not at all..as you have foresight like Nostradamus apparently.

Did they email you and told you that they were unhappy with their work?

You have never ran across an article that did not end up being 100% anchored in reality?

Since you got that email, and they are so unhappy, and you being even more unhappy then them, are you not then happy that they are doing something about it?

You don't get it.

I criticize M-B designs from the get go / You vehemently back up everything they do.

Years later, they do drastic changes to their cars, confirming my early complaints that they don't know what they're doing with the keys to this historic brand / You then fanboy all over their about-face changes thus agreeing with my early criticisms, except for you're too afraid to dare question your beloved brand until they tell you it's okay to.

There's only one reason for a brand to do such extensive work during mid-cycle facelifts when BMW and the like aren't to those extents: They aren't happy with their own work.

One or two mistakes is okay. But at some point a "PREMIUM" brand can't get away with fudging up original designs so bad that they have to do drastic mid-cycle changes, and keep getting the pass by their devout following. They're screwing over those who buy the early versions and are further gonna destroy their own resale values.

Do you not see the decline in market share? If you think these two aren't related, then you're manipulating yourself.

Maybe this article is wrong. But considering EVERY M-B is getting extensive about-facelifts lately, it would make sense.

LaArtist · Jan 21, 2013

You criticize MB from the get go? haha, there is no bigger hypocrite on this forum than you... When you had your W212 you were all praise.

I far from back up everything they do, you have not been around enough to educate yourself on that yet.

Your own conclusions are of no interest to this forum, and you say them over and over again..hence; your a god damned troll.
You have no Facts to back up your claims, like above when you called the fl rushed, and i showed you it was not.
Members have over and over again presented you with hard facts, but you brush them off and keep on going like the troll you are.

You are just butt hurt, cause they went and changed up your old MB so much that it became irrelevant, i feel your pain but its still a beautiful car, both the Pre and post FL W212. if you can not appreciate the car you once fell for and bought longer than the FL, i guess either you are very insecure about your choice, or very tempted by the amazing FL they did

Sale gives money to those who own the vehicle, last time i checked Mercedes was in the business of selling NEW cars.
So you who love the business side of things, should know that they wouldn't give a flying F to what the resale value does.
Side note: where i live the equivalent Mercedes is always more expensive than the audi or BMW pre owned!

I see the market share, and i believe its due to a shit load of other reasons than your claim about lines and all the other bs you made up in your head.

And finally EVERY MB is getting an extensive fl you say?
The only one i know is the E, and extensive it seems cause they changed the lights so dramatically , and went and took away the ponton fender, other than that its very much a subtle FL, and so is the interior and the general look of the car, minus the front (obviously).

So what other MB has had an EXTENSIVE FL?

PS
I don't know why im doing this

K-A · Jan 21, 2013

The Artist said:
You criticize MB from the get go? haha, there is no bigger hypocrite on this forum than you... When you had your W212 you were all praise.

I far from back up everything they do, you have not been around enough to educate yourself on that yet.

Your own conclusions are of no interest to this forum, and you say them over and over again..hence; your a god damned troll.
You have no Facts to back up your claims, like above when you called the fl rushed, and i showed you it was not.
Members have over and over again presented you with hard facts, but you brush them off and keep on going like the troll you are.

You are just butt hurt, cause they went and changed up your old MB so much that it became irrelevant, i feel your pain but its still a beautiful car, both the Pre and post FL W212. if you can not appreciate the car you once fell for and bought longer than the FL, i guess either you are very insecure about your choice, or very tempted by the amazing FL they did

Sale gives money to those who own the vehicle, last time i checked Mercedes was in the business of selling NEW cars.
So you who love the business side of things, should know that they wouldn't give a flying F to what the resale value does.
Side note: where i live the equivalent Mercedes is always more expensive than the audi or BMW pre owned!

I see the market share, and i believe its due to a shit load of other reasons than your claim about lines and all the other bs you made up in your head.

And finally EVERY MB is getting an extensive fl you say?
The only one i know is the E, and extensive it seems cause they changed the lights so dramatically , and went and took away the ponton fender, other than that its very much a subtle FL, and so is the interior and the general look of the car, minus the front (obviously).

So what other MB has had an EXTENSIVE FL?

PS
I don't know why im doing this

Why praise the W212 anymore when M-B clearly thinks they designed something faulty and already irrelevant? M-B designers taught me to no longer back up their designs, because they won't either. It's a fools game at this point.

The C-Class interior makeover proved that the initial one was a joke and was a disgrace for an M-B. The W212 exterior shows the Designers have no confidence in their own work. The GLK, the R, etc. etc. All have been extensively about-face'd during their facelifts proving the design team's vision isn't intact.

IF and IF the ML gets as extensively "rushed" a makeover as this article is claiming, that will simply be the cherry on the top of me being right on all the criticisms I started against M-B years ago (ironically enough, as they started this whole "about-face discordance mess"). However, M-B losing so much market share while they've been excelling and beating their competitors in reliability already proves that.... people just don't love their designs like they used to. Now their only hope to regain in that aspect is Compact low-margin FWD A-Class based vehicles.

You can't call M-B a Premium-Manufacturer when they're not standing behind their own designs, because it shows the brand isn't designing for timelessness right now, and it shows that they can get away with not even having confidence in what they themselves designed. You don't see BMW's newest cars getting complete overhauls just 3-4 years into their lifecycles. Because "BMW doesn't *need* them".

M-B's market share obliteration is really bad, because just a year or two ago BMW was all they had to worry about.... now it's also Audi who's surpassed them.

IMO a lot of it has to do with design discordance. They wouldn't be doing such extensive and massive facelift changes like how they did to the W212 if they didn't agree with me.

Mr. Mercedes · Jan 21, 2013

Kashef why even bother? It's not worth the time or effort.

Carmaker1 · Jan 22, 2013

The Artist said:
^

W163 98-2005 (FL in 2001 3 years from 98)
W164 2005-2011 ( FL in 2007 2 years from 98)
W166 2011- Present ( FL in late 13 as a 14 model is thus IN TIME!)

You do not know s***

That isn't correct, so I will explain why I think so. The W163 was introduced in 1997 and facelifted after 4 years. Job 1 was built around February 9, 1997 only for the U.S. market(I added that to Wikipedia). Europe later received it from March 1998. I even remember first seeing one in December 1997 via an uncle's new ML320. The final design of the W163 was chosen in the winter of 1993-1994 and facelifted in-house by early 2000, later being introduced in June 2001, sold from September 2001 as a 2002 model. The W164 was designed by late 2001, leaked in October-November 2004, press in early Dec., and sold from April 2005.

The only public existence of the W164 facelift("uncamouflaged") in 2007, is via these design registration photos documented on November 23, 2007. No one even saw spy photos until over a week later and these changes weren't even introduced until March 2008, later going on sale that October. Simultaneously, the W166 final design was chosen(not frozen) and Pfeiffer coincidentally announced his retirement. This W166 facelift is rather too early if planned for the end of this year. The W164 was already presented by the end of 2004 and 3.25 years later as a facelift. The W166 was barely presented in June 2011, YET is being facelifted after only 2 plus years? That's not in time, it's simply way too early.

The last Mercedes-Benz(mass-market) to be facelifted the very calendar year after it's market introduction was the W140(March 1994 update) in 1992. Other than that, most M-B models will reach completion of the facelift design changes usually around 2 years after market introduction and are presented 18-27 months later. Something like this would've been designed about a year ago, which is extreme for M-B. Obviously something's awry in the Mercedes-Benz design department(s), so one can only hope than the current regime is content with every design they've chosen after June 2008(MY2012-present models). It seems that even minimal changes were applied between 2008 with the prototype below and the production models in 2011.

W163 Board Approval in December 1993/January 1994(?)(CLK Design was approved in same session)