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There is a new luxury SUV on the scene, and the Mercedes-Benz GLE 2020 is counting on a magic carpet ride, a more flexible cab and improved technology for its best competitors. Revealed today at the 2018 World of the Automobile, the fourth-generation SUV adds a third-row optional seating for the first time, as well as a brand new E-ACTIVE BODY intelligent suspension system. CONTROL.
Described by the automaker as a world first, the system, originally offered only on the 2020 GLE 450 4MATIC, uses a 48-volt active suspension configuration. Each of the hydropneumatically controlled wheels can be individually controlled with the spring and damping forces adjusted. Mercedes uses the Road Surface Scan – which tracks the conditions of the road ahead – and measures the curvature of the track to anticipate how things might be bumpy.
As a result, it can lean in curves like a motorcycle, avoid rolling on undulating surfaces and prevent pitching and pitching. Mercedes says she will even recover energy, with the jolts of the bad roads that generate power. If you get stuck in the sand, the GLE 450 4MATIC can use E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL to release and swing effectively.
For the United States, there will be two engine options at the beginning. The 2020 GLE 350 and GLE 350 4MATIC will be equipped with an online 4-liter turbo, with 255 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. 0-60 mph will arrive in 7.0-7.1 seconds. The 2020 GLE 450 4MATIC, meanwhile, will evolve to a 3.0-liter inline six, for 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque; EQ Boost, meanwhile, will add 21 more hp. It will do 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds. In all cases, there is a 9G-TRONIC 9-speed automatic transmission.
In the GLE 350 4MATIC, the all-wheel drive uses a fixed transfer case that divides the power into two parts, front-rear. Braking will be used to prevent individual wheel spin. The GLE 450 4MATIC however has an electronically controlled multi-disc clutch, capable of shifting from 0 to 100% of the torque on the front or rear axles.
As for the bodywork, a length of more than 3 inches added to the wheelbase makes for a more restrained SUV and larger cabin space. Short overhangs and recessed wheels double, while a vertical grille sits above the chrome on the lower guard. The hood has two power domes.
An intelligent LED light system with very wide beam skirts, says Mercedes, as close to the maximum allowed by law as the builder can currently do. There are wheels from 19 to 22 inches and optional running boards. The chrome cuts around the glass surface.
At the back, the reflectors are lower, highlighting the taillights. Mercedes rounded the back with a chrome subplate. Despite its size, the drag coefficient of the 2020 GLE is as low as 0.29 Cd, the lowest in the segment.
Inside, there are sedan and SUV notes in the cabin style. The dashboard enters the door panels, with a raised center console and grab handles. A metal trim around the controls and a new sport steering wheel double the upscale feel.
The second-row legroom is 2.7 inches, at 41.1 inches, while the headroom has increased by 1.3 inches. Optionally, the second row can have a six-way power setting; a switch in the luggage compartment can be folded completely. Another switch can lower versions equipped with AIRMATIC air suspension of about 1.6 inches for easy loading. The optional third row adds two extra seats, which also fold.
Technology, meanwhile, borrows generously Mercedes' recent sedans and luxury coupes. There is a new MBUX infotainment system, with natural language speech recognition and twin screens of 12.3 inches as standard. An optional MBUX Inside Assistant uses a camera in the overhead console to track the movements of the driver's and front passenger's hands and arms. For example, if the driver tries to adjust the seat massage, the GLE 2020 will understand which seat to change.
An augmented reality option for navigation covers the directional arrows and house numbers on a live view of the route to follow, shown on the dashboard display. A 720 x 240 head-up display is optional and can display road and off-road data.
In the US, navigation, Apple Assist, keyless start, Car-to-X communication, five USB ports, headlights and LED tail lights will be standard. Options will include 4-zone temperature control, wireless phone charging, driver assistance with Active Traffic Jam Assist, Energizing Comfort package, AMG line upgrades and Burmester audio system 3D Surround Sound.
The Mercedes-Benz GLE 2020 will be marketed in the United States in 2019. The GLE 350 will arrive in summer, while the GLE 350 4MATIC and the GLE 450 4MATIC will appear in the spring. Prices will be confirmed closer to these dates.
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