German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz has confirmed production of the GLK compact SUV for the near future, but a new GLK Freeside 'study' (which means concept) is readying itself for debut at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) later this month.
This concept has a strong possibility of going on sale, and you can bet that Mercedes will be listening closely to the crowds around its stand at the NAIAS. The Freeside concept is geared towards customers after a luxurious and capable small SUV that delivers excellent comfort and handling on the road, and renowned capability off of it. Enhanced power and safety are enabled by some of the latest technologies to come from Mercedes-Benz. For instance, a new-age Bluetec four-cylinder diesel engine provides motivation, boasting incredible smoothness, excellent economy and very low emissions. Power is handled by a seven-speed 7G-TRONIC gearbox, while a new 4-Matic AWD system ensures stable power delivery regardless of the terrain. Aside from its stand-out powertrain, GLK Freeside features a slew of cutting edge safety and convenience features including the PRE-SAFE anticipatory braking and safety system, and an Intelligent Light System (ILS) which can optimize the headlight beam pattern for a variety of different situations. "The Vision GLK illustrates the logical way in which our extremely successful model strategy can be continued in the SUV segment," commented Dr. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG. Back in the mid 1980's, Dr. Zetsche worked on the development of the legendary G-Class SUV. Looking back, he explained, "The needs profiles are different now. But there's one thing that hasn't changed: if a Mercedes has a G in its name, it has to perform exceptionally in all conditions."