The Mercedes GLK went on sale in 2009 and after a few years on the market, is just about due for a facelift. Our spy photographers were able to capture the future Mercedes during some cold weather testing in Northern Sweden, wearing a tad bit less camouflage than in the past. With the camouflage strip down comes new details about the future facelifted GLK.
In these images, we can see that the light tube in the headlights will be similar to the ones found on the recently revealed Mercedes B-Class and will alter the light graphic. The front bumpers have also been redesigned and new front air intakes have been added. At the rear, the lights will also be redesigned and will receive LED technology.
The spy photographers were also able to get a shot of the interior, giving way to new air outlets on the dash that follow the new round design and look of the SLS. The revised GLK is also getting the gear changer for the automatic gearbox moved to the steering rack - like its bigger brothers, the ML and GL - instead of in the middle console like on the current model.
As far as powering the crossover goes, no official details have been provided just yet, but it has been rumored that Mercedes will offer a new engine range, including a new 3.5-liter V6 with 302 HP (up from the current 258 HP) and 273 lb-ft of torque for the GLK350.
The facelifted Mercedes GLK will be revealed sometime in 2012.
In the world of mid-size mom mobiles, style is often a hard thing to find. When you examine the field most fit in the background as opposed to the centerfold. As Benjamin Franklin once said "A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body." Most of the luxury mid size SUV’s fail to deliver this food and fire to the consumer. This precedence of indifference ended when we walked to the parking lot and gazed at the 2012 Mercedes Benz GLK 350.
What struck us about this is the graceful angles of the GLK that set it apart from the rest of the field. Although the GLK has only been in production since 2009, it has taken lessons from others in the field. The interior looks like it can stand up to your Lab and yet also haul the kids to school in the morning. The teflon interior is very comfortable which makes that early morning commute with kids in tow that much more bearable. On top of all this utility, you actually get some sport in your SUV (imagine that!). The GLK makes the most mundane tasks like merging onto the interstate quite fun. When you press the loud pedal you are pleasantly surprised and the engine emits a raspy bark akin to Tom Waits impersonating a seal.
More details on the 2012 Mercedes Benz GLK 350 after the jump.
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Three years ago at the 2008 SEMA auto show, noted tuning firm RENNtech, together with Mercedes-Benz, unveiled the GLK350 Hybrid Pikes Peak Rally Car where it subsequently won the 2008 SEMA Show tuner build-off competition. The vehicle’s amazing debut at SEMA resulted in it becoming one of the most-sought after performance-modded racers in recent times, appearing in countless automotive trade shows while also partaking in a number of track events and extensive real world driving miles.
This year, the car is finally serving its last legs and to give it the fitting swan song it deserves, RENNtech, together with its partners, decided to give it a complete styling overhaul in time for its last tour-of-duty with Mercedes USA here in the US. The first leg of the tour was held at the Pittsburgh International Automotive Show a few weeks ago where the revamped GLK350 Hybrid Pikes Peak Project was officially unveiled to the public. From Pittsburgh, the award-winning vehicle will make stops in a number of US cities, including Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City, Minneapolis, and Denver.
As soon as the tour concludes, RENNtech’s masterpiece will officially be enshrined as a permanent collection at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Vehicle Museum in Irvine, California, making it the second RENNtech-tuned work to be officially designated with this honor.
In the meantime, keep checking out RENN-tech’s website to find out the tour schedule for GLK350 Hybrid Pikes Peak Rally Car. It might end up in your city so you better be prepared to give it a warm welcome.
UPDATE 03/10/2011: Renntech has revealed the first video of their GLK350 project which shows both the exterior and interior of the vehicle. Check it out after the jump!
Details on the Mercedes GLK350 Hybrid Pikes Peak Rally Car by Renntech after the jump.
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While most of the manufacturers are considering hybrid and electric vehicles, Mercedes is considering a diesel version of the GLK crossover for the US market.
During an interview at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz USA President Ernst Lieb said: "We’ve got the GLK coming. And the next-generation C-Class sedan will share the 2.2L 4-cylinder clean-diesel engine that bears the brand’s Bluetec trademark. The C-Class will feature diesel availability right from the start when it arrives in 2013." The E-Class will also get a new diesel engine starting 2011. All of these new engines will include Mercedes new BlueTec technology.
You can see that Mercedes has big plans for diesel engines in the US market: "Overall, our goal is to be somewhere in the range of 15% to 20%,” he says. “And we’re slowly growing this."
This is quite an impressive move considering Mercedes recently had to recall about 2,300 2011 diesel models, including the M-Class, GL-Class, E-Class, and R-Class, due to leaky fuel filters.
The Mercedes Benz GLK is the German automaker’s entry into the compact crossover segment and with its swept back two box body, the new CUV is clearly derived from the rugged G Wagen, offering the same bold features that made the mighty Geländewagen so popular, except in a much smaller package. We joked about how our Mars Red GLK 350 looks like a red hot roller skate with its optional oversized 20 inch alloys pushed to the far corners of its chassis, but the GLK is certainly nothing to laugh about. The GLK offers new car shoppers a luxurious option when looking to buy into this new segment. Despite its compact nature, our out of this world GLK has styling to spare and is a welcome addition to the Mercedes Benzlineup. The GLK’s size not only makes it easy to park, but also quite maneuverable in traffic and combined with the safety of 6 airbags, makes it a great choice for new car buyers.
The inside of our GLK 350 features an Almond/Black Leather interior along with the Full Leather Seating Package that, as the name suggests, includes cow hide derived upholstery and a leather wrapped multifunction steering wheel as well as elegant Burl Walnut trim to go along with the standard brushed aluminum pieces. The infotainment system is made up of a Harman/Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system that will play everything from MP3s being stored on an iPod to Sirius Satellite radio as well as a hard drive based navigation system and a 7 inch LCD screen to let the driver in on all that is going on.
The GLK 350 is powered by a 3.5 Liter V6 sending 268 HP straight to the rear wheels through a seven speed automatic transmission allows the GLK to accelerate smoothly and get an estimated 16 MPG in the city and as much as 22 MPG on the highway. This sporty red GLK is a more affordable alternative than the last one we saw, especially when you consider the $3,150 Premium Package that includes just about power everything at a savings of over $1,200 if purchased separately. Tack on a very reasonable $970 for the brushed roof rails and plus sized wheel and tires amongst a few other items, this $34,600 GLK added up to a nicely equipped $45,645 premium CUV.
Continued after the jump.
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