Autoblog

Perhaps you've heard: Mercedes-Benz has this new SUV called the GLK, and it's not just the Sex and the City audience that's being targeted. The compact ute's getting-to-know-you tour will make a stop at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, where four concept versions will be on display. We already told you about RENNtech's hybrid Rally Racer show truck, and now we have some info on the other three versions that'll join it in Vegas.

Naturally, BRABUS will represent, skinning the GLK300 Bluetec in Widestar duds, new wheels, and the de rigeur custom interior. No power upgrade yet, it seems, but knowing BRABUS, they'll have a version putting out approximately a trillion horsepower by the time the GLK is in customers' hands.

Boulevard Customs is prepping the GLK "Urban Whip", a garish creation sporting 26" wheels and a front end that likely depleted the world's supply of mesh grillework. Lord knows what all the other SEMA builders are gonna do now that they're faced with this crisis.

Finally, Legendary Motor Cars will show the Four Corners Rock Crawler, which rolls on big knobby rubber, has an integrated grille guard, and sports a set of roof lights. But all that's dress-up, because off-roading's not the angle. This GLK has some winch rig that lets it pull skaters into position to then grind on the truck's integrated side rails. (G-Wagen ambulance chase vehicle not included.)

Hey, no one ever said SEMA's about being particularly normal. We'll have plenty more live shots from the show in November.


[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Click above to view more of the RENNtech GLK

Of all the trucks that have proliferated into the Mercedes-Benz line-up, the GLK isn't exactly the most aggressive. But according to the latest reports, Mercedes is lining up an array of aftermarket tuners at the SEMA show to infuse what appears to be more than a little testosterone into the compact sport-ute.

First up to bat is RENNtech, the Florida-based company responsible, among other things, for the bringing the McLaren SLR 722 to America and actually getting it to produce 722 horsepower. RENNtech has taken inspiration from the Pikes Peak challenge – one of the most iconic and power-craven hill-climb events in the world – to create this hardcore GLK. Little is known in the way of details, but the vehicle is said to feature RENNtech's first performance hybrid drivetrain.

Brabus, Blvd Customs and Legendary Motorcars are also said to be preparing modified GLKs for SEMA, although Mercedes has not yet confirmed its participation in the show. While we wait for that, check out the images in the gallery below.

[Source: Modified Luxury & Exotics]

click above for 22 high-res images of the Mercedes-Benz GLK Vision FREESIDE

We brought you five images of the Mercedes-Benz GLK Vision GLK FREESIDE when news broke on it last night, but today MB has released a full slate of photography showing its new soft-roader from every angle. We can't say it necessarily helps, as the GLK still looks like something you'd place on the kitchen counter to hold your good set of knives. So many sharp angles, creases and hard lines tries to impart an air of SUV-ness to the GLK that just doesn't work as well as it does on the full-size GL SUV. Nevertheless, the GLK has some promising hardware hiding underneath its butch exterior that includes a BLUETEC four-cylinder diesel, 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission and a new 4MATIC all-wheel drive that's as efficient as a two-wheel-drive set up. We're also eager to climb inside the GLK to determine how the interior stacks up to its cross-town competition from BMW, as well as similarly sized and less expensive CUVs. There's certainly money to be made in the CUV business, but the question is how much will the GLK make for Mercedes-Benz? Look for our live coverage of the 2008 Detroit Auto Show beginning Sunday, January 13th to find out.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

click to enlarge

Thank the four ladies from Sex and the City for this very early sneak peek of the Mercedes-Benz GLK, Stuttgart's new compact CUV that wasn't supposed to be seen in public until the Geneva Motor Show in March. The vehicle's being used in the upcoming Sex and the City movie and was snapped completely free of camo on an open set.

Without all of the covering and cladding, it's now apparent just how sharp and chunky the GLK's styling is. Some have described it as Jeep-like, though we think it's a bit more complicated and busy than a simple slab-sided Jeep.

Curiously, the GLK will not be sold in right-hand-drive markets like the UK because its 4Matic four-wheel-drive system can't be made to work with the steering wheel on the right. Where the GLK is on sale, it will be offered with a smattering of engines, including two gas-powered V6s, a diesel V6 and diesel four-cylinder.

Considering that the GLK has long been considered a response to the BMW X3, we're wondering how you think it stacks up, at least in the area of styling. We've always considered the X3 awkward-looking, but the GLK is also a little too butch for our liking. So we guess the question is, which one's less ugly?

[Photo: Brenda Priddy & Co.]

Is this the new GLK? While not an official shot, many seem to think so.

Well, we suppose MLK might have confused some people (and might have resulted in some lawsuits out of Atlanta). Mercedes has instead announced that its new compact CUV will officially be called the GLK. This new German-built crossover will debut in Europe late next year, with U.S. sales following in early 2009. M-B is said to favor marketing it as a compact SUV rather than a CUV, however, and apparently has butched it up. A boxy, but disguised prototype was shown to journalists recently who said it is much smaller and lower than a GL. The interior was uncovered and showed two-row seating, "white leather seats with black piping, black wood trim, the Mercedes COMAND-Plus single-knob controller for many electronically controlled functions, and a screen in the dash for a navigation system." The prototype was probably a high trim level, we guess. Guesses on pricing, however, put it under $40,000 to match the BMW X3's $38,775 starting price and fall far enough below the M-Class MSRP of $44,425. Predictions are that we'll see the GLK-Class debut in Detroit next January.

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req.]