Mercedes R Class - dropped in the USA
The big Mercedes GL SUV has been around for a while now, and we’ve been expecting a facelift version to arrive for a while. But reports are now saying that the new GL won’t be a mild facelift but an all new model.
What we do know is that the new GL will arrive at the New York Motor Show in April and will still be offered with either a 3.0 litre V6 diesel or V8 petrol engine.
But the V8 petrol is expected to be the new 4.7 litre V8 with twin turbos to replace the current 5.5 litre naturally aspirated engine, and the GL will be underpinned by the same platform Mercedes use for the M Class (ML).
In related news, Mercedes has also announced it will be dropping the R Class from the US market. It says that the R Class is being outsold by Mercedes’ other crossover / SUV offerings – like the GL, GLK and ML – and that there is no longer a justifiable business case for offering the R Class. Which is a shame.
The Mercedes R Class is a much under-rated car, and probably the biggest secondhand bargain in the Mercedes range. You can pick up a S/H 4Matic 320 CDI with six seats and all the toys for not much more than £10k now, making it the perfect family workhorse.
It’d be a shame if Mercedes drop the R Class altogether, but despite all its strengths – and its secondhand bargain basement status – it’s always seemed Mercedes don’t really know how to market it. Is it a people carrier or an S Class Estate? Is it utilitarian or luxury? Is it for families or a business express? It seems Mercedes don’t really know.
All we know is it’s a great bargain.
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