Size does matter. Sometimes, anyway. It definitely matters when you need to haul around six of your favourite people, and the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is one of the handful of ways to do it in luxury and style. That style is soon to get an update, as spy photographers have snapped these images of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class in testing, wearing the least camouflage to date.
The broadly-spaced two-bar grille and large Mercedes emblem stand out at the front end, as do the more angular headlights. A similar LED strip for foglights/daytime running lights appears to be in about the same place as the current GL, while the lower front bumper/skid plate appears to have slightly larger openings on the spied vehicle.
At the rear, the exhaust outlets are completely hidden, rather than inset in the lower portion of the bumper as in the current GL, but that may yet change for production – the hint of an outline can be seen beneath the camouflage in the spy photos. Like the headlights, the tail lights get a new shape, now extending across the rear lift gate, which is itself re-shaped, with a more prominent roof spoiler at the top.
Based on the same underpinnings and drivetrain as the ML-Class, the new GL-Class is still largely shrouded in mystery. Power can be expected to come from the new family direct-injection V6s and twin-turbo V8s, but specific power figures and model names will have to wait for the official release.
Previous images showed the new GL testing alongside other AMG vehicles, though the heavy camo along the front and sides obscured the more cosmetic changes. Behind the screen overlaid on the nose, hints of a two- or three-bar grille were visible, a reduction in count from the current GL’s number – or at least set at wider spacing.
