Next-gen Mercedes-Benz GLE breaks cover

Due for a global debut at the 2018 Paris Motor Show this October, the nex-gen GLE will feature numerous technological upgrades and some hefty design changes as well.

The official images of the all-new Mercedes-Benz GLE have been revealed, and based on first impressions, the new car seems to have undergone some significant design changes along with the addition of new safety and driver-assist features.

In terms of the exterior design, the new car features a longer wheelbase (increased by nearly 80mm), short overhangs and a set of newly-designed alloy wheels. While its predecessor followed a safer, conventional design approach, the new Merc certainly has sportier and sharper looks. A reworked front fascia comprises new LED headlights, a restyled bumper and a dual horizontal slat grille housing the Mercedes-Benz emblem. The rear features new, sharper LED taillamps rounded off with a chrome-plated under guard.

The interior of the new GLE will be more spacious thanks to the longer wheelbase, and in terms of comfort, the car will now get an optional fully-electrically adjustable second row of seats and an optional third row of seats will be on offer as well. The newly-designed dashboard of the GLE will come equipped with the latest generation of the MBUX infotainment system. Compared to the A-Class, on which this system made its debut, new GLE will have two large 12.3-inch screens as standard, arranged in a widescreen layout.

The next-gen GLE will also get a first-of-its-kind E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL active suspension system, which will work in tandem with the powertrain's 48V electrical technology, allowing spring and damping forces to be controlled individually for each wheel. Making its debut for the first time on six and eight-cylinder engine models will be the variable All-Wheel Drive 4MATIC system.

The new Mercedes-Benz GLE will be launched with the new in-line six-cylinder petrol engine (GLE 450 4MATIC with EQ Boost) and diesel powertrains. A plug-in hybrid variant will follow soon.

While the production cars are likely to reach international dealerships by the first quarter of 2019, a confirmed arrival of the new GLE to India is still awaited.