2016 GLE Class Coupe Future Vehicle Mercedes Benz. Mercedes-Benz’s recently adopted renaming strategy aligns each of its crossovers and SUVs more closely with the brand’s sedan models in terms of marketing, although some are more closely related mechanically than others. The CLA- and GLA-classes, for example, are very similar, while the GLE- and E-class models are rather more different. The relationship between this vehicle, the all-new 2016 GLC-class, and the sweet new C-class is more like the former than the latter, so you can think of it as a C-class on stilts.
Three of the six advanced Direct Injection engines in the GLE make more power from less gasoline. Two can with no gas at all: the clean-diesel GLE300d, and a new GLE550e Plug-In HYBRID that can go 18 miles on pure electric power. And while they all offer ultralow emissions, their responsive performance will spark every driver's emotions.
As the replacement for the aged GLK-class, which itself was crafted from the mechanical rib of a prior C-class model, the new GLC could not be more important to Mercedes-Benz, with the compact-crossover market more popular than ever. Previewed in “coupe” form earlier this spring, the more conventional GLC SUV adopts the winsome “Sensual Purity” styling elements that have spread across the Mercedes lineup. When sales start this November, the GLC-class lineup for the U.S. will consist of just the GLC300 SUV in rear-wheel-drive and 4MATIC all-wheel-drive forms. Coupe models are set to join the party at some point next year.
A team of advanced technologies enhance safety, reduce driving stress, and help to smooth every move. COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS can brake to avoid a collision autonomously. PRE-SAFE® PLUS helps prepare you for front, rear and rollover accidents. And optional DISTRONIC PLUS® pairs adaptive cruise control with innovative steering assist.
Next to the GLK, the GLC is 4.7 inches longer, 2.0 inches wider, and 0.3 inch taller. It rides on a wheelbase stretched by 4.6 inches, while the tracks are up by 1.9 inches in front and 0.8 inch in back. The long nose and short front overhang hint at this vehicle’s longitudinal engine layout—a trump card in a segment full of transverse-engine, front-wheel-drive-based entries—and all U.S.-spec GLC models will receive standard off-road bumpers that give it 28-degree approach and departure angles. Ground clearance increases by nearly an inch.