Mercedes brings Hollywood to COBO Hall
Muamer Hodzic January 14, 2008
“I love the GLK’s powerful design, not to mention its incredibly spacious trunk, its exceptional comfort and the fact that it’s a Mercedes,” comments Kim Cattrall, one of the four stars of hit TV show Sex And The City and celebrity guest of the Mercedes-Benz press conference at the 2008 NAIAS, who brought more than just a hint of Hollywood glamour to the COBO Hall. The world-famous actress made her stage entrance in the “Vision GLK” SUV study, where she displayed an impressive familiarity with the subject. “After all, I am one of the few people who have already had the opportunity to gather a generous amount of hands-on experience with the future GLK,” says Kim Cattrall in conversation with Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Management Board of Daimler Benz AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.
This is because the GLK, which goes on sale in this fall (January 2009 in U.S.), has an automotive starring role as a “rough and ready character” in “Sex And The City – The Movie”, which is currently being filmed and is due for release in May.
As an entry-luxury SUV, the future GLK adds a fifth model to the successful Mercedes-Benz SUV range, offering customers a new entry point into the world of Mercedes-Benz all-wheel drive and securing yet another growth market segment for the Stuttgart auto manufacturer. “The forthcoming GLK is the right vehicle at the right time,” says Dieter Zetsche. “Firstly, it possesses a highly individual design that is a clear departure from the segment norm. Secondly, it brings together the strengths of our full-size models within an entry-luxury format that also has benefits in terms of fuel consumption.” This intelligent “right-sizing” sees Mercedes-Benz achieve – in parallel with its BLUETEC initiative – a further contribution to the reduction of CO2 emissions within the SUV segment.
Vision GLK with new four-cylinder diesel and BLUETEC
The SUV study is presented in two visually distinct versions – as the elegantly sporty “Vision GLK BLUETEC” with on-road focus, and in the distinctly robust off-road version. In essence, these two studies preview the production version of the all new GLK class, which will go on sale in the USJanuary 2009. The new GLK also sets it own benchmarks in terms of environmental sustainability and efficiency. “Both versions of the Vision GLK are equipped with our highly efficient 4MATIC all-wheel drive system and our all-new four-cylinder diesel engine – a power unit that is both economical and, thanks to BLUETEC, extremely clean”, explains Daimler’s Head of Technical Development Dr. Thomas Weber. “From its 2.2 liter displacement, this high-torque engine generates 204 hp and a world class torque of 369 lb ft that is available from as low down the rev range as 1,600 rpm.”
This takes the new four-cylinder into performance dimensions that were previously the domain of three-liter six-cylinder diesels and large displacement V8 gasoline engines – and combines this with exemplary fuel economy. Weber again, “All this is made possible by innovations exclusive to Mercedes. For example, the latest in common-rail injection, new piezo injectors for 2,000 bar injection pressure, as well as two-phase turbocharging.”
