Mercedes GLK to debut in Beijing

We saw it as the GLK Freeside concept at January's Detroit motor show, but Mercedes is now set to pull the wraps off its GLK compact SUV at the Auto China fair in Beijing this Sunday (April 20).

The newcomer is conceived to slot into the Merc range below the ML and line up against the likes of the BMW X3, Land Rover Freelander 2 and upcoming Audi Q5.

Essentially a downsized version of the seven-seater GL, the GLK measures 4.52m in length, which means it's marginally shorter than an X3. Visually, the vehicle is little changed from the concept version, barring the use of less radical front and rear bumpers.

Local pricing and spec levels will be announced later, but an entry point in the $55-60K bracket seems a reasonable guess.

Merc claims to have licked the conflicting demands of on-road poise and off-road capability via its new Agility Control suspension and it's boasting of "outstanding performance and handling... matched by a first-class level of ride comfort."

The GLK's array of onboard electronic driver aids/nannies work in tandem with a derivative of the 4MATIC four-wheel-drive system used in the ML/GL.

A wide range of engine choices will be offered internationally, but the mainstays in this market will be the GLK 280 and GLK 350 -- powered by V6s displacing 3.0 and 3.5 litres respectively. Also likely starters are the diesel-propelled GLK 280 CDI and GLK 320 CDI.

Mercedes says the GLK will come armed with a high level of safety features and mod-cons, including the anticipatory PRE SAFE safety concept and the Intelligent Light System (ILS).

The GLK will also feature the "intuitively controlled" COMAND infotainment centre and 'Thermotronic' automatic climate control.

Merc's decision to unveil the vehicle at Beijing is indicative of China's growing stature in the global automotive arena.

It's predicted annual sales of cars in China will reach 10 million by 2010 and 20 million by 2020, when the planet's most populous nation will also become the world's largest car market.

To put this in perspective, the Australian new-vehicle market's tally for last year stood at 1,049,982 units.

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