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2006 Mercedes Benz GL
Mercedes-Benz announced a new SUV for the U.S. market, called the GL-Class. This big, luxury SUV gets a 335-horsepower 4.6-liter V-8 engine, mated to Mercedes-Benz's new seven-speed automatic transmission. For its off-road systems, it uses Mercedes-Benz's 4MATIC full-time four-wheel drive, an air suspension with adjustable ride height, and an off-road setting for its antilock brakes. The GL will be the big brother to the ML-Class and will launch at the Detroit Auto Show in mid-January.
The GL-Class has independent four-wheel suspension, a carlike build that offers a much more comfortable ride than the traditional ladder-frame construction of big SUVs. Second, the R-Class may not succeed in its mission to launch a new segment, so the GL serves to hedge Mercedes-Benz's bets.
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