Reports of a new “lifestyle” vehicle from Mercedes have surfaced last month, but at the time, we knew only its name, the GLB, and the fact that it was going to be a compact crossover. We now also know that the German automaker plans to start producing these cars in 2019, which means that they are in development.
The Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class lineup is essentially an addition to the already existing G-Class, which has been around since 1979. The SUVs are still as boxy as they have been for the last thirty years, so the new crossover should provide a bit of a jolt to the arguably tired lineup. The GLB will share the same proportions as the B-Class, while its dynamics will be based on the GLA-Class. Mercedes’ original plan was to build the crossover on the same modular small-car platform as Renault-Nissan, but it seems that a second-generation modular front-wheel-drive platform known as the MFA2 is a far more likely candidate. The GLB will be able to seat seven passengers, while being available either in front-wheel or 4MATIC all-wheel drive.
Under the hood, the GLB will provide a selection of either a three-cylinder engine from Renault, a 2.0-litre diesel at 204 horsepower or a turbocharged 2.0-litre gasoline powertrain at 272 horsepower. The high-end GLB45 AMG version will come with a twin-turbo 380-horsepower unit for those who want more power.
Mercedes will have its hands full over the next few years since it’s also working on the new MLC model, which will directly compete with BMW’s X4 and X6 crossovers.
