2020 Mercedes GLE Shows Off Its Luxurious Side In Paris Debut

Now that the Paris Motor Show is upon us, Mercedes is all set up on the show floor, ready for patrons and press alike to pour over their newest models. One new model in attendance is the GLE SUV, which Mercedes revealed last month with a slew of information and press images. Now, Mercedes has its display ready to go, and with that comes some fresh images of the new SUV from the show floor.

While we do get more photos, we don't get new information. The only model Mercedes is showing is the GLE 450 4Matic, which uses a mild hybrid powertrain and a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine paired with a nine-speed automatic gearbox. The engine makes 362 horsepower (270 kilowatts) and 369 pound-feet (500 Newton-meters) of torque while the electric motor adds an extra boost of 21 hp (16 kW) and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm). The company confirmed the GLE will get a plug-in hybrid and turbodiesel version, along with other engines, at a later date.

"Twenty-one years ago, we founded the premium SUV segment with the M-Class. Since then, the importance of these models has continuously increased – not only for us, but also for the whole industry," says Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Mercedes-Benz  Cars Marketing & Sales. "That's strong motivation for us to make the GLE even better. Families will enjoy the additional space; business people will be happy about the improved connectivity and fans of the outdoors will love its new driving capabilities."

The GLE grows for the 2020 model year over the outgoing model, and it's more aerodynamic. This means passengers experience more legroom and headroom while there's an optional third row of seating available, increasing passenger capacity to seven. Passengers looking for more comfort have the optional E-Active Body Control System, which uses the 48-volt electrical system to adjust the air suspension's dampers at each corner individually.

Inside, the driver has the latest MBUX infotainment system that features a 12.3-inch (31.2-centimeter) digital instrument cluster, which sits next to an infotainment screen of the same size. There's an optional head-up display, too, which is twice the size and 20 percent brighter than the previous version.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE is making its public debut at the Paris Motor Show before it goes on sale in the United States and Europe in early 2019. The company will announce pricing closer to launch.