The Mercedes-Benz GLB is set to premiere in
production guise at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September and, according to
Mercedes-Benz Passion, will launch in seven-seat form. Mercedes-Benz previewed the
upcoming GLB earlier this year with a rugged-looking concept. The finished
product will look very similar to the concept and the car will be underpinned
by the company’s MFA architecture.
Like other seven-seat SUVs, occupants will be able
to easily fold away the two seats at the rear while also being able to adjust the
center bench seat up to nine centimeters forwards or five centimeters backwards
to increase cargo space and leg room respectively. It is reported that trunk
capacity with the third-row seats folded away sits at 560 liters and at a respectable 500 liters with the rear seats
sitting upright. Fold down both the third and second-row seats and cargo space
goes up to 1,800 liters.
The range will reportedly start with the GLB 200,
which pumps out 163 hp from a turbocharged four-cylinder. Other petrol models
will include the GLB 220 and GLB 250, while the diesels on offer will be the
GLB 180 d with 116 hp and GLB 220 d with 190 hp. Our spy shots have also confirmed
that a Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 will be produced with a turbocharged 2.0-liter
four-cylinder that pumps out 301 hp. It remains to be seen if a GLB 45 version
is also in the works, though since the rest of the A-Class-based models get
one, this is very likely.
Production of the GLB will take place in
Aguascalientes, Mexico and Peking, China.
