Ever since Mercedes-Benz presented the Concept GLB
at the Shanghai Auto Show, the design of its upcoming compact SUV ceased to be
a secret. Still, Mercedes GLB prototypes continue to wear camouflage during
testing, although in this most recent sighting the SUV has less additional
material than ever. Only the front and rear ends still feature camouflage foil,
leaving the rest of the body completely exposed, which is how we like our
scoops.
This allows us to see the generous plastic body
cladding covering the edges of the wheel arches and the door sills — a clear
hint that we’re dealing with an SUV that’s not afraid to get dirty from time to
time. The remaining camouflage fails to hide the fact that the headlights and
taillights are identical with those from the Concept GLB.
The only remaining mystery is how much Mercedes will
tone down the design of the bumpers compared to the off-road-oriented study. We
have no photos of the interior this time around but it shouldn’t stray too far
from the concept’s cabin — minus the flashy show car bits, obviously. The Mercedes-Benz GLB will be
positioned between the GLA and the GLC in the automaker’s SUV lineup and will
share underpinnings with the former model (and the rest of the brand’s compact
car family). It will offer five- and seven-seat configurations and a
significantly roomier interior than the GLA.
Based on the front-wheel/all-wheel drive MFA2
(Modular Front Architecture) platform, the GLB will be available in a wide
variety of powertrains, including turbocharged gasoline and diesel units, plus
PHEV and all-electric versions. The core of the range will consist of 2.0-liter turbocharged
four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines with around 190 hp and standard
all-wheel-drive. Later on, the lineup will also include a plug-in hybrid and a
fully-electric EQB variant. Mercedes-AMG will also offer the GLB in 35 and 45
flavors, with 302 hp and up to 414 hp, respectively, courtesy of a 2.0-liter
turbocharged gasoline unit.
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB will debut this autumn at
the Frankfurt Motor Show and will go on sale in most markets in the first
quarter of 2020.
