GLS 580 on Safari: Taking the Long Way Home in the S-Class of Sport Utes

Orange Juice in Orania — Another Bucket List Tick

Next morning, we set off reasonably early and again easily over some tricky off-road obstacles to finally see something we have long wanted to for ourselves. There’s a little village on the banks of the Orange called Orania — it’s the considered the last bastion of the white Afrikaner, or Boer. Allowed by the South African constitutional right to self identity, it’s pleasant place visited by all kinds of people, who are happily welcomed from all around the world.

I’d always wanted my orange juice at Orania. And I left impressed by the community getting on with its daily rote. Back on the tar, the ladies nodded off as I watched the outside temperature gauge steadily soar beyond 105 Fahrenheit. Not that it made any difference at all in my little cocoon. Well, not so little actually. There is so much space inside the GLS.

Bigger, Better, More Spacious and More Luxurious Too

This new GLS gets 2.4-inches extra wheelbase among its several additional dimensions. They promise that extra length especially benefits second row passenger space. All of which also contributes to GLS’ supreme versatility too. All five fully power adjustable second and third row seats can be lowered flat into the floor at the touch of a button, for instance. That increases boot space to a delivery van-like 85 cubic feet. Not that the remaining boot with all seven up is small.

The fully fledged third row seats also comfortably accommodates six foot-four tall passengers. Not that we needed that — we took advantage of the power down third row to make space for all Little Marcella’s new thrift stock over and above our regular baggage. We did find it odd that only a short extendable load bay cover is supplied to cover the smaller gap and the extra long cover locators behind row 2 are blanked off. That leaves load bay and its contents exposed with the third row down…

Our GLS however pampered our plus-two passenger with a Rear Comfort Package plus. That adds luxury head restraints with additional cushions and a rearward-extended centre console between the front seats with cup holders. It also has a removable 7-inch MBUX touch control Android tablet in its own wireless charging docking station in a larger second row armrest. The driver can however override all passenger controls at any time. If he or she must!

It Drinks What Mercedes Says it Should

We finally refuelled at a clean little station in a pretty little place called Britstown after 500 miles of motoring. The 580 pretty much mirrored its consumption claims in the real world. Further on, we joined the dreaded N1 for half an hour. It was enough. And later on we pulled in to the hamlet of Prince Albert for our second overnight. Not much happens there. But they have a few good restaurants. And a cool theatre.