VelociRaptor

Ran engineering trial on one through the assembly plant.

newyorktoLA

Well.........what's it like?

jcbutta

Ummmm, thats it? No pics, no information, just "I saw the X166 yesterday"? Thanks for nothing.

aeggroup

And ?

South Ocean1

That is a little bit of news. At least it means it is getting closer to production.

I wonder what the "standard" time is between getting a new model set up for engineering trials and when we would see the production versions on the street.

I am very excited to see more production info on the 2013 GL as I am just not liking the exterior styling of the new 2012 ML. I know the 2013 GL will look similar to the 2012 ML (from the spy photos) but it seems to fix all of the issues I have with the styling of the ML in just the right ways to make it work so much better.

Velociraptor - have you seen any GL63 testers come through???

YYZ-E55

It's a good looking truck, eh Raptor? The only thing I'm unsure of is the 3rd window kink - reminds me of Infiniti.

VelociRaptor

Sorry, was pushed for time last post.
Funny you say that it looks like an Infinity. Some said it looks like a Nissan Armada a little from the side but it wasnt even close to being fully assembled when I was there. The rear to me is simular to a Lincoln Navigator.

VelociRaptor

Production Trials have to take place after this and maybe a couple of other ones that have a different name as well. The one that was built the other day was a GL450 CDI I believe.
Yes, the styling in the front and other areas are like the ML. Like the X164 to the W164 before.

43221B

Pics

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/sp...ift-40283.html

VelociRaptor

Yes, thats it...but with camo lol.

VelociRaptor

I have now.

Max Blast

Right - this thread is pointless without pictures we can't find on the Internet by putting words into a search engine ourselves.
Raptor, quit tooting your own horn. Add some value to this thread!

aggst1

Want him to loose his job for your satisfaction?

VelociRaptor

I mainly post when something actually happens on the assembly line on a new product for real time lines that are rarely spoken about.
If I could toot my own horn I would never leave the house.

KYBRIGGS82

So maybe you can help me with any information on the Bi-xenon lighting package back orders on the 2012 Gl's. I've been waiting and waiting for my 2012 Gl350 delivery but no one has an answer on when the lighting issue will be resolved..
Thanks

South Ocean1

VelociRaptor:

Thanks for the update! With three kids, and the need for three rows, I am really looking forward to the GL63. There has been nothing like it on the market except for the short-lived R63 of 2007. For those few of us who are irrational enough to crave a high performance people mover, I think the GL63 will succeed in ways the R63 could not given its questionable styling.

Keep us posted with news on the 2013 GL when you can. I am really curious when it will debut - Detroit, Chicago or New York????

Thanks

YYZ-E55

Sadly, don't count on a GL 63 for North America. As of a few months ago, MBUSA didn't plan to offer it (and hence no offer in Canada).

South Ocean1

YY-E55:

Wow - say it ain't so . . . That would be a real bummer. There has got to be a business case for offering it in North America as a special order like the E63 wagon . . . If we got the G55 (at least until this year), a GL63 would seem to make so much more sense. With so many GL550s sold, I would think these is a market for a higher end model above the GL550 for chumps like me.

Anyone hear anything else about the GL63 coming/not coming State-side?????

Thanks

BlownV8

It's coming. Would make no sense not to offer in the US. It is built in the US and the engine is already EPA approved for sale in the US.

South Ocean1

BlownV8:

I like your logic! And I hope you are right. There would be no other vehicle like it on the market (with the capacity to transport 7).

Thanks

BlownV8

I love the GL platform and an AMG GL would make a great vehicle even better. The bi-turbo V8 will be a great engine for the GL.

aeggroup

Your logic makes sense for us, but apparently MB does not follow the common sense logic. Take a look at GL BlueTec Model. How can you explain, that Canadian version has AMG package with 21" wheels, fender flares and AMG steering wheel -- and US version does not ? Is there ANY logic in that action ?

South Ocean1

And - there are examples of a U.S. made car that are not offered in the US by MBUSA - like the 2007 and later R500/550 with the upgraded engine. They never offered that car here. But I think a lack of perceived demand made that decision more logical. I also think that they still have certification costs even if the engine has already been EPA certified in another vehicle - take the E63 wagon where MBUSA waited until the 2012 to bring it back to the US.

So logically speaking, the GL63 should be sold here . . . . but I am still worried as YYZ E55 knows his stuff.

And YYZ E55, there are even a few examples of MB Canada offering a car the US doesn't, like the 2007 and later S450 with the short wheelbase - that was never offered here.

Like people who donate to have a charity lunch with Warren Buffet (etc), my choice would be an MBUSA executive to get a better idea of how some of these decisions are made - particularly those that appear less logical on the surface.

YYZ-E55

That's simply MBUSA passing on options that are available for all markets. Americans are way more price-conscious than Canadians when it comes to cars; or at least so the guys at MBUSA believe. (FYI: it doesn't have an AMG steering wheel)

It's a real fight to get a car certified for Canada that isn't offered in USA. The S450 short is about 50% of S-Class volume in Canada, so the business case supported the certification costs. The B-Class came because the former president of MB Canada worked in product management on the B-Class and felt it was a good fit for the Canadian market.

There's a balancing act - if you offer too many packages/options, stocking cars becomes a nightmare for a dealer. If you make too much equipment standard, the price goes up and the car isn't competitive. We are lucky in Canada that dealers support the strategy of offering relatively well-equipped (and thus more expensive) vehicles, and BMW and Audi follow a similar logic here.

As for the GL63 AMG, I hope it comes! If not, however, the GL550 will undoubtedly impress with the new bi-turbo V8.

Brocktoon

Yep. Canada is a pretty strange market for cars. Although small, the taste in cars seems wider than America,yet, historically most importers are stuck lumping us in with them. MB does a good job tailoring offerings for Canada, especially allocating lots of diesels, and BMW has their "Canada Only 320i" special models to hit a price point. Ford is getting better, VW is totally lost, although they were good at offering things like AWD diesel Passats and stuff in the past. They would sell a pile of Polos here, yet they offer that flaky US spec Jetta instead.

When I was a kid, I worked at a Porsche dealer. Four 928S' were sold in all of Canada one year, yet we were expected to buy $10,000 in special tools because we sold one of them. One of the things you might not realize is that the dealers themselves often advocate against too special models for this reason alone.