I've voiced my objections to the GL suspension previously on this board. We had an X164 450 and now have a X166 450, and I have to say that while I would;t switch back to the 09' car due to advances in design, features and comfort, the 09' had a more traditionally mercedes ride quality to it IMHO. I think much of that is due to the electronic steering on the newer car, but I also suspect that certain elements of the suspension were softened on the X166 and that doesn't work for me. In fact, my wife wishes I would shut up about the ride of the car already - I talk about it that much, because it irks me that much.

So, I'm no engineer - although I am a serious car enthusiast. In my mind there is a scale of cost/benefit when it comes to suspensions and ride quality. As a very basic example - a sports car must have stiff dampening and rebound in order to control the high forces of track/high performance diving. There is a penalty to be paid in a rougher ride around town but - that results in the benefit of superior performance at the limit. Well, in my mind, the GL should score higher on this scale. It's floatiness at times is inconsistent with the overall ride quality. It 'feels' like it should be more plush. I don't want it to be as plush as it already is, so its a lose/lose for me. The initial float the air suspension exhibits over minor surface imperfections a) gives the car a ponderous feeling under certain circumstances; b) suggests a "riding on a cloud" suspension (which the GL actually doesn't have [thankfully] - think 1990 lincoln town car); and c) poses a real challenge to the shocks regarding wheel control and articulation especially given the weight of the wheels 20+ inch wheels with run flats are HEAVY! So the sensation I get in our 450 is that the wheels bounce around up/down in/out over small potholes etc.. And you get an distinctly un-german sensation when experiencing this loosy goosy wheel movement. Then when things get more serious - like a tightening radius turn i.e., you can see that there were some lab coats involved here. It handles and grips far better than an american SUV from say 50% of handling capacity on.

So - back to the GLS. It seems that first, MB revised the overall suspension calibration - press materials refer to this as revised adaptive suspension (this can only be good - they're not going to make it any softer). Then they added a variable mode selector option with a seemingly more comprehensive sport mode that affects steering and the transmission. I've had cars before where small changes in the shocks result in a very noticeable change in the handling and general ride personality of the car. I don't want the GL to become a Cayenne or X5. I like the Mercedes ride, but I'd like the GLS ride to closer resemble an E class feel...in other words, when you hit a bump, you'll still -feel- the bump, but the impact is dampened in such a way that it makes the car seem like its made out a block of titanium. It just swallows the bumps and keeps going. The current car tries to hide that the bump is even there - and it fails 8/10 times. I believe shock tuning is the key to getting that bank vault ride quality. I will test drive the GLS once its out. Until then, I wait with baited breath. I think that technologies which are 100% necessary to make the new GLE coupe competitive with the X6 (truly a car like SUV in ride and handling) have hopefully trickled down to the GLS revisions to some extent. Time will tell. The initial reviews seem encouraging.

P.S. I have a 2013 GL450 with the appearance pack - so 20" wheels with non-runflats and no suspension options - not even the off road pack which offers ADS I believe. - My sales person had no idea how easy it would have been to sell me on leasing a new car vs. buying a CPO just based on the suspension options. You live and you learn.

Regards,

DRP