GLS350d gone by the wayside....?
Scary stuff for us diesel enthusiasts.
VW Dealer in town just listed brand new 2015 VW Jetta diesels on the lot 0km, still in plastic!
So you'll never know until fat lady sings.
In the commercial trucking business has HUGE organized lobby in Washington - as compared to NO organized lobby for diesel passenger vehicles.
If I was in your place - there is a case to be made for finding a Top Value in Mercedes Certified - heck the most recent "good one" that hit my deak as a example - 2013 with 25K miles - like $45K and add extended CPO on top and be happy for less..
I've got a 350d on order, but I suspect it'll be the last diesel I own.
Several 'large' cities are already banning diesels. Euro 3's are banned already (yes, also to inhabitants of said city) unless you pay a lot extra*
Euro 4's are up come january. 5's the year ater
* Because everyone knows that a car (or any other target of choice) that is environmentally damaging because it emits 'x' amount of 'y' compounds suddenly becomes linearly more environmentally friendly as taxes are raised by 'z' exponentially.
He said they're working on certification for the 2018's (didn't have an estimated time on when that would be)
I suspect the 2017 GLS350d models that are all built and sitting in a warehouse will be sold as used cars.
Porsche announced yesterday that they are doing this with the diesel Cayennes. They will put them up for sale as used cars, therefore not needing to certify them for sale as new. They will be sold "as-is" and used, but will presumably have all the plastic on them still as if they are brand new. Not sure if they have a requirement to put a certain mileage on them to consider them used but I'd assume it is a low number (ie. they have to put 200-500km on them otherwise they're considered new?)
I am an owner of a 2007 Gl320 with 300,000km and I have my eyeball on a new GLS diesel.
I'm saving my $ and hoping this fall or early winter there will be a pile of discounted "used" GLS350d hitting the market.
Benz are introducing the new I6's in the S pretty soon. This engine will undoubtedly find its way into the GLS, maybe even as soon as the 2019 model (at that point the introduction of the X166 body successor won't be far away either). However, there are some pretty radical changes to those engines, like no more 12V grid but 48V instead, and there's even talk of electrically powered (pre?) turbo's
Depending on when this engine surfaces, I don't know if MB is going to be willing to jump through a bunch of hoops to certify the 'old' engine if they're only going to be using it for one more MY.
But who knows !
Pete







