A new Mercedes-Benz is on course to join the firm’s SUV range later this year as the German carmaker prepares for a product offensive.
Dubbed the GLB, the new model will be positioned below the company’s mid-size GLC SUV and act as a “more spacious alternative”, according to Auto Express.
Mercedes is remaining tight-lipped about the GLB’s design but the magazine says that a development version of the car (in near-production form) has been caught on camera by spy photographers on several occasions. This suggests a release isn’t far off.
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The lightly camouflaged development vehicles are notably smaller than the current GLC SUV and instead of the sleek lines of the GLA, have a boxier silhouette.
At the back, the GLB has a flatter tailgate than the entry-level GLA. This has bolstered rumours that the new car will be about practicality.
Other models in the Mercedes-Benz pipeline are a new CLA four-door coupe and an all-electric EQC SUV.
In the meantime, here’s everything we know about the German carmaker’s next crossover:
When does it come out?
Auto Express predicts that the car will make its public debut this summer, before heading to UK showrooms towards the end of the year.
How much will it cost?
Given that the current GLA and GLC cost £25,105 and £37,340 respectively, expect the GLB to be priced somewhere in between. The exact price will be announced closer to the car’s launch this summer.
Will there be an electric model?
Apparently so. Company insiders told Autocar that the electric model, which is called the EQB, will be based on the upcoming GLB’s production platform and offer an all-electric range of 310 miles.
Although the EV will be mechanically similar to its combustion-engine sibling, the EQC is rumoured to feature “uniquely styled front and rear ends”, the magazine says. It will also sport a new wheel design, aimed at reducing drag in order to help eke out more miles from the battery.
The electric model is expected to go on sale in the UK in 2021.
What engines does the GLB cars come with?
Buyers who opt for the combustion-engine GLB will be able to choose between a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol motor and a 1.5-litre turbo diesel alternative, says automotive news site Motor1.
A performance-focused AMG variant is also expected to join the line-up. It will probably have the same 302bhp 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine as the recent AMG A35 hatchback, says the website.