Benz and the City: The new trendsetter

The Mercedes-Benz GLK, the fashion-forward and truly sexy Benz, made its first public appearance in the Sex and the City movie last year. It was the white SUV driven by Kim Cattrall’s Samantha Jones character.

I was told that since this Benz had not been seen anywhere else in the world at the time (it was launched in the US on Jan. 5), the vehicle had to travel to the US cloaked in secrecy.

So top secret was the arrival of the GLK in the US for the movie that it had to be accompanied by a designated Mercedes-Benz representative from Germany. The key, which opened a tamper-proof container holding the car, was locked away in a safe place and only accessible to one security person.

The GLK arrived in Long Beach, California, for the shooting of the scene with Samantha on Rodeo Drive days before the actual shoot, and was kept secret until the cast and crew were ready.

After the shoot, the same security personnel locked the GLK back in its container for its trip back to Germany.

To protect the car as much as possible, the shoot was scheduled for 6 a.m. on a Sunday morning on Rodeo Drive. But, despite their best efforts, the media got wind of the GLK.

“The K in GLK stands for Kim,” said Cattrall in a TV interview. “The Benz is the perfect SUV for Samantha — because the car is very smooth, just like the character that I am known for.”

Cats Brings GLK To Manila

The GLK significantly raises the bar in the compact off-road luxury segment,” said Felix Ang, president of CATS Motors Inc., at the launch of the MB GLK in the Mercedes-Benz Showroom, Bonifacio Global City.  

It boasts of everything that is typical of a Mercedes-Benz — avant-garde design, quality, safety, and top engineering.”

And how.

It’s spacious. It’s powerful. It drives really well. It looks great. It is roomy. Everything is within easy reach. It’s got the muscle I look for in an SUV. I felt really safe wrapped inside it.

Yet, it has all the little extras that I look for when I drive a car. Control knobs a short reach away. Enough space between the driver and the front-seat passenger (which I really appreciate because I like my space), Bluetooth connectivity for my Nokia 5800 Xpress music cell phone, a dock for the iPod and a great CD player. It was designed with the owner as the driver because the DVD video player screen fades when the car is in motion. Talk about safety.

Here’s my little adventure.

When I got behind the wheel of the GLK350 and took it for a drive from Manila to Pangasinan, passing through the smaller towns of Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and Dagupan, then taking a side trip to Manaoag, I fell in love with the GLK.

The GLK350’s charm starts with the power of what lies under its hood — the GL-class aesthetics, the C-class chassis, the 268-horsepower, 3.5-liter engine and seven-speed transmission. The GLK has such understated elegance that it is truly classy and classic. If there is one thing I did not like in the GLK (or any other Benz, for that matter) it’s the giant Benz signature emblem on the front grill. But for MB, the emblem is a sign of pride the company has in its vehicles. In order to fall all the way for the GLK, you have to see it in person. It really looks better than any photo I have seen of it.

This new, mid-sized GLK was developed as the SUV for MB’s C-class (sedan) 4Matic. Although once you step into the GLK you enter an SUV, this is where the difference between the C-class and the GLK is felt — in the driver’s seat. The GLK has been made for rough riding, and then some.

The Benz SUV is even more special because it brings back memories of the older Benzes, although the interiors and trimmings are all very modern, the dashboard and upright seatbacks are just like the 4x4s from the past.

I enjoy taking long drives to nowhere — it’s great to experience a “destination unknown” feeling once in a while. And it was during the long ride that the GLK became my best friend.

Relaxing and refreshing are two words that come to mind with this baby. The ride was first-class and smooth all throughout. The long travel and well-matched spring rates ensure a first-class ride, both around town and at higher speeds out on the open road.

The 3.5-liter V-6 provided lots of power to the driving. I loved the control I had over the GLK on the winding roads, never at any point feeling that the car would spin out on me.

Back In The City

Before I made my way back to Metro Manila, I stopped at one of the parking lots and took a good look at what the interiors of the GLK had to offer.

The rear seats fold flat in a 60/40 split, without having to adjust the seat bottoms first. I sat on the rear seat to get a passenger feel of the car — and I know the seat would be perfect for a nap during the long ride. The rear trunk area is wide enough to fit lots of shopping bags. Yep, even a few suitcases and lots of snacks for that out-of-town trip. I needed the snacks because once I started driving, I just didn’t want to stop.

I stepped out of the car and gave the GLK a once over. The body is so well-proportioned it reminded me of hunk Piolo Pascual on the Bench billboard. You know, a really great body, the perfect face and the most expressive eyes.

The GLK is just like one handsome hunk (length: 4,528 mm, width: 1,840 mm, height: 1,689 mm), made perfect both inside and out. Benz has combined the classic angular shape of a Benz and the typical design features found in all contemporary Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. Rather than just being a fashionista SUV, the GLK is designed to make driving on any road smooth in Benz fashion.

Even if I am not tall, I always felt in full control of the GLK because of the great view I had of the road thanks to the raised seating position. The driver’s seat, which is the best in the car, kept me in control (of my temper in spite of the irritating cars trying to muscle their way into the tiniest of spaces), comfy and cool-headed, even in the one-hour traffic I had to drive through in the C5 area.

Beauty Even From Behind

The rear of the GLK is a little more round and the result is a perfectly shaped SUV. Not too round that it gives the look of an SUV of the future, and neither too square-ish that it makes the car appear all muscle-bound. The stainless-steel load sill guard near the trunk helps protect the painted bumper from damage when loading the vehicle.

Hereabouts, GLK customers can specify either an all-black interior or an interior in black with contrasting alpaca gray or almond beige. In the latter case, the seats, armrests, door pockets with built-in speakers and the lower section of the dashboard are finished in a lighter color, as is the carpet if almond beige is specified. An even more striking contrast is provided by the Sahara beige color that is available for the optional leather appointments: here, just the seats and armrests stand out with their light-colored finish in the otherwise black interior.

The worldwide media response to initial GLK-Class test drives was also very positive. During a three-week driving presentation on all types of terrain in July, a total of 600 international media representatives were able to experience for themselves the superior driving quality offered by the model series. Because of its agility control chassis, the GLK boasts excellent handling and safety combined with outstanding driving comfort. In addition, the model’s variable 4Matic all-wheel drive system and electronic stability control ensure perfect on-road performance, and reliability in off-road applications.

The GLK-Class is equipped with a passive safety system, excellent interior comfort and low noise. Mercedes-Benz is also making available, for the first time in this vehicle class, state-of-the-art systems such as the Pre Safe Safety Package and the ILS (intelligent light system).

“As we introduce the all-new Mercedes Benz GLK, the Mercedes Benz SUV family is now even wider,” added Zanetta Lee, regional manager, Daimler South East Asia. “The exciting lineup includes the M-Class, the R-Class, the GL-Class, and the G-Class. There is now a Mercedes Benz for every type of discriminating customer in the market.”

Tested with the most extreme temperatures by Mercedes-Benz’s highly-rated test program, which covers testing sites from Africa’s intensely hot, rocky terrain and urban road floods to the Arctic Circle’s frozen and slippery ground, the all-new GLK meets all requirements for a true SUV both off-road and on-road.

Aside from its bold design, the GLK boasts outstanding driving safety, performance, fuel efficiency, and exceptional riding comfort with its agility control suspension and ergonomic interior design.

“Braving 2009, we clearly see opportunity in a growing interest in luxury compact SUVs,” said Greg Yu, chairman, CATS Motors Inc. “The character and class of the all-new GLK was inspired by the legendary G-Class, a style icon that has been a benchmark in SUV design for the past 30 years. We will continue providing the best products with the best service being associated with the world’s most preferred luxury automobile.”

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For more information on the new Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class, call Mercedes Benz Global City at 815-7777, Mercedes-Benz Greenhills at 723-5808, or visit www.mercedes-benz.com.ph.