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It’s been quite a while since I last took a car for a test drive, what with the irregular hours of Ramadan and going on my summer holiday.
What better way to get back into the groove than taking the new Mercedes GLS out for a spin? Such a peculiar beast this is too; an absolute behemoth with tyres that could belong on a tractor, but somehow is the most elegant, luxurious and smooth vehicle at the same time.
It’s like a ferocious tiger with razor-sharp fangs, but makes sure every hair on its main is carefully combed and shiny before it unleashes its fury.
The GLS is currently touring around the Middle East, with this stop in the kingdom being at Seef Mall Muharraq, allowing for a scenic trundle around Arad Fort.
The exterior looks like many other of the GLS’ rivals, with its sleek accentuated body and sharp lines punctured by new lighting modules at the front and rear. The most striking element is the tyres though … huge chunks of rubber snugly moulded around 21-inch rims that pictures don’t do justice.
I, for one, wouldn’t like to blow a tyre on the highway and have to try and lift the spare out of the boot!
The interior is what truly sets this model apart though. It’s a little bit special, with its seven-seater layout that provides as much space in the third row as there is in the front. If you need luggage space, the back row power-folds all the way down, or if you have a smaller family then the second row can recline backwards considerably to give them even more room.
Just in case sunlight isn’t readily available enough in the current climate, there’s a full panoramic roof too.
It was when I settled down in the driver’s seat that I began to fall in love with this car. I occasionally suffer from lower back pain, especially after long days spent typing in the office (big guffaw from The Editor), so to have an option to put the chair in massage mode whilst driving along was awesome.
Literally, just two pushes of a button and the lumbar support was rolling up and down my spine and pushing out on pressure points. It was glorious.
The design interface was alien to me at first, with a touch-sensitive mouse as opposed to buttons or a touch screen (although there is a crystal-clear eight-inch screen to display menus). However, I soon got used to it and was able to flick through various media options (Bluetooth, USB, radio) and also through driving modes.
There’s the usual Sport, Comfort and Slippery modes that do what they say on the tin. But there’s a new one on offer here: Custom. With this mode activated, the car studies how you drive for one month, in regards to acceleration, braking and gear shifting, and adapts to how you drive accordingly after that time.
For the purpose of this short trip, though, I put the car in Sport mode, as is the wont of every young male behind the wheel of a brand such as Mercedes, and put the 449BHP, V8 engine through its paces. It purred along nicely and the throttle was very responsive.
Although my time with the car was short-lived, I was thrilled with the experience. This is the very definition of luxury, with its stitched leather and open wood panelling. It performs beautifully, too.
The Mercedes GLS is available from BD47,300 from the Al Haddad Showroom in Tubli. For more details, call 17785454.
