The company has shown a first set of interior sketches of the all-New Mercedes GLE. The SUV will be unveiled at the upcoming Paris Motor show 2018. The GLE’s interior features twin digital displays for the instruments and infotainment functions. But unlike the free-standing units that are in the new A-class, current-gen E-class, New G-Class and the facelifted S-class, the digital panel in this car is mounted below the upper section of the dashboard. Interior design boss, Hartmut Sinkwitz, said this provides a more integrated appearance. “We wanted to integrate the panel more seamlessly. It provides a greater feeling of sturdiness,” said Sinkwitz.
Sinkwitz said that improvements in cooling have allowed Mercedes to better integrate the digital instrument and infotainment panel: “We’ve improved the operation. There’s less heat build-up than we had before.” The new SUV is built on the carmaker’s Modular High Architecture (MHA) platform, which is based on the Modular Rear Architecture (MRA) platform which has spawned cars like the C-class, E-class and S-class. The new structure has been conceived for Mercedes models featuring a high ground clearance.
The new GLE will compete with the recently unveiled BMW X5 and the Audi Q7 SUVs globally.