How the Mercedes-Benz W 166 M-Class grew into the GLE

The Mercedes-Benz W 166 was the third generation of the M-Class, the sport utility vehicle that reached European showrooms on 19 November 2011. It was built in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, replaced the W 164, and became the GLE when the autumn 2015 facelift arrived. Engines ran from a 3.5-litre V6 up to a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8.

Where did the W 166 come from?

The W 166 replaced the W 164 as the third generation of the M-Class. Mercedes-Benz built it at its Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama and first showed it at the 64th IAA in Frankfurt in 2011. The American launch came first, with the ML on sale there at the end of September, before the European debut.

Buyers paid from 54,978 euros for the ML 250 BlueTEC 4MATIC at launch. Three engines were offered when the car went on sale in November 2011: a petrol V6 and two diesels, one of them the first four-cylinder in the range.

A third-generation SUV that carried the M-Class badge until a 2015 facelift turned it into the GLE.

How did the W 166 look?

The W 166 kept the special C-pillar shape and the basic form of the earlier M-Class. Its front received slightly reworked headlights and radiator grille, plus LED daytime running strips set in larger side intakes. Short overhangs and a roofline that falls towards the rear shape its profile.

Beads and edges run along the flanks, and the wheel arches are less flared than before. The rear side window flows into the rear without a visible pillar. Horizontal LED tail lights reach far into the sides, while the rear bumper gains integrated loading edge protection in chrome look and the spoiler stays.

What changed inside the third-generation M-Class?

The interior changed more than the exterior. A large trim element runs across the dashboard and into the doors, and the 14.7 cm central display, surrounded by air vents, now sits in the top of the dashboard. The four-spoke steering wheel was revised only slightly, and the instrument cluster keeps its two round dials.

Radio and navigation are both run from one central rotary-push knob.

What came as standard on the W 166?

Standard equipment included traction control, anti-lock brakes, brake assist and driving dynamics control, along with the 7-speed 7G-Tronic Plus automatic with start-stop. Every model had permanent 4MATIC all-wheel drive, a 4ETS electronic traction system and a downhill assist as standard in each case.

Safety equipment leaned heavily on airbags: eleven in total, among them a knee airbag for the driver. Pre-Safe occupant protection was fitted, along with a bonnet that lifts in a collision, and a fatigue warning called Attention Assist watches for drowsiness. Diesel models carried a particulate filter and a urea-based exhaust system that could meet the Euro 6 standard.

Base models ran 17-inch alloy wheels with 10 spokes on the diesels, while the ML 350 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY stepped up to 18-inch rims. The headlamps were H7 clear-glass halogen units with projector technology, LED daytime running lights came as standard, and part of the upholstery was artificial leather. The rear window could be heated, and the audio system brought Bluetooth with hands-free calling, an Aux-in socket in the centre console and eight speakers.

Which options and special editions could buyers add?

Buyers could add Airmatic air suspension with adaptive damping, plus the Active Curve System that cuts body roll. Night vision help, active parking assistance and Keyless-Go locking were also on the list. The Comand Online multimedia system with a 17.8 cm 3D screen and a Harman Kardon Logic 7 sound system with 14 speakers were also offered.

Packages included ON&OFFROAD, which offers selectable driving programs and lockable differential locks on the centre differential, a Sport interior package with sports seats, and an AMG Sport exterior package with 5-spoke alloy wheels and larger, vented brake discs.

Seat heating could be specified for the front and rear seats, while seat climate control with ventilation was limited to the front seats. Edition 1 combined the AMG exterior package with designo leather and Nappa leather for the dashboard, doors and centre console. Metallic paint and ambient lighting came with it, and the steering wheel was trimmed in wood and leather. The Sport Edition, by contrast, paired the AMG exterior with Comand Online and a towing device with electric release.

How much power did the W 166 engines make?

The ML 350 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY used a 3.5-litre naturally aspirated V6 with third-generation jet-guided direct injection. It produced 225 kW (306 PS; 302 hp) and consumed 8.5 l/100 km (33.2 mpg-imp; 27.7 mpg-US). It was the petrol option in the launch range.

The ML 250 BlueTEC paired a 2.1-litre twin-turbo inline four-cylinder diesel with 150 kW (204 PS; 201 hp), returning 6 l/100 km (47.1 mpg-imp; 39.2 mpg-US). That consumption figure is described as making it the most economical SUV in its class. The ML 350 BlueTEC used a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 diesel, OM 642 LS, rated at 190 kW (258 PS; 254 hp).

Engine names follow the Mercedes-Benz code: M 276 for the V6 petrol, OM 651 for the four-cylinder diesel and OM 642 LS for the stronger diesel V6. Cruise control, parameter steering and an off-road driving program came across the range.

Did the M-Class get a V8?

The M-Class did get a V8, although Mercedes-Benz had initially said the M-Class would no longer be offered with an eight-cylinder petrol engine in Europe. The ML 500 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY arrived in October 2012. Its 4.7-litre V8 uses two turbochargers and produces 300 kW (408 PS; 402 hp).

The ML 500 had already appeared in Canada and the USA in February 2012. The top model of the 166 series, the ML 63 AMG, uses a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 rated at 386 kW (525 PS; 518 hp), or 410 kW (557 PS; 549 hp) once the AMG Performance Package is fitted. It reached Canada in February 2012, with the European launch following in April, and carried the Active Curve System as standard.

Why did the ML become the GLE?

The autumn 2015 facelift renamed the ML the GLE and changed the engine designations. The New York Auto Show was the GLE's debut venue, and deliveries started in August 2015. For the first time it could be ordered with rear-wheel drive.

The rename came in the same update that changed the engine labels, so the new name and the new designations arrived together. The entry price fell to 53,967 euros with the GLE 250 d. Engine codes follow a fixed system: M marks a petrol engine, OM an oil engine (diesel), and DE direct injection.

How many W 166 models were sold?

Worldwide sales reached 115,608 vehicles in 2012, the first full sales year after the November 2011 launch, and 120,695 in 2013, the second. Both totals cover full sales years.

Mercedes-Benz W 166 specifications

Was the W 166 sold under the GLE name?

Only after the autumn 2015 facelift. The model was renamed GLE, its engine designations changed, and rear-wheel drive became available for the first time. The name change brought a new entry price of 53,967 euros for the GLE 250 d.