Breaking: 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLS500 Will Come with 4.0T V8

If you have been following our articles, you may have already seen the newest V8 engine from Mercedes-Benz: the M177/178 with 4.0L displacement and twin-turbochargers, which currently is only available on the AMG models (the AMG GT and also the W205 C63 AMG). However, Mercedes-Benz has decided to gradually phase out the aging M278 4.7L turbo V8 with this new M177/178 V8, and the first non-AMG model that receives this treatment is the 2016 GLS500 (not sold in US).

According to Mercedes-Benz, the 2016 model year GLS500 (the previous GL500) will use a detuned version of the M177 engine, which output is rated at 421 ps and 443 lb-ft (600 Nm) of torque, mated to the 7-speed automatic transmission with 4Matic all-wheel-drive system.

Compared to the current 2015 GL500, the output of the new 4.0T V8 is actually downgraded. For your reference, the current GL500’s 4.7L V8 can deliver 435 ps and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque. Therefore, the new GLS500’s output is 14ps and 100 Nm less than the current GL550.

Because of the weaker power, the 2016 GLS500’s performance is worse than the current GL500. For example, the 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) time of the GLS500 has dropped from the GL500’s 5.7 seconds down to 5.9 seconds.

Currently the 2016 GLS500 is already for sale in the Chinese market, its price is the same as the previous GL500. In China, its MSRP is RMB 1,598,000.

In fact, the GL500 in the European/Asia market is exactly the GL550 we are seeing here in the US. Therefore it is also quite possible that the upcoming US-market 2016 GLS550, will also carry this same change by using the new 4.0T V8 with less output.

We will keep you updated once we hear any news about the 2016 GLS class.