Mercedes Benz Introducing Petrol Engines in India Across Portfolio

Mercedes-Benz GLS 350d Launched in India

Mercedes Benz introducing petrol engines to the diesel-only GLE and GLS in September to tackle the Delhi-NCR ban

The diesel ban in Delhi, NCR and Kerala has directly affected the sales of several automakers. Mercedes Benz is at the forefront of them. The German luxury car maker has a strong customer base in national capital region. But due to the ban on 2000 cc and larger diesel engines the company has suffered majorly. Now to tackle the diesel ban the company plans to introduce petrol engines.

In the present Indian lineup of the Mercedes Benz, the GLE and the GLS come powered by diesel engines only. Both these cars are expected to receive petrol engines later this September. It will enable both these cars to be sold in Delhi and NCR as well as in Kerala also. Mercedes Benz is clearly unhappy with the diesel ban. It thinks introducing petrol engines will take back the company where it was a decade ago in the country.

Mercedes-benz GLE launched in India-2

Also read: Mercedes-Benz GLE Launched In India, Priced from Rs.59.9 Lakhs [Update]

Both the petrol run GLE and GLS SUVs are expected to don the ‘400’ badge, when they get launched two months later. Both the car will share the petrol engines with the S400 luxury sedan. In that case the GLE 400 and GLS 400 would get power from a 3.0 litre V6 petrol engine. A 7 speed automatic gearbox will do the transmission duty in these cars.

 

The outgoing diesel versions of the GLE and GLS get power from a 3.0 litre V6 diesel engine churning out 258 hp of peak power and 620 Nm of peak torque. Both the SUVs get a ‘350 d’ badge on the nomenclature. Added to the V6 engine the GLE comes drawing power from a smaller engine also. This unit is a 2.1 litre four cylinder diesel motor kicking out 204 hp of peak power and 500 Nm of peak torque. The smaller engine powered GLE gets a ‘250 d’ badge.

Also read: Mercedes-Benz GLS 350d Launched in India; Priced at Rs. 80.38 Lakh

Mercedes-benz GLE launched in India-17

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However, the upcoming petrol powered GLE 400 and GLS 400 will come churning out 333 hp of peak power and 480 Nm of peak torque. Although the petrol engines will surely attract the customers, as the premium cars are always sold better with petrol motors. But the massive reduction of torque will surely take away some charm from these cars.

Source: Autocar India