When you want to cruise around Las Vegas in style, you’d be hard pressed to choose a better vehicle than a Mercedes-Benz. The advantage of gliding down The Strip in a 2013 GL350 BlueTEC is you get to look down on all of those lesser, dirtier drivers on Las Vegas Blvd.
This reporter is in the midst of a three-part series on taking your parents to Las Vegas. Essentially, that’s a cute concept for exploring the classier, luxury side of the raucous desert. You can’t head out to write a story like that driving some domestic hatchback. You need space. You need comfort. You need class. Enter the week-long cross-state test drive of the GL350.
Picking up the vehicle in Los Angeles, I headed through the Mojave via I-15 in a proud black edition of the luxury, full size SUV. It’s the rarest of such vehicles – blending brute power and size with sophisticated technology and accommodations.
As it arrived in fabulous Las Vegas, the GJ350’s traditional, stately lines called attention to the driver’s taste and civility – while the elevated driving position couldn’t help but make everyone in the vehicle feel a wee bit superior.
Starting around $62,400, this GL350 offers a 3.0L BlueTEC turbodiesel V-6 engine that produces 240 horsepower. That might not seem like enough to power a vehicle with a curb weight of more than 5,000 lbs. But, the diesel propels all of that brawn with ease.
Of course, I know that the mention of the word “diesel” in any form intimidates many American buyers – and that gives me yet another opportunity to preach the “D Word” gospel.
Diesel engines of ages past were noisy and were difficult to start in cold weather. But, the advantages of diesel engines are numerous, and most American drivers have no clue about the upsides. Such power plants are more efficient than standard engines, improving mileage and overall energy output. They’re more reliable because they don’t need a high powered electrical ignition system. They run cooler, cleaner and longer – all while being easier to supercharge.
I could go into some of the details of why all that’s true, but you’d be bored. Just trust me. Diesel is your friend.
When you add the Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC engineering to the equation, that friend will save you money and keep your tailpipe cleaner. For the uninitiated, BlueTEC engines are equipped with NOx (nitrogen oxide) reducing ability for emissions control in diesel vehicles. Using a fuel additive called AdBlue, BlueTEC essentially scrubs the diesel exhaust. The AdBlue fuel must be added every 15,000 to 20,000 miles at a considerable cost over simple diesel fuel. But, if you want to save the planet, you’ve got to pay the price.
Beyond its BlueTEC wizardry, the GL350 is a symphony of technology. Standard features and options include 4MATIC all-wheel drive, 4-wheel Electronic Traction System, AIRMATIC air suspension, Adaptive Damping System (ADS), Active Curb System, Overhead Camera, Rear Camera, a collision avoidance system and adaptive cruise control.
Due to the elite engineering and superb balance infused into the GL350, the SUB drives like a much smaller vehicle. Whereas many Mercedes-Benz rides get an unfair reputation for a “heavy feel” in some of their vehicles. Strangely enough, with the GL350 serving amongst the German automaker’s heaviest consumer vehicles, it never feels as lumbering as you might expect.
With its surprisingly elegant drive feel and its no expense spared interior atmosphere, the GL350 BlueTEC is the perfect choice for long road trips in style – in or out of Las Vegas.
