GLK on UK roads
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ClassicMercs

Original Poster:

1,703 posts

210 months

Saturday 1st January 2011
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Took the wifes car down to Shorpe late last week for its service and passed a GLK somewhere near the Humber Bridge.

I was too busy making sure I hadn't seen a mirage that I missed the plates - but I'm sure it was UK registered. Being near Hull though there is a chance it could have been a visiter over on the ferry.

Has anyone else seen a UK registered import ?

I don't know why they are not for sale here - everyone else has a similar model. But maybe that's the answer - the sector is saturated. Give me a proper G Wagen any day - as long as its not too rusty and worn out.

steve_amv8

1,918 posts

239 months

Monday 3rd January 2011
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I seem to recall MB saying it was too costly to re-engineer the GLK from left to right hand drive, hence it wasn't coming to the UK as it wouldn't be profitable. It is based on the C-class platform but with 4-matic permanent 4 wheel drive.

Not sure that has changed so my best guess would be a LHD car re-registered in the UK? That said, I did find a comment in an Autocar review of the LHD GLK 320CDI suggesting it might yet appear in the UK in 2011 ....

"The new mid-sized SUV sits on modified underpinnings from the company’s C-class 4Matic, and just like that car, the GLK has not been engineered for right hand drive and will not be sold in the UK. At least, not until 2011 when the German car maker says it plans to launch a right-hand drive version following what officials describe as “a major modification to the four-wheel drive system and a repositioning of the steering rack”



As a slight topic deviation, this GLK is pure madness!

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/merc-glk-2009-1...


mickyveloce

1,035 posts

265 months

Monday 3rd January 2011
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The Brabus isn`t really my kind of thing , but I had a good look at the GLK last year at the factoy in Stuttgart ; they`re a lovely machine , just the right size ,very handsome and well made .

steve_amv8

1,918 posts

239 months

Monday 3rd January 2011
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mickyveloce said:
The Brabus isn`t really my kind of thing
I just find myself wondering what sort of person thinks "what if we pull out the little engine and shove in a V12?" !!

We had a good look around on in Tampa, back in December 2008. I think they had only just been released at the time and the local MB dealer had one on their stand at a boat show. We were pretty impressed by what we saw and I would have thought it would fit well in the X3 / Q5 type of market. The current C-class interior is pretty reasonable, particularly if you move away from the "all black" look to a nice mix of colours.

mickyveloce

1,035 posts

265 months

Monday 3rd January 2011
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It`s just the OTT bodykit I`m not keen on - I`d love a GLK63 though!(have I just invented that?!)

Who knows - when fuel prices and economic gloom leave ML`s and GL`s in the showrooms , Mercedes may re-think their decision to give us a RHD car . Hope so.

Teebs

5,734 posts

244 months

Monday 3rd January 2011
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ClassicMercs said:
Took the wifes car down to Shorpe late last week for its service and passed a GLK somewhere near the Humber Bridge.

I was too busy making sure I hadn't seen a mirage that I missed the plates - but I'm sure it was UK registered. Being near Hull though there is a chance it could have been a visiter over on the ferry.

Has anyone else seen a UK registered import ?

I don't know why they are not for sale here - everyone else has a similar model. But maybe that's the answer - the sector is saturated. Give me a proper G Wagen any day - as long as its not too rusty and worn out.
There was a German registered one coming out of Scarborough on Wednesday (I think) last week. I would take a guess it was the same one that you saw.

BigBen

12,155 posts

259 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
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I saw a Red German registered one today near Cambridge but driven by an English chap.

anonymous-user

83 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
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Saw a Black GLK Swiss plates on the M40 few weeks back, looked very nice indeed!!!

va1o

16,111 posts

236 months

Friday 13th July 2012
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It is a shame they don't have a RHD version to sell over here as it'd be a good competitor to the Audi Q5 and BMW X3.

anonymous-user

83 months

Thursday 19th July 2012
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va1o said:
It is a shame they don't have a RHD version to sell over here as it'd be a good competitor to the Audi Q5 and BMW X3.
My thoughts exactly, wonder why they are holding it back?

anonymous-user

83 months

Thursday 19th July 2012
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jsd14 said:
My thoughts exactly, wonder why they are holding it back?
Apparently too expensive to re-arrange the steering rack and other mechanical bits from LHD to RHD, same reason we don't currently get other 4Matic cars like the C-Class and E-Class they get in LHD - IIRC it's easier to convert the M and GL Class as they are bigger and there's more space under the hood to rearrange the necessary bits and pieces (technical term wink).

ucb

1,111 posts

241 months

Friday 20th July 2012
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I had heard that re-engineering the smaller Merc variants (C-class, GLK, and others based around the same running gear components) meant that a RHD steering rack would not clear the gearbox and extra front driveshafts.
I'm also certain cost had a lot to do with it!

lombardo8

105 posts

175 months

Thursday 2nd August 2012
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I saw a RHD GLK with French plates on the A13 last Saturday. I thought it was just a normal GLK but my passenger (not into cars) then says he didnt realise they drove RHD cars in france and thats when I realised.

I even drove in front of the GLK and looked in my rear view mirror to be sure of where the driver was sitting and that I wasnt dreaming.

RedWhiteMonkey

9,065 posts

211 months

Thursday 2nd August 2012
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lombardo8 said:
I saw a RHD GLK with French plates on the A13 last Saturday. I thought it was just a normal GLK but my passenger (not into cars) then says he didnt realise they drove RHD cars in france and thats when I realised.

I even drove in front of the GLK and looked in my rear view mirror to be sure of where the driver was sitting and that I wasnt dreaming.
Don’t know how much truth there is in the rumour but it has been suggested that a right hand drive version will be introduced with the facelift of the model. You might have seen a test car.

Deva Link

26,934 posts

274 months

Thursday 2nd August 2012
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RedWhiteMonkey said:
Don’t know how much truth there is in the rumour but it has been suggested that a right hand drive version will be introduced with the facelift of the model. You might have seen a test car.
Well, there was a rumour about that, but the 2013 facelift version is already out.

MB have said the next GLK, in 2015, which is already being tested, will have a RHD version. It's not just the UK, of course, they've recognised they're missing several big SUV markets by not having RHD.

Even though I'm currently a Merc owner and I do fancy a mid-size SUV, I do think the GLK is pretty ugly so not sure I'd go for one anyway. I will be interested to see how the engineer the AWD - it'll be a potential disaster if they do a bodge job.

MURRAY007

530 posts

224 months

Friday 3rd August 2012
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Mercedes Have stated that from this year, all new cars will be produced in RHD & LHD.
(not sure if this includeds facelifts)
so when the new GLK comes out it will be avaiable both left & right hand drive.

anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 3rd August 2012
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Where does the current GLK sit in terms of pricing in comparison to the rest of the MB range?