This is the first official picture of the all-new Mercedes GL-Class SUV, which is expected to debut at the New York auto show later this week.
Forget the rough-and-ready GelandeWagen tag - the new seven-seater GL adds Grande Luxe to its resume, with M-Class running gear under a smoothly curved body that says “crossover” rather than “cross-country”.
There's a lot of M-Class luxury inside the cabin as well, with full leather, polished veneer and metallic trim. The show car, seen here, also has an AMG go-fast package featuring deeper bumpers, LED foglights and special rims.
Expect to see the new GL with either a 190kW, three-litre V6 turbodiesel or a 300kW, 4.7-litre V8 petrol-burner, each driving all four wheels through a seven-speed auto tranny.
BOTOXED X1
And then there's the first official photo of the facelifted BMW X1, just one day ahead of its world debut at the New York auto show - and it really is a case of botox, rather than nip-and-tuck.
The kidney grille is a little larger, the new bumper with silver inserts a little more aggressive and the interior layout of the headlight clusters is different, although they will still fit in the same holes.
The mirror housings a bit more streamlined and the side sills boast new silver trim.
You'll note that all the changes are to bolt-on components, so that they can be introduced on the assembly line as and when the new parts become available without upsetting production flow.
It's much the same story inside, with no more than detail changes to the centre console and fascia trim, while new rim styles and fresh paint colours complete the look.
BMW SA said they weren't allowed to tell us until tomorrow when the 'new' X1 would reach South Africa - full details then!