Equipped with its standard - specification Off-Road Pro Engineering package the GL-Class Grand Edition can always find a way even when there is none: take, for instance, the Hill-Start Assist, which helps you to make progress on an incline, or the off-road ABS, which reduces braking distance on downhill gradients, particularly when driving on loose surfaces. It manages to do this because it is fitted with six piece underbody panelling made of strong plastic, and this offers good protection when driving in off-road terrain. Together with the reinforced front underguard made of steel, the underbody panelling ensures that the off-roader remains robust when the going gets tough.

The modified AIRMATIC facilitates ground clearance of 307 mm in the highest off-road mode, as well as a fording depth of 600 mm, even making light work of stream crossings and rocky stretches. The GL-Class Grand Edition mainly has its front double-wishbone suspension and its four-link rear suspension to thank for its special off-road capability.

The isolated design of the subframes prevents and jolts from being transferred via the vehicle’s body. The upshot is that rough terrain will be virtually imperceptible to you and your passengers, who can be sure of a comfortable ride. Also playing a major role in the special driving experience the GL-Class Grand Edition has to offer are the 4ETS and the two-speed, low-range transfer case, which not only ensure that the necessary grip is there when you need it in difficult conditions – they also increase those all important safety levels.

As does the Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR), which can be used to select different maximum speeds on steep downhill stretches. The two-speed, low-range transfer case has a major contribution to make in ensuring that you feel just as at home off the beaten track in the GL-Class Grand Edition as you do when you’re driving on even road: thanks to the change over function from a higher on-road to a lower off-road ratio. This low-range gear brings you more power and improved traction on unsurfaced roads, making it easier to climb uphill gradients – and also to pull heavy loads.

In off-road operation, the electronic driving dynamics systems ESP®/4ETS adapts itself to meet the particular challenges it encounters in difficult terrain, for instance by reprogramming the timing for brake actuations at the wheels and raising the 7G-TRONIC’s shift points, seeing to it that the GL-Class Grand Edition positively glides up hill and down dale with no problem at all.