| Production car unveiling | Beijing Motor Show | Mercedes-Benz GLK |

Visitors to the Beijing motor show are the first to see Mercedes' new small SUV that is a rival to the BMW X3 and the Audi Q5 - the latter also making its world debut at the Chinese show. Called the GLK, the Merc SUV hits European showrooms from October this year.

However, UK buyers will have to wait considerably longer, as design problems have made it much trickier to build right-hand drive versions of the GLK. The difficulty centres on the steering column of right-hand drive models being obstructed by the engine and its ancillaries.

To make a right-hand drive GLK requires a great deal of re-engineering, which some inside Mercedes estimate will cost 70 million Euros. This could make a right-hand drive, all-wheel drive GLK too expensive to produce.

Mercedes does have a solution in the form of a rear-wheel drive-only GLK that is set to be launched in 2009. Insiders at Mercedes say most customers will be happy with a rear drive GLK, but as the car has been designed as a four-wheel drive SUV Mercedes would not be happy with a compromised vehicle.

European customers can further enhance the GLK's four-wheel drive credentials with an off-road pack that adds Merc's version of hill descent control, called Downhill Speed Regulation. This model also comes with an off-road programme for the ESP, remapped throttle settings for greater sensitivity, and reworked automatic gearbox shift points.

The GLK borrows much of its style and attitude from its GL big brother to make as much use of the interior space as possible. Mercedes claims the GLK offers almost as much interior room as the larger ML-Class SUV.

More customers are likely to opt for the sports pack rather than the off-road pack. The sport pack includes 19-inch alloy wheels, firmer suspension and a 20mm lower ride height for improved handling.

Two petrol V6 engines will be offered in the GLK, comprising 3.0- and 3.5-litre units with 231- and 272bhp respectively. There are also two turbodiesel engines available, including Mercedes' new 2.1-litre common rail turbodiesel in the GLK 220 CDi that will give 40.9mpg combined economy. The other diesel is the 3.0 V6 already seen in a number of other Merc models.

Alisdair Suttie - 21 Apr 2008