Equipped with its standard-specification Off-Road-Pro Engineering package the GL 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 distances on downhill gradients, particularly when driving on loose surfaces.

The GL-Class is equipped with six-piece underbody panelling made of high-strength plastic, which offers extra protection for off-road driving. The standard-specification Off-Road Pro technical package supplements this with a stainless steel reinforced underguard at the front. The modified AIRMATIC system with level control and adaptive damping system (ADS) enables a maximum ground clearance of 307 mm and a maximum fording depth of 600 mm in the highest off-road setting. Even rocky stretches and stream crossings no longer present a problem.

The double-wishbone suspension at the front and the four-link rear suspension, both of which come with self-supporting subframes, are ideally suited to the challenges of off-road driving. The isolated design of the subframes in terms of vibration ensures that very few jolts are transferred to the vehicle's body.

The electronic driving dynamics system ESP®/4ETS adapts itself to meet the challenges of off-road driving. For example, it reprograms the timing for brake actuations at the wheels and raises the 7G-TRONIC shift points. The result is a GL-Class vehicle that glides up and down hills with consummate ease.

A further advantage for off-road driving is the dual-level transfer case (low range), which ensures optimum traction. Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR) helps the driver to negotiate steep downhill gradients. The system maintains vehicle speed by controlling the engine and transmission and using automatic braking.