Star Struck

After spending a week with the Mercedes GLE 400d GQ motoring ed Dieter Losskarn attended the local launch of the GLC 300d. Is latter enough or should you go for the bigger brother?

IT'S BEEN 62 DAYS, 13 HOURS AND 25 MINUTES SINCE MY LAST TIME IN A VEHICLE FROM THE COUNTRY OF MY ORIGIN.

I don't want to sound biased, but I do miss driving a MercedesBenz after a while. Is it perhaps because Daimler invented the automobile? Or because I spent almost ten years working in the cradle of motorkind, in Stuttgart, before moving to South Africa in 1994? It's just a different feel. Don't get me wrong, other manufacturers build. great cars as well, but in a Porsche or Benz you are instantly cocooned. You feel safe and sound. You smell the leather and feel the quality, especially when it's powered by one of the best Mercedes engines available, the 3.0-1. 6cyl. diesel. I have experienced this smooth, powerful engine before in the G 400d, as well as in the GLS 400d. In the GLE it's just as impressive. With enormous torque on a windy, narrow road, even an AMG-powered Merc wouldn't be (much) quicker. It's the more sensible choice, but definitely anything but boring.