When the 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450 arrives just in time for summer road trips, a 4.6-liter, 32-valve V8 will be installed under the hood. So why isn’t it called the GL460? Mercedes is keeping the “450” designation for consistency of nomenclature within its SUV lineup. This V8 outputs 335 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 339 lb.-ft. of torque at 2,700 rpm, ratings adequate to motivate this 5,249-lb. vehicle. All aluminum construction, variable intake and exhaust valve timing, and a two-stage intake manifold yield a blend of power and fuel efficiency, says Mercedes, although exact mile-per-gallon figures are not yet available from the EPA. Buyers looking for better fuel economy than this V8 produces can wait a bit for a 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel variant, certified for use in 45 states. Diesel power won’t come to California or New England until 2008, when 50-state BLUETEC technology debuts. Want to trade economy for performance? Not surprisingly, a tweaked GL63 AMG is rumored to join the lineup in the future.

Circling back to the 2006 Mercedes-Benz GL450, the seven-speed automatic transmission that is spreading throughout the company’s lineup is standard equipment. Additionally, a drive-by-wire Direct Shift system replaces the conventional shift lever in the console with a column-mounted lever that determines the transmission mode electronically. If sport-inspired manual control is desired, standard steering-wheel shift buttons are available.

Every GL450 gets permanent all-wheel drive as standard, splitting torque 50/50 front to rear, and traction control is included with the 4MATIC Electronic Traction System. Four-wheel vented disc brakes with ABS are standard, mounted inside the 18-inch wheels. A fully independent double wishbone front and four-link rear suspension provides damping, while speed-sensitive steering aids directional adjustment. In addition to maintaining one constant height regardless of payload, the load-leveling Airmatic suspension also functions in parallel with the Adaptive Damping System that varies the shock response according to road conditions, vehicle load and driving technique. Comfort, normal and sport modes can be selected.

A two-speed transfer case comes as a part of the Off-Road Package, along with a different version of the height-adjustable Airmatic suspension that increases ground clearance to more than 12 inches (from the base 10.9 inches) while yielding a water fording depth of 23 inches.