2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK 350

This weekend Mercedes will be unveiling the production GLK sans Kim Cattrall at the Beijing Motor Show, a.k.a. the Auto China in Bejing. We’ve also learned that the GLK will have only one engine available when it goes sale in the U.S. next January as a 2010 model. The sole motor will be a 268-horsepower 3.5L V6, which can be paired with a two-wheel-drive or 4MATIC all-wheel-drive platform, the latter being able to hit 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds while also returning 23 mpg on the highway. The design of the GLK, meanwhile, apes other CUVs that want to look tough despite their decidedly non-SUV underpinnings, hence all the angularity and sharp edges. Its standard ten-spoke wheels will be unusually large at 19 inches, and 20-inchers will be optional. The GLK 350 will be a true Mercedes with all the trappings of digital technology inside and a plethora of safety features, and MB is planning five option packages and nine standalone options. It’ll be built at the automaker’s plant in Bremen, Germany and join the R-Class, M-Class, GL-Class and G-Class as the fifth “SUV” in the Mercedes lineup. No word yet on pricing, though.