Beijing: German automaker Daimler on 20 April launched the Mercedes-Benz GLK-class sports utility vehicle (SUV) at the Auto China 2008 in Beijing.

The world premiere of the GLK at the New China International Exhibition Centre was aimed at increasing its sales in China and also overtake its German rival BMW in the luxury segment in China, the company said.

At Beijing, Daimler plans to showcase more than 30 models for exhibition, including the global premiere of GLK as part of its focus on the Chinese market, a company official stated.

German luxury-auto maker Audi is the current leader in luxury car sales in China, with over 45 per cent sales in the segment. The company, which supplies limousines to the Chinese government and is also selling mid-range cars in China, aims to remain the leading German carmaker in China as per sales volume, said Audi.

BMW, the other luxury car maker has been in China for longer than their German rivals that gave them an advantage to know the market better.
However, Mercedes-Benz is confident of achieving its target sales in China, boosted by the impressive first quarter sales in 2008, in which the German carmaker sold 9,626 luxury sedans in China, a 40 per cent increase year-on-year, which is a sales figure the company never imagined when it entered China market in 1986.

The GLK will be positioned just beneath the Mercedes ML in the Daimler stable. The SUV, expected to go on sale in 2009 will be priced in a range that should see it compete directly with the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Infiniti EX and Land Rover Freelander.
Mercedez claims, that the GLK is a small car styled to resemble the larger ML in terms of exterior design and interior space all that included at a cheaper price than the more expensive ML.

The four-wheel drive SUV is 4528mm in length, 1840mm in width and 1689mm in height. Customers can choose between three option packages, including a sports package for better on-road performance with 19-inch wheels, stiffer springs, and 20mm lower ride height. The second variant, an alternative, off-road specification with 17-inch wheels, 210mm of ground clearance, approach and departure angles angle of 23 and 25 degrees, and added cladding and blackened roof rails.

The third package also called 'off-road engineering' package adds DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation), and a function that automatically alters the shift points in the gearbox, remaps the throttle for greater sensitivity and engages an off-road program for the ESP (Electronic Stability Control) at the press of a button.

The GLK will hit the market with the choice of four engines including petrol options such as 231bhp-3.0-litre and the 272bhp-3.5-litre V6s; the latter enables the top-of-the-line GLK350.The GLK350 has a combined fuel economy of 27.2mpg and a CO2 rating of 250g/km.

The other versions, X3 diesels are expected to account for the majority of sales. Among them is the Mercedes-Benz's new entry-level GLK220 CDI BlueEfficiency 170bhp, 2.1-litre, four-cylinder, common-rail diesel. The car can hit 62mph in 8.8sec and reach a top speed of 127mph, while averaging 40.9mpg and emitting 183g/km of CO2.

The fourth version in the new line-up will be a more powerful diesel version with 3.0-litre, V6, common-rail diesel packing 224bhp and a prodigious 398lb ft of torque.

All of the GLK variants will come with Mercedes' seven-speed automatic transmission as standard.

Audi launched its Q5 compact sports utility vehicle in Beijing while BMW introduced an X9 sports active coupe in Auto China 2008.