G-Class SUV's world premiere at the Beijing Auto Show will steal the limelight of the Mercedes-Benz's exhibition booth.

   

For Chinese people, 2012 may be the Year of the Dragon, but Mercedes-Benz is hailing it as the "Year of the SUV".

At the 2012 Beijing Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz will debut a range of new forward-looking designs, including a number of luxury SUV models.

Thanks to China's position as the world's fastest-growing car market, the exhibition for premium automobiles is second in scale and importance for the automaker only to the Frankfurt Motor Show.

With an impressive lineup of 34 car models, Mercedes-Benz is presenting a total of three market launches: one China premiere, two Asian premieres and four exciting world premieres, one of which is the Mercedes Concept Style Coup, a breathtaking four-door coup that sets a new benchmark in avant-garde design, according to the company.

Three new powerful models from the classic G-Class - the G 500, the G 63 AMG and the G 65 AMG - will also make their world debut at the event.

'Year of the SUV'

The auto show also highlights M-Class models, such as the ML 350, which was launched in March this year as a kick-off for Mercedes-Benz's "Year of the SUV" promotional campaign. The ML 63 AMG will be making its Asian debut as well.

The GLK Grand Edition will be launched exclusively for Chinese customers. Models from the R-Class and GL-Class will also be on display.

The SUV segment began to soar in 2007 as China's market matured and has since developed into the fastest-growing segment.

In the past five years, sales of Mercedes-Benz SUVs have grown from less than 10 percent of all vehicle sales in 2007 to almost 30 percent in 2011.

The comprehensive SUV lineup presented at the Beijing Auto Show underlines the focus Mercedes-Benz is placing on its SUV family this year.

China has become one of Mercedes-Benz's largest markets for SUVs, and to fully satisfy the increasingly diversified tastes of its customers, the automaker has planned model renewals for its entire SUV lineup.

The new generation G-Class

The new-generation G-Class represents a new benchmark for Mercedes-Benz SUVs, according to the company.

Since it was first developed in 1979, the G-Class has undergone an astounding process of evolution. Over the years, Mercedes-Benz has refined a vehicle primarily designed for tough off-road terrain by giving it a high-class interior and road-going qualities on par with premium luxury cars.

After 33 years, the G-Class is still considered one of the top luxury cross-country vehicles, and its design forms the starting point for many of the company's other SUVs.

The new generation G-Class strives to create a class of its own in the off-road sector by offering sophisticated new engines, an extended range of features, a new and more luxurious interior as well as discreet external modifications that nevertheless preserve the timeless, classic design that has made the G-Class a true style icon, according to the company.

The G 500's powerful 5.5-liter V8 gasoline engine has an output of 285 kilowatts and a torque of 530 Nm. The 7G-TRONIC Plus automatic transmission has been optimized for both consumption and comfort.

The G 500 always performs with style and stability on and off the road, according to the company.

The AMG 5.5-liter V8 biturbo engine of the G 63 AMG provides a maximum output of 400 kilowatts in addition to state-of-the-art drive technology, expressive design and increased fuel economy.

Even more exclusive is the G 65 AMG, which is also the company's most powerful off-road vehicle in production. In addition to the car's exceptional dynamic handling, the top-of-the-line model is equipped with an AMG V12 biturbo engine that has a maximum output of 450 kilowatts and maximum torque of 1,000 Nm.