Communities from Pacific Palisades to Pompano Beach are quaking with enough excitement to register on the Richter scale now that word of the 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is spreading among the nation’s affluent. The debut of the GL-Class brings to four the total of Mercedes-Benz SUVs, from the sport-tourer known as the R-Class to the rough-and-tumble G-Glass. After the initial rollout of the GL450, Mercedes will offer a GL320 version with its new Bluetec diesel engine, which runs on low-sulfur fuel and cuts 80 percent of the nitrogen oxides normally found in diesel exhaust. Until then, a 4.6-liter, 335-horsepower V8 engine will be standard on the 2007 GL-Class, matched to a seven-speed automatic transmission that drives all four wheels through the company’s 4Matic 4WD system. Downhill Assist Regulation and Hill Start Assist technologies are also standard, while an Off-Road package includes a two-speed transfer case, front and rear locking differentials, and an air suspension that can raise the GL-Class an additional 12 inches to create a maximum fording depth of 23 inches. The hardware roster also includes a four-wheel-independent suspension, speed-sensitive steering, and 18-inch alloy wheels wearing 265/60 all-season tires. An Airmatic air suspension and adaptive damping shocks are optional.

Inside the 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, leather and burl walnut wood dominate, and there’s a standard power sunroof with a fixed glass panel located over the third-row seats. When the power split-folding third-row seats are not in use, the GL-Class can carry 43.8 cubic feet of cargo. As with the M- and R-Class models, a long list of optional features is available, including a navigation system, satellite radio, keyless ignition, a rear DVD entertainment system, and Distronic cruise control.