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The rebodied Mercedes-Benz GL-Class from China is exclusively offered in black color with a carry-over V6 engine
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–> by Thanos Pappas
3 hours ago
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by Thanos Pappas
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BAIC unveiled the BJ90 Shanhe Edition, a much cheaper version of the Chinese luxury SUV that is actually a re-bodied second-gen Mercedes-Benz GL-Class.
The first photos of the BJ90 from the state-owned BAIC surfaced back in 2015 when it was produced in small numbers as a government-only vehicle. The SUV became commercially available in 2019 at a price of up to ¥998,000 ($143,345). Naturally, steep pricing limited its appeal to private customers since at the time it was actually more expensive than the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class / GLS (2012-2019) it was based on.
The new BAIC BJ90 Shanhe Edition doesn’t really bring any visual, technological, or mechanical updates but it is now offered at a more reasonable price range of ¥478,000 – 498,000 ($68,649 – 71,521). This is almost half the price compared to its predecessor, although it is still a lot of money for a vehicle with decade-old underpinnings. For a good measure, the locally-produced long-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz GLC can be bought in China for less than ¥406,300 ($58,350), while the new-gen GLS starts from ¥1,083,000 ($155,534) as a proper luxury SUV flagship.
Read: China’s New BAIC BJ60 Looks Like A Cross Between A Jeep And A Land Cruiser
With the exception of the hard points and the proportions, the exterior design of the BJ90 has nothing in common with the Mercedes, borrowing styling cues from other automakers including the Range Rover-style headlights, the Jeep-style grille, and the Ford Explorer taillights. Admittedly it doesn’t look as modern as the slightly smaller BJ60 that debuted earlier this year but it holds well for its age. BAIC only offers the BJ90 in a black exterior shade with 20-inch wheels and a black interior so there is no room for personalization.
The interior has started showing its age with many components carried over from the Mercedes including the steering wheel, the analog instrument cluster, the climate controls, the glovebox, etc. Thankfully the Chinese version has a new 10.4-inch infotainment screen occupying a larger portion of the center console, while high-quality materials including wood accents and genuine leather upholstery create a luxurious ambiance.
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The BJ90’s footprint is quite impressive, measuring 5,171 mm long with a 3,100 mm wheelbase that is on par with the previous-gen GLS (facelifted GL-Class). While the model used to be available with V6 and V8 engine options, it is now solely available with the Mercedes-sourced turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 producing 328 hp (245 kW / 333 PS) and 480 Nm (350 lb-ft) of torque. Power is transmitted to all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic gearbox and the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system while the Chinese model also inherits the Airmatic adaptive air suspension.
It remains to be seen if the BAIC BJ90 Shanhe Edition with its reduced price will be more successful than its predecessor. According to CarSalesBase.com, the BJ90 sold 258 units in 2019, 267 units in 2020, and 1,563 units in 2021, although the vast majority of each year’s sales were registered in December.
H/T to Autohome
