Mercedes-Benz CEO presents new GLS at Alabama plant

Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius showcases the new GLS in Tuscaloosa, highlighting SUV production, технологии and роль завода. Learn more about the model and its context.

Ola Källenius returned to Tuscaloosa not just for a personal visit, but to unveil the new Mercedes-Benz GLS at the very place where the brand’s key SUVs are built. At the Alabama plant, he presented the vehicle without camouflage, driving it through real conditions — from city streets to the factory’s off-road track.

The video takes the form of a personal journey. Källenius revisits the place where his career began in the mid-1990s, where he once lived and started a family. Today, the same location has evolved into the global hub for Mercedes-Benz SUV production. The plant, which started operations in 1997, has grown from a capacity of around 60,000 vehicles per year to about 300,000, recently reaching a milestone of five million units produced. This moment coincided with the premieres of the updated GLE and GLS.

The new GLS stands at the center of this story. Often described as the “S-Class among SUVs”, it represents the flagship of the lineup. The vehicle offers seven seats, flexible interior configurations and is positioned for an active lifestyle — from family trips to transporting sports equipment. At the same time, it emphasizes comfort, delivering a calm and controlled driving experience even beyond paved roads.

Technically, the model introduces significant updates. It features a completely new powertrain with electrified engines, including plug-in hybrids. A new electronic architecture and the MB.OS operating system allow over-the-air updates, turning the GLS into a digitally advanced vehicle rather than just a large SUV.

Particular attention is given to suspension and off-road capability. The E-Active Body Control system adapts the vehicle’s behavior in real time based on driving conditions. In advanced versions, it monitors body and wheel movements up to 1,000 times per second and can anticipate road irregularities using camera data. This enables a balance between high comfort and confident performance on challenging terrain.

The setting itself plays a crucial role. The Tuscaloosa plant was the first major Mercedes-Benz production site outside Germany and has become one of the company’s key export hubs, with a significant share of vehicles shipped globally. Today, it produces not only the GLE and GLS, but also the Mercedes-Maybach GLS, as well as electric models like the EQS SUV and EQE SUV.

Local elements — from the off-road course to a meeting with coach Nick Saban and a stop at Dreamland BBQ — highlight how deeply the brand is connected to the region. At the same time, the broader picture is clear. Mercedes-Benz has announced plans to invest over $7 billion in the United States, including around $4 billion allocated to the Tuscaloosa facility by 2030. Production expansion is also confirmed, with the next-generation GLC set to join the lineup, tailored for the U.S. market.

In this context, the new GLS is more than a product launch. It reflects how a single production site integrates into a global strategy, where technology development, model expansion and long-term investment define the company’s next phase.