Why is Mercedes-Benz participating in the SEMA Show in Las Vegas?
“Mercedes is rediscovering SEMA with the GLK. Our GLK is a very trendy vehicle with an extremely cool presence, which is why we value the connection to the almost crazy, very lifestyle-oriented SEMA Show and the glamour of its setting in Las Vegas. Moreover, this tuning show has developed to become one of the most important automobile trade shows in North America. We have to be there with our GLK, which is a very important vehicle for Mercedes, especially in the U.S.”

Is it a good fit - a somewhat extreme US tuning show like SEMA and a premium manufacturer like Mercedes-Benz?
“We thing SEMAis an incredibly inspiring event, and we are very much looking forward to it. SEMAis a show for car fans - you could almost say for car nuts. And that’s why this is a perfect setting for our GLK, which stands out from the competition with its highly unconventional and distinctive design. The GLK is a product personality from Mercedes-Benz and we want to use its appearance at SEMAto underscore its lifestyle and individuality.”

Why are you focusing on the new GLK-Class?
“Our GLK is a character bursting with expressiveness, and a new model for us within a young market segment that we are launching onto the North American market early next year. We selected SEMAin Las Vegasas the backdrop for its first appearance and not the North American International Auto Show, as we might normally have done. It was a very conscious decision to go to Las Vegas, in order to take advantage of the show’s glamour and to underscore the highly individual character of the GLK. An SUV with an edge that is so refreshingly alternative, demands a somewhat alternative setting.”

What is your thinking behind the GLK presence here? Are you taking any unusual approaches?
“The GLK is being presented in a number of versions created by three North American and one German tuner on the basis of the series production vehicle. The tuners had a free hand and were tasked to use their own imaginations to design and individualise the vehicles. Their work has broadened the personality of the GLK to reveal cool and lifestyle-oriented variations of the GLK concept. In essence - a very special appearance at a very special auto show with very unconventional vehicles.”

A brave step indeed! How did the idea come about to create this “tuning competition”?
“We wanted to see what kinds of interpretations were inspired by our GLK and how they would add emphasis to the personality of this very strong character. The tuners opted for completely differing approaches, demonstrating the enormous variability of our GLK concept.”

Do you think you will gain insight from North America’s leading trend show that will be relevant for the German or European market?
“Our highly unconventional SEMA appearance and the resulting public reaction will enable us to deduce certain trends in respect of what a cool car in the compact SUV segment might look like. And, in our experience, these trends apply not only to North America, but also more and more to Europe and the rest of the world. Younger customers in particular are quick to pick up on trends from the U.S. This is another reason why we maintain our own design studio in the U.S.”