Mercedes GST given go ahead for USA production

Production photos have not been released but the GST was previewed as the Vision GST concept car at the Detroit motor show in January. It is one of the new breed of 'Crossover' cars between off-roaders and conventional luxury cars. Mercedez-Benz marketing boss Joachim Schmidt termed it a 'touring car, station wagon, large capacity vehicle and sport utility vehicle rolled into one'.

The GST concept is a vast six-seater - longer than an S-Class - powered by a 5.5-litre V8 engine with four wheel drive. The production version is unlikely to see its 'butterfly' side doors which swing 90 degrees in opposite directions but it will feature numerous seat folding permutations for all those lifestyle opportunities.

Although the GST will share some components with the M-Class, the smaller SUV will stay in production in Alabama, redesigned for 2004. Mercedes is expanding production from 80,000 vehicles a year to 160,000.